Hello! On Thu, Jun 25, 2015 at 04:55:16PM +0200, Sven Joachim wrote: > Package: util-linux > Version: 2.26.2-6 > > The sysvinit implementation of sulogin(8) carried a Debian patch to > start a shell if the root account is locked (see #326678 for details). > It seems that this functionality is not available anymore, making it > impossible to do anything if systemd enters emergency mode. > > See https://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2015/06/msg01368.html.
(This has nothing to do with systemd or emergency mode there.) The patch implemented "allow root to log in without password, if root account is locked". See https://github.com/karelzak/util-linux/pull/200 for further discussion. I'm currently undecided on how to best approach this. As discussed just now with upstream please consider the usecase of a kiosk setup. Root account is locked. (Physical access restricted.) Suddently the filesystem becomes bad and needs attention. Kiosk user is allowed to log in as root by just pressing enter! I don't think it's too far fetched to think that a locked root account actually means locked. Not "we occationally let you in as root without even typing a password". It's not obvious how to deal with this situation.... might need a wider discussion on debian-devel about this. Anyway, I think it's very unfortunate that this was patched into Debian rather then going via upstream last decade. This now puts us in a situation between a rock and a hard place. (Not to mention that the original patch was buggy.) Regards, Andreas Henriksson -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-bugs-dist-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org