[Bug 2084453] [NEW] systemd 256 blocks root logins before systemd-user-sessions.service is up

[Gabriel de Perthuis]

Public bug reported:

In 24.10 oracular (this didn't happen in 24.04), it's impossible to
connect to a machine before systemd-user-sessions.service is started.
This is stricter than having /etc/nologin / /run/nologin / pam_nologin
blocking logins, because it also applies to root logins.

systemd-user-sessions waits for things like remote-fs.service, overall
this makes it impossible to unlock encrypted partitions remotely or to
troubleshoot boot issues without messing with the kernel command line
through the boot loader.

This is fixed in systemd 256.7.
Upstream patch: https://github.com/systemd/systemd/commit/278e815bfa3e4c2e3914e00121c37fc844cb2025 (https://github.com/systemd/systemd/pull/23936)
Upstream bug report: https://github.com/systemd/systemd/issues/19264

Can this be backported from 256.7?  Or can ubuntu be updated to to that
point release?

LC_ALL=C apt policy systemd
systemd:
  Installed: 256.5-2ubuntu3
  Candidate: 256.5-2ubuntu3
  Version table:
 *** 256.5-2ubuntu3 1000
       1000 http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oracular/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

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

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2084453

Title:
  systemd 256 blocks root logins before systemd-user-sessions.service is
  up

Status in systemd package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  In 24.10 oracular (this didn't happen in 24.04), it's impossible to
  connect to a machine before systemd-user-sessions.service is started.
  This is stricter than having /etc/nologin / /run/nologin / pam_nologin
  blocking logins, because it also applies to root logins.

  systemd-user-sessions waits for things like remote-fs.service, overall
  this makes it impossible to unlock encrypted partitions remotely or to
  troubleshoot boot issues without messing with the kernel command line
  through the boot loader.

  This is fixed in systemd 256.7.
  Upstream patch: https://github.com/systemd/systemd/commit/278e815bfa3e4c2e3914e00121c37fc844cb2025 (https://github.com/systemd/systemd/pull/23936)
  Upstream bug report: https://github.com/systemd/systemd/issues/19264

  Can this be backported from 256.7?  Or can ubuntu be updated to to
  that point release?

  LC_ALL=C apt policy systemd
  systemd:
    Installed: 256.5-2ubuntu3
    Candidate: 256.5-2ubuntu3
    Version table:
   *** 256.5-2ubuntu3 1000
         1000 http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oracular/main amd64 Packages
          100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

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