[Bug 1522675] Re: Can't drop privileges for downloading : _apt user not allowed

[kroenecker]

Check to see if you have an _apt user:

cat /etc/passwd | grep apt

_apt:x:105:65534::/nonexistent:/bin/false

If you do, no need to add the user.  Otherwise,

adduser --force-badname --system --home /nonexistent --no-create-home
--quiet _apt || true

I haven't verified that it creates precisely the user necessary.  If I
remember correctly, /bin/false means no shell access so make sure the
user created does in fact have /bin/false in passwd.  Also it has no
group (65534).  That is it really.

Finally check the directory situation:

ls -la /var/lib/update-notifier/package-data-downloads/

drwxr-xr-x 2 _apt root 4096 Nov  9 10:23 partial

As you can see "_apt" is properly listed as the owner.  If not,

sudo chown _apt /var/lib/update-notifier/package-data-downloads/partial/

My system already had an _apt user, but did not have proper directory
permissions.  At least, I have to assume that this is a proper fix.  If
not, somebody more knowledgeable should be speaking up and sorting this
out...

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1522675

Title:
  Can't drop privileges for downloading : _apt user not allowed

Status in apt package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed
Status in dpkg package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed
Status in synaptic package in Debian:
  New

Bug description:
  Recently we got new versions for synaptic 0.82+build1 & apt 1.1.3, but
  now get that error when installing/upgrading some packages:

  Setting up libc6-dbg:amd64 (2.21-0ubuntu5) ...
  Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.21-0ubuntu5) ...
  W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/root/.synaptic/tmp//tmp_cl' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)

  From nautilus, i'm seeing a /root/ folder locked (x on its icon) and
  the folder is empty (no /.synaptic/ sub-folder or file), so the above
  error.

  oem at u64:~$ ls -l .synaptic
  total 4
  -rw-rw-r-- 1 oem oem   0 Aug 25 11:19 options
  -rw-rw-r-- 1 oem oem 236 Aug 25 11:19 synaptic.conf

  oem at u64:~$ ls -l /var/lib/apt/lists/
  ....
  -rw-r----- 1 root root        0 Sep 20 06:36 lock
  drwx------ 2 _apt root    16384 Sep 24 15:25 partial
  ......

  oem at u64:~$ sudo ls -l /var/lib/update-notifier/package-data-downloads/
  .....
  drwxr-xr-x 2 _apt root 4096 Sep 22 23:33 partial

  
  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
  Package: synaptic 0.82+build1
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.3.0-1.10-generic 4.3.0
  Uname: Linux 4.3.0-1-generic x86_64
  NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
  ApportVersion: 2.19.2-0ubuntu8
  Architecture: amd64
  CurrentDesktop: GNOME
  Date: Fri Dec  4 05:23:25 2015
  SourcePackage: synaptic
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

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