[Bug 2130396] [NEW] rust-coreutils 'shred' refuses to write to a device

[Joseph Walton]

Public bug reported:

'shred' is one commonly suggested way to erase a device. e.g.
https://askubuntu.com/questions/17640/how-can-i-securely-erase-a-hard-
drive :

> Then run the following, replacing /dev/sdX with the name of your device:
> sudo shred -v /dev/sdX

However, the `rust-coreutils` version fails with:

> $ sudo shred -z -v -n 1 /dev/sda
> [sudo: authenticate] Password: 
> shred: /dev/sda: Not a file

This is a regression against the gnu-coreutils version, which is happy
to go ahead and write:

> shred: /dev/sda: pass 1/2 (random)...

As a workaround, use 'dd' (or any number of other tools).

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 25.10
Package: rust-coreutils 0.2.2-0ubuntu2.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 6.17.0-6.6-generic 6.17.1
Uname: Linux 6.17.0-6-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.33.1-0ubuntu3
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: unknown
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Fri Oct 31 15:54:58 2025
InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-09-02 (2615 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS "Bionic Beaver" - Release amd64 (20180725)
SourcePackage: rust-coreutils
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to questing on 2025-10-29 (1 days ago)
modified.conffile..etc.default.apport: [modified]
mtime.conffile..etc.default.apport: 2018-09-04T22:33:01.718142

** Affects: rust-coreutils (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: amd64 apport-bug questing wayland-session

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2130396

Title:
  rust-coreutils 'shred' refuses to write to a device

Status in rust-coreutils package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  'shred' is one commonly suggested way to erase a device. e.g.
  https://askubuntu.com/questions/17640/how-can-i-securely-erase-a-hard-
  drive :

  > Then run the following, replacing /dev/sdX with the name of your device:
  > sudo shred -v /dev/sdX

  However, the `rust-coreutils` version fails with:

  > $ sudo shred -z -v -n 1 /dev/sda
  > [sudo: authenticate] Password: 
  > shred: /dev/sda: Not a file

  This is a regression against the gnu-coreutils version, which is happy
  to go ahead and write:

  > shred: /dev/sda: pass 1/2 (random)...

  As a workaround, use 'dd' (or any number of other tools).

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 25.10
  Package: rust-coreutils 0.2.2-0ubuntu2.1
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 6.17.0-6.6-generic 6.17.1
  Uname: Linux 6.17.0-6-generic x86_64
  ApportVersion: 2.33.1-0ubuntu3
  Architecture: amd64
  CasperMD5CheckResult: unknown
  CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
  Date: Fri Oct 31 15:54:58 2025
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-09-02 (2615 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS "Bionic Beaver" - Release amd64 (20180725)
  SourcePackage: rust-coreutils
  UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to questing on 2025-10-29 (1 days ago)
  modified.conffile..etc.default.apport: [modified]
  mtime.conffile..etc.default.apport: 2018-09-04T22:33:01.718142

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