** Description changed: [Impact] A fresh install of base-files, like done when using debootstrap, using the base-files from the -updates repository (in the case of ubuntu stable releases), will leave an empty /etc/default/motd-news.wasremoved file. This file is an artifact of the mechanism used to handle a corner case in the previous SRU where it would signal the motd-news-config package to install /etc/default/motd-news with ENABLED=0. See testcases (h) and (i) in the previous base-files SRU at https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/base-files/+bug/1888575 for details. In test case (i) it was acked that the empty .wasremoved file was lying around, but its impact was deemed low (see [other info] item (a)). Another case where /etc/default/motd-news.wasremoved would be created when it shouldn't be is when you have just base-files installed (and no ubuntu-server or motd-news-config) and did a reinstall of base-files, or an upgrade. It would again touch /etc/default/motd-news.wasremoved. The consequence of having /etc/default/motd-news.wasremoved when it's unintended is that a follow-up install of ubuntu-server, or motd-news- config for that matter, will install /etc/default/motd-news with ENABLED=0 instead of ENABLED=1. This was the case of the groovy debootstrap which resulted in this bug being filed. While debootstrap won't mix multiple repositories (like release with updates), and thus this isn't strictly a problem in released versions of ubuntu, the groovy case was the one that was doing a fresh install of base-files with the buggy touch /etc/default/motd- news.wasremoved, and a subsequent install of ubuntu-server left motd- news disabled in groovy images produced by such a method (debootstrap). For stable releases, the impact is lessened because debootstrap will grab the release pocket for its job, and base-files from that pocket, in all ubuntu releases other than groovy, does not have the code that creates /etc/default/motd-news.wasremoved. - This would affect a stable release anytime the postinst script from - base-files from the previous SRU is run and there are no /etc/default - /motd-news{,.dpkg*} files present. This could be a system which just - doesn't have ubuntu-server or motd-news-config installed, in which case - creating the .wasremoved file is wrong. Or a system which has those - packages installed, and the user erroneously, in an attempt to disable - motd-news, removed /etc/default/motd-news, in which case it's correct to - create /etc/default/motd-news.wasremoved. + There are two ways this can affect a stable release of ubuntu: - If debootstrap is somehow coached into using the release and updates - pocket, then the stable release it's bootstrapping would suffer from - this bug in the same way that groovy did: base-files would be installed - without ubuntu-server or motd-news-config, and an empty /etc/default - /motd-news.wasremoved file would be creating, disabling motd-news in any - future installation of motd-news-config or ubuntu-server. + a) debootstrap with release and updates pocket enabled + There are no config options that I'm aware of that would tell debootstrap to use multiple pockets when creating a chroot, but let's say it was done. In this case, it would be the same case as groovy was until this fix: subsequent installations of ubuntu-server or motd-news-config would default to having motd-news disabled + b) A system that has just base-files from the previous SRU installed, + and no ubuntu-server and no motd-news-config. If base-files were updated + again, and without the fix presented here, it would create /etc/default + /motd-news.wasremoved, and again, a subsequent install of ubuntu-server + or motd-news-config would install motd-news in a disabled state + + c) Any other case where the postinst script of base-files is run again + without the fix presented here, and when there is no /etc/default/motd- + news{,.dpkg*} file present. [Test Case] * detailed instructions how to reproduce the bug * these should allow someone who is not familiar with the affected package to reproduce the bug and verify that the updated package fixes the problem. [Regression Potential] * discussion of how regressions are most likely to manifest as a result of this change. * It is assumed that any SRU candidate patch is well-tested before upload and has a low overall risk of regression, but it's important to make the effort to think about what ''could'' happen in the event of a regression. * This both shows the SRU team that the risks have been considered, and provides guidance to testers in regression-testing the SRU. [Other Info] * Anything else you think is useful to include * Anticipate questions from users, SRU, +1 maintenance, security teams and the Technical Board * and address these questions in advance [Original Description] When debootstrapping groovy, we see an empty /etc/default/motd- news.wasremoved file. - groovy: base-files 11ubuntu12 -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 set 11 10:20 /etc/default/motd-news.wasremoved If motd-news-config is later installed, maybe via ubuntu-server, then the presence of this file will disable motd-news by default, which is unintended as it's meant to be enabled on a server.
-- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1895302 Title: groovy debootstrap leaves /e/d/motd-news.wasremoved around To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/base-files/+bug/1895302/+subscriptions -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs
