Wiki -
https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Changes/UnprivilegedSystemFlatpakManagement
Discussion thread -
https://discussion.fedoraproject.org/t/f42-change-proposal-unprivileged-management-of-system-flatpaks-system-wide/124336
This is a proposed Change for Fedora Linux.
This document represents a proposed Change. As part of the Changes
process, proposals are publicly announced in order to receive
community feedback. This proposal will only be implemented if approved
by the Fedora Engineering Steering Committee.
== Summary ==
This proposal adds a new dedicated `flatpak` group, allowing users to
manage system Flatpaks without needing to be in the `wheel` group.
== Owner ==
* Name: [[User:boredsquirrel| Henning]]
* Email: boredsquir...@secure.mailbox.org
== Detailed Description ==
Currently, to install, uninstall and modify apps or repositories,
users need to be in the `wheel` group. Removing a user from the wheel
group would interfere with the currently default (systemwide)
configuration of Flatpaks.
All users can add a `user` repository, and manage their own user
Flatpaks. But a dedicated group to manage system flatpaks, without
relying on `wheel` allows more fine grained privileges.
This enables an "admin" permission that is not tied to full root
access on the host system.
It will be a change of the polkit rule `org.freedesktop.Flatpak.rules`
like following:
polkit.addRule(function(action, subject) {
if ((action.id == "org.freedesktop.Flatpak.app-install" ||
action.id == "org.freedesktop.Flatpak.runtime-install"||
action.id == "org.freedesktop.Flatpak.app-uninstall" ||
action.id == "org.freedesktop.Flatpak.runtime-uninstall" ||
action.id == "org.freedesktop.Flatpak.modify-repo") &&
subject.active == true && subject.local == true && (
subject.isInGroup("wheel") || subject.isInGroup("flatpak"))) {
return polkit.Result.YES;
}
return polkit.Result.NOT_HANDLED;
});
polkit.addRule(function(action, subject) {
if (action.id == "org.freedesktop.Flatpak.override-parental-controls") {
return polkit.Result.AUTH_ADMIN;
}
return polkit.Result.NOT_HANDLED;
});
== Feedback ==
none yet
== Benefit to Fedora ==
This is a step towards the Confined Users goal. It enables a dedicated
action, the management of Flatpaks, without needing all the other
privileges that `wheel` users have.
== Scope ==
* Proposal owners: changing a single rule, testing with nonwheel users
in the `flatpak` group
* Other developers: none
* Release engineering: [https://pagure.io/releng/issues #Releng issue number]
* Policies and guidelines: Documentation needs to get an additional
chapter on Flatpak management with the `flatpak` group.
* Trademark approval: N/A (not needed for this Change)
* Alignment with the Fedora Strategy: Yes
== Upgrade/compatibility impact ==
The polkit rule will be overwritten, there will be no changes in
behavior. It just enables a new feature.
== How To Test ==
On Atomic or traditional Fedora, place the above rule in
`/etc/polkit-1/rules.d/org.freedesktop.Flatpak.rules`.
This will be preferred over the default rule and you can test if it works.
== User Experience ==
By default, Anaconda puts users into the `wheel` group. There will be no change.
But it enables to manage Flatpaks without being in that privileged group.
== Dependencies ==
None
== Contingency Plan ==
* Contingency mechanism: this is a simple fix, not adding it will keep
the previous wheel need
* Contingency deadline: N/A
* Blocks release? N/A
== Documentation ==
Will be added afterwards.
Nonwheel users can be added to the `flatpak` group:
sudo groupadd flatpak
sudo usermod -aG flatpak USERNAME
== Release Notes ==
Permission to manage systemwide flatpaks is now granted to users in
the 'flatpak' group.
--
Aoife Moloney
Fedora Operations Architect
Fedora Project
Matrix: @amoloney:fedora.im
IRC: amoloney
--
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