Public bug reported: If a user encrypts their home directory using the standard Ubuntu installer GUI, which uses ecryptfs, then the users home directory is encrypted while systemd is trying to start their user services so they cant be read. After consulting with the systemd developers, the problem is remarkably simple to fix
Ubuntu releases /etc/pam.d/common-session with the follow entries: session optional pam_systemd.so session optional pam_ecryptfs.so unwrap they need to be swapped to session optional pam_ecryptfs.so unwrap session optional pam_systemd.so so that decryption happens before systemd user services are started. Check the thread on the systemd developers mailing list at https://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/systemd- devel/2018-January/040301.html for further information ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 17.10 Package: systemd 234-2ubuntu12.1 Uname: Linux 4.14.4-acso x86_64 ApportVersion: 2.20.7-0ubuntu3.7 Architecture: amd64 CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME Date: Wed Jan 31 09:25:10 2018 EcryptfsInUse: Yes InstallationDate: Installed on 2017-11-04 (87 days ago) InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 17.10 "Artful Aardvark" - Release amd64 (20171018) MachineType: Dell Inc. XPS 15 9560 ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.14.4-acso root=/dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-root ro quiet splash intel_iommu=on pci=noaer pcie_acs_override=downstream vt.handoff=7 SourcePackage: systemd UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install) dmi.bios.date: 08/30/2017 dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc. dmi.bios.version: 1.5.0 dmi.board.name: 05FFDN dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc. dmi.board.version: A00 dmi.chassis.type: 10 dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc. dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvr1.5.0:bd08/30/2017:svnDellInc.:pnXPS159560:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn05FFDN:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct10:cvr: dmi.product.family: XPS dmi.product.name: XPS 15 9560 dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc. ** Affects: systemd (Ubuntu) Importance: Undecided Status: New ** Tags: amd64 apport-bug artful -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1746527 Title: Systemd User Service Cannot Start with ECryptFS Due to PAM Misconfiguration To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/systemd/+bug/1746527/+subscriptions -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs