[Bug 1821415] Re: pkexec fails in a non-graphical environment

[Thomas]

I am still having this bug.

apport-cli --version
2.20.11

pkexec --version
pkexec version 0.105

user2 at computer:~/cm$ pkexec bash
==== AUTHENTICATING FOR org.freedesktop.policykit.exec ===
Authentication is needed to run `/usr/bin/bash' as the super user
Multiple identities can be used for authentication:
 1.  Administrator,,, (admin)
 2.  ,,, (user1)
 3.  ,,, (user2)
Choose identity to authenticate as (1-3): 3
Password: 
polkit-agent-helper-1: error response to PolicyKit daemon: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.PolicyKit1.Error.Failed: No session for cookie
==== AUTHENTICATION FAILED ===
Error executing command as another user: Not authorized

This incident has been reported.
user2 at computer:~/cm$

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1821415

Title:
  pkexec fails in a non-graphical environment

Status in PolicyKit:
  New
Status in apport package in Ubuntu:
  Fix Released
Status in policykit-1 package in Ubuntu:
  Won't Fix
Status in apport source package in Focal:
  Fix Released
Status in policykit-1 source package in Focal:
  Won't Fix
Status in apport source package in Groovy:
  Fix Released
Status in policykit-1 source package in Groovy:
  Won't Fix

Bug description:
  [Impact]
  The plymouth apport source package hooks wants to gather log files as the root user and apport provides a policy kit policy for collecting that information. This works fine in a graphical environment but not in a non-graphical one.

  [Test Case]
  1) ssh into an Ubuntu Desktop install of Ubuntu 20.04 LTS or Ubuntu 20.10
  2) sudo touch /var/log/plymouth-debug.log
  3) ubuntu at disco:~$ ubuntu-bug plymouth

  *** Collecting problem information

  The collected information can be sent to the developers to improve the
  application. This might take a few minutes.
  ..........==== AUTHENTICATING FOR com.ubuntu.apport.root-info ===
  Authentication is required to collect system information for this problem report
  Authenticating as: Ubuntu (ubuntu)
  Password: ....
  polkit-agent-helper-1: error response to PolicyKit daemon: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.PolicyKit1.Error.Failed: No session for cookie
  ==== AUTHENTICATION FAILED ===
  Error executing command as another user: Not authorized

  This incident has been reported.

  With the version of apport from -proposed you will not see the
  "AUTHENTICATION FAILED" error and the plymouth-debug.log file will be
  collected.

  [Where Problems Could Occur]
  It's possible that the spawned pkttyagent process does not get cleaned up properly and could be left running. When testing the SRU we should confirm it is not still running.

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