[Bug 2079785] Re: apt / apt-get install produce spurious Warning

[Colin Foster]

Update - solution of sorts?

I noticed from the output of a batch update that immediately after all
the GET lines, there was

debconf: delaying package configuration, since apt-utils is not
installed

I must admit I've never heard of apt-utils, and it evidently isn't
installed as a dependency in the base system.

So, out of curiosity, I installed it (and of course got the W message).

However, subsequent installs are now clean - no more warnings.

So - either something in apt-utils is required (and so apt-utils should
be included in the minimal install configuration out the box) or
remediates the "problem" so may give you a clue as to its cause.

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2079785

Title:
  apt / apt-get install produce spurious Warning

Status in apt package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  A new minimal install of Ubuntu Server 24.04 has started giving a W
  message on completion of all apt and apt-get installs:

  W: Download is performed unsandboxed as root as file
  '/var/cache/apt/archives/partial/<PACKAGE_NAME>' couldn't be accessed
  by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)

  This seems to be spurious, as on checking
  /var/cache/apt/archives/partial has correct _apt:root ownership, mode
  700.

  I have set ownership on everything from /var/cache/apt down to
  _apt:root, but it makes no difference - the warning continues to be
  emitted on all installs, using both apt and apt-get.

  From widespread discussion I've found online, this seems to be a
  common issue with no obvious cause or solution other than to make root
  the sandbox user in /etc/apt/apt.conf.d, which seem to me to not be a
  solution at all! I agree that _apt should be used with reduced
  privileges for downloading, but it seems that something in the changes
  you made to implement this is broken.

  The only non-standard thing about the install I can think of is that
  /var is symlinked to /zen/var/ where /zen mounts another partition (we
  prefer to keep data directories such as /var, /srv and /tmp off the
  system volume). However, we have the same arrangement on other systems
  and don't have this issue everywhere.

  I'll attach my ubuntu-bug report here, as the machine which generated
  it is headless.

  Thanks
  C

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