[Bug 2041737] [NEW] apport-collect permission error on retrieving boot.log

[Mike Ferreira]

Public bug reported:

RE: Bug Report:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/plymouth/+bug/2041736

While reviewing this Bug Report, to add a comment to help explain something for this user, i noticed this error from apport collect:
...
BootLog: Error: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/var/log/boot.log'
...

This file is needed by Launchpad for diagnostics.

Just this week, I helped a Forum user review his boot.log files, so I am familiar with this. The permissions and ownership of the boot.log.X files are currently:
mafoelffen at Mikes-B460M:~$ ls -l /var/log/boot*
-rw------- 1 root root      0 Oct 16 00:00 /var/log/boot.log
-rw------- 1 root root 101106 Oct 16 00:00 /var/log/boot.log.1
-rw------- 1 root root  50432 Oct 14 00:00 /var/log/boot.log.2
-rw------- 1 root root 201696 Oct 12 00:00 /var/log/boot.log.3
-rw------- 1 root root  50375 Oct 10 00:00 /var/log/boot.log.4
-rw------- 1 root root  50497 Oct  9 00:00 /var/log/boot.log.5
-rw------- 1 root root   1598 Sep 29 00:00 /var/log/boot.log.6
-rw------- 1 root root  26496 Sep 28 19:10 /var/log/boot.log.7
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 108494 Apr 19  2022 /var/log/bootstrap.log
...
Which means the 'root' is only user that can open or view them. 

Examples:
...
mafoelffen at Mikes-ThinkPad-T520:~/Downloads$ awk 'NR>3{exit} {print $0}' /var/log/boot.log
awk: fatal: cannot open file `/var/log/boot.log' for reading: Permission denied

mafoelffen at Mikes-ThinkPad-T520:~/Downloads$ sudo awk 'NR>3{exit} {print $0}' /var/log/boot.log
------------ Sat Jul 22 00:27:04 PDT 2023 ------------
[  OK  ] Started Show Plymouth Boot Screen.
[  OK  ] Started Forward Password R…s to Plymouth Directory Watch.
...

That is why I think apport-collect is getting permissions errors and
failing to retrieve the user boot.log for upload.

Expected behavior:
apport-collect should upload the boot.log successfully.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 22.04
Package: apport 2.20.11-0ubuntu82.5
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 6.2.0-33.33~22.04.1-generic 6.2.16
Uname: Linux 6.2.0-33-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_modeset nvidia zfs zunicode zavl icp zcommon znvpair
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu82.5
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: unknown
CurrentDesktop: GNOME
Date: Sat Oct 28 20:44:58 2023
InstallationDate: Installed on 2021-09-23 (765 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 20.04.3 LTS "Focal Fossa" - Release amd64 (20210819)
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: apport
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to jammy on 2022-08-17 (438 days ago)

** Affects: apport (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: amd64 apport-bug jammy

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2041737

Title:
  apport-collect permission error on retrieving boot.log

Status in apport package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  RE: Bug Report:
  https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/plymouth/+bug/2041736

  While reviewing this Bug Report, to add a comment to help explain something for this user, i noticed this error from apport collect:
  ...
  BootLog: Error: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/var/log/boot.log'
  ...

  This file is needed by Launchpad for diagnostics.

  Just this week, I helped a Forum user review his boot.log files, so I am familiar with this. The permissions and ownership of the boot.log.X files are currently:
  mafoelffen at Mikes-B460M:~$ ls -l /var/log/boot*
  -rw------- 1 root root      0 Oct 16 00:00 /var/log/boot.log
  -rw------- 1 root root 101106 Oct 16 00:00 /var/log/boot.log.1
  -rw------- 1 root root  50432 Oct 14 00:00 /var/log/boot.log.2
  -rw------- 1 root root 201696 Oct 12 00:00 /var/log/boot.log.3
  -rw------- 1 root root  50375 Oct 10 00:00 /var/log/boot.log.4
  -rw------- 1 root root  50497 Oct  9 00:00 /var/log/boot.log.5
  -rw------- 1 root root   1598 Sep 29 00:00 /var/log/boot.log.6
  -rw------- 1 root root  26496 Sep 28 19:10 /var/log/boot.log.7
  -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 108494 Apr 19  2022 /var/log/bootstrap.log
  ...
  Which means the 'root' is only user that can open or view them. 

  Examples:
  ...
  mafoelffen at Mikes-ThinkPad-T520:~/Downloads$ awk 'NR>3{exit} {print $0}' /var/log/boot.log
  awk: fatal: cannot open file `/var/log/boot.log' for reading: Permission denied

  mafoelffen at Mikes-ThinkPad-T520:~/Downloads$ sudo awk 'NR>3{exit} {print $0}' /var/log/boot.log
  ------------ Sat Jul 22 00:27:04 PDT 2023 ------------
  [  OK  ] Started Show Plymouth Boot Screen.
  [  OK  ] Started Forward Password R…s to Plymouth Directory Watch.
  ...

  That is why I think apport-collect is getting permissions errors and
  failing to retrieve the user boot.log for upload.

  Expected behavior:
  apport-collect should upload the boot.log successfully.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 22.04
  Package: apport 2.20.11-0ubuntu82.5
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 6.2.0-33.33~22.04.1-generic 6.2.16
  Uname: Linux 6.2.0-33-generic x86_64
  NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_modeset nvidia zfs zunicode zavl icp zcommon znvpair
  ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu82.5
  Architecture: amd64
  CasperMD5CheckResult: unknown
  CurrentDesktop: GNOME
  Date: Sat Oct 28 20:44:58 2023
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2021-09-23 (765 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 20.04.3 LTS "Focal Fossa" - Release amd64 (20210819)
  PackageArchitecture: all
  SourcePackage: apport
  UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to jammy on 2022-08-17 (438 days ago)

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