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== Summary ==
== Summary ==
<!-- A sentence or two summarizing what this feature is and what it will do. This information is used for the overall feature summary page for each release. -->
All granting of privileged operations to ordinary users should be handled by centrally-managed system policy. Usermode/userhelper should be fully replaced by polkit in the future.
Migrate all applications depending on usermode to polkit.


== Owner ==
== Owner ==
<!--This should link to your home wiki page so we know who you are-->
* Name: [[User:Harald| Harald Hoyer]]
* Name: [[User:harald| Harald Hoyer]]
* Email: harald@redhat.com


<!-- Include you email address that you can be reached should people want to contact you about helping with your feature, status is requested, or  technical issues need to be resolved-->
* Name: [[User:Kay| Kay Sievers]]
* Email: harald@redhat.com
* Email: kay@redhat.com


== Current status ==
== Current status ==
* Targeted release: [[Releases/18 | Fedora 18 ]]  
* Targeted release: [[Releases/18 | Fedora 18 ]]
* Last updated: 2012-04-03
* Last updated: 2012-04-03
* Percentage of completion: 0%
* Percentage of completion: 20%


== Detailed Description ==
== Detailed Description ==
<!-- Expand on the summary, if appropriate. A couple sentences suffices to explain the goal, but the more details you can provide the better. -->
The usermode/userhelper program is a setuid-root wrapper around a couple of tools, to provide superuser privileges to ordinary users. It’s policy is controlled by text files in /etc.
 
Most system policy today is controlled by polkit, a well-established, fine-grained, possible network-transparent infrastructure to manage privileged operations by ordinary users. Polkit can be used by privileged process to decide if it should execute privileged operations on behalf of the requesting user. Polkit also provides a setuid-root helper program called pkexec, its callbacks to ask for authorizations are well-integrated into shell and graphical environments.


== Benefit to Fedora ==
== Benefit to Fedora ==
<!-- What is the benefit to the platform?  If this is a major capability update, what has changed?  If this is a new feature, what capabilities does it bring? Why will Fedora become a better distribution or project because of this feature?-->
<!-- What is the benefit to the platform?  If this is a major capability update, what has changed?  If this is a new feature, what capabilities does it bring? Why will Fedora become a better distribution or project because of this feature?-->
* centrally managed policy, network-transparency possible
* polkit auth can distinguish between multiple sessions: e.g. untrusted user reboot request reboot only allowed when only a single user session runs
* intercepting tools in sbin/ with tools in bin/ is considered bad practice; fewer dependencies on $PATH ordering


== Scope ==
== Scope ==
<!-- What work do the developers have to accomplish to complete the feature in time for release?  Is it a large change affecting many parts of the distribution or is it a very isolated change? What are those changes?-->
<!-- What work do the developers have to accomplish to complete the feature in time for release?  Is it a large change affecting many parts of the distribution or is it a very isolated change? What are those changes?-->
* document how to convert consolehelper to polkit:
** python: put pkexec in the wrapper shell
** C tools: re-exec with pkexec in C code
** C tools: move original to /usr/lib/<pkg>/<tool>, and wrap /usr/bin/<tool> with a pkexec shell (ugly!)
* open tracker bug and file bugs against all individual packages
* convert all packages, where it makes sense to use polkit, to pkexec
* for the rest, drop usermode and recommend to use pkexec like sudo
=== How to convert ===
A fast and easy way to convert a former consolehelper program is the use of pkexec.
As an example, we convert system-config-date to PolicyKit:
<pre>
# ls -l /usr/bin/system-config-date
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 13  5. Feb 02:34 /usr/bin/system-config-date -> consolehelper
# rm /usr/bin/system-config-date
# cat /etc/security/console.apps/system-config-date
. config-util
PROGRAM=/usr/share/system-config-date/system-config-date.py
SESSION=true
</pre>
Ok, running /usr/bin/system-config-date would have executed /usr/share/system-config-date/system-config-date.py, so we create /usr/bin/system-config-date like the following:
<pre>
# cat /usr/bin/system-config-date
#!/bin/sh
exec /usr/bin/pkexec /usr/share/system-config-date/system-config-date.py
</pre>
This will not export the DISPLAY variable, so we have to add a policy file, although starting a GUI as root is not encouraged.
The important part is: <annotate key="org.freedesktop.policykit.exec.allow_gui">true</annotate>
<pre>
# cat /usr/share/polkit-1/actions/org.fedoraproject.config.date.policy
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE policyconfig PUBLIC
"-//freedesktop//DTD PolicyKit Policy Configuration 1.0//EN"
"http://www.freedesktop.org/standards/PolicyKit/1/policyconfig.dtd">
<policyconfig>
<vendor>System Config Date</vendor>
<vendor_url>http://fedorahosted.org/system-config-date</vendor_url>
<action id="org.fedoraproject.config.date.pkexec.run">
    <description>Run System Config Date</description>
    <message>Authentication is required to run system-config-date</message>
    <icon_name>system-config-date</icon_name>
    <defaults>
    <allow_any>no</allow_any>
    <allow_inactive>no</allow_inactive>
    <allow_active>auth_self_keep</allow_active>
    </defaults>
    <annotate key="org.freedesktop.policykit.exec.path">/usr/share/system-config-date/system-config-date.py</annotate>
    <annotate key="org.freedesktop.policykit.exec.allow_gui">true</annotate>
</action>
</policyconfig>
</pre>


== How To Test ==
== How To Test ==
<!-- This does not need to be a full-fledged document.  Describe the dimensions of tests that this feature is expected to pass when it is done.  If it needs to be tested with different hardware or software configurations, indicate them.  The more specific you can be, the better the community testing can be.  
<!-- This does not need to be a full-fledged document.  Describe the dimensions of tests that this feature is expected to pass when it is done.  If it needs to be tested with different hardware or software configurations, indicate them.  The more specific you can be, the better the community testing can be.


Remember that you are writing this how to for interested testers to use to check out your feature - documenting what you do for testing is OK, but it's much better to document what *I* can do to test your feature.
Remember that you are writing this how to for interested testers to use to check out your feature - documenting what you do for testing is OK, but it's much better to document what *I* can do to test your feature.
Line 40: Line 104:
3. What are the expected results of those actions?
3. What are the expected results of those actions?
-->
-->
Make sure, you can call all the tools, which used to use usermode and be asked the appropriate password.


== User Experience ==
== User Experience ==
<!-- If this feature is noticeable by its target audience, how will their experiences change as a result?  Describe what they will see or notice. -->
<!-- If this feature is noticeable by its target audience, how will their experiences change as a result?  Describe what they will see or notice. →
The user should experience no noticeable changes.


== Dependencies ==
== Dependencies ==
<!-- What other packages (RPMs) depend on this package?  Are there changes outside the developers' control on which completion of this feature depends?  In other words, completion of another feature owned by someone else and might cause you to not be able to finish on time or that you would need to coordinate?  Other upstream projects like the kernel (if this is not a kernel feature)? -->
<!-- What other packages (RPMs) depend on this package?  Are there changes outside the developers' control on which completion of this feature depends?  In other words, completion of another feature owned by someone else and might cause you to not be able to finish on time or that you would need to coordinate?  Other upstream projects like the kernel (if this is not a kernel feature)? -->
<pre>
anaconda
audit-viewer
authconfig-gtk
backintime
beesu
bootconf-gui
chkrootkit
driftnet
drobo-utils-gui
eclipse-oprofile
ejabberd
fwfstab
galternatives
gnome-system-log
gsmartcontrol
hddtemp
kdenetwork-kppp
kismet
liveusb-creator
lshw-gui
mock
mtr-gtk
netgo
nmap-frontend
ntfs-config
policycoreutils-gui
preupgrade
pure-ftpd
qtparted
revisor-cli
rhn-setup
rhn-setup-gnome
sabayon
setools-gui
setuptool
smart-gui
subscription-manager-gnome
synaptic
system-config-audit
system-config-bind
system-config-boot
system-config-date
system-config-httpd
system-config-kdump
system-config-keyboard
system-config-language
system-config-lvm
system-config-nfs
system-config-rootpassword
system-config-users
system-switch-displaymanager
system-switch-java
system-switch-mail
system-switch-mail-gnome
tuned
vpnc-consoleuser
wifi-radar
wlassistant
xawtv
yumex
zyx-liveinstaller
</pre>


== Contingency Plan ==
== Contingency Plan ==
<!-- If you cannot complete your feature by the final development freeze, what is the backup plan?  This might be as simple as "None necessary, revert to previous release behaviour."  Or it might not.  If you feature is not completed in time we want to assure others that other parts of Fedora will not be in jeopardy.  -->
<!-- If you cannot complete your feature by the final development freeze, what is the backup plan?  This might be as simple as "None necessary, revert to previous release behaviour."  Or it might not.  If you feature is not completed in time we want to assure others that other parts of Fedora will not be in jeopardy.  -->
Even, if we cannot drop usermode, the changes in the packages do not have to be reverted.


== Documentation ==
== Documentation ==

Revision as of 13:44, 3 April 2012

Usermode Migration

Summary

All granting of privileged operations to ordinary users should be handled by centrally-managed system policy. Usermode/userhelper should be fully replaced by polkit in the future.

Owner

Current status

  • Targeted release: Fedora 18
  • Last updated: 2012-04-03
  • Percentage of completion: 20%

Detailed Description

The usermode/userhelper program is a setuid-root wrapper around a couple of tools, to provide superuser privileges to ordinary users. It’s policy is controlled by text files in /etc.

Most system policy today is controlled by polkit, a well-established, fine-grained, possible network-transparent infrastructure to manage privileged operations by ordinary users. Polkit can be used by privileged process to decide if it should execute privileged operations on behalf of the requesting user. Polkit also provides a setuid-root helper program called pkexec, its callbacks to ask for authorizations are well-integrated into shell and graphical environments.

Benefit to Fedora

  • centrally managed policy, network-transparency possible
  • polkit auth can distinguish between multiple sessions: e.g. untrusted user reboot request reboot only allowed when only a single user session runs
  • intercepting tools in sbin/ with tools in bin/ is considered bad practice; fewer dependencies on $PATH ordering

Scope

  • document how to convert consolehelper to polkit:
    • python: put pkexec in the wrapper shell
    • C tools: re-exec with pkexec in C code
    • C tools: move original to /usr/lib/<pkg>/<tool>, and wrap /usr/bin/<tool> with a pkexec shell (ugly!)
  • open tracker bug and file bugs against all individual packages
  • convert all packages, where it makes sense to use polkit, to pkexec
  • for the rest, drop usermode and recommend to use pkexec like sudo

How to convert

A fast and easy way to convert a former consolehelper program is the use of pkexec.

As an example, we convert system-config-date to PolicyKit: 

# ls -l /usr/bin/system-config-date
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 13  5. Feb 02:34 /usr/bin/system-config-date -> consolehelper

# rm /usr/bin/system-config-date
# cat /etc/security/console.apps/system-config-date
. config-util
PROGRAM=/usr/share/system-config-date/system-config-date.py
SESSION=true

Ok, running /usr/bin/system-config-date would have executed /usr/share/system-config-date/system-config-date.py, so we create /usr/bin/system-config-date like the following: 

# cat /usr/bin/system-config-date
#!/bin/sh
exec /usr/bin/pkexec /usr/share/system-config-date/system-config-date.py

This will not export the DISPLAY variable, so we have to add a policy file, although starting a GUI as root is not encouraged. The important part is: <annotate key="org.freedesktop.policykit.exec.allow_gui">true</annotate> 

# cat /usr/share/polkit-1/actions/org.fedoraproject.config.date.policy
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE policyconfig PUBLIC
"-//freedesktop//DTD PolicyKit Policy Configuration 1.0//EN"
"http://www.freedesktop.org/standards/PolicyKit/1/policyconfig.dtd">
<policyconfig>

 <vendor>System Config Date</vendor>
 <vendor_url>http://fedorahosted.org/system-config-date</vendor_url>

 <action id="org.fedoraproject.config.date.pkexec.run">
    <description>Run System Config Date</description>
    <message>Authentication is required to run system-config-date</message>
    <icon_name>system-config-date</icon_name>
    <defaults>
     <allow_any>no</allow_any>
     <allow_inactive>no</allow_inactive>
     <allow_active>auth_self_keep</allow_active>
    </defaults>
    <annotate key="org.freedesktop.policykit.exec.path">/usr/share/system-config-date/system-config-date.py</annotate>
    <annotate key="org.freedesktop.policykit.exec.allow_gui">true</annotate>
 </action>
</policyconfig>

How To Test

Make sure, you can call all the tools, which used to use usermode and be asked the appropriate password.

User Experience

anaconda
audit-viewer
authconfig-gtk
backintime
beesu
bootconf-gui
chkrootkit
driftnet
drobo-utils-gui
eclipse-oprofile
ejabberd
fwfstab
galternatives
gnome-system-log
gsmartcontrol
hddtemp
kdenetwork-kppp
kismet
liveusb-creator
lshw-gui
mock
mtr-gtk
netgo
nmap-frontend
ntfs-config
policycoreutils-gui
preupgrade
pure-ftpd
qtparted
revisor-cli
rhn-setup
rhn-setup-gnome
sabayon
setools-gui
setuptool
smart-gui
subscription-manager-gnome
synaptic
system-config-audit
system-config-bind
system-config-boot
system-config-date
system-config-httpd
system-config-kdump
system-config-keyboard
system-config-language
system-config-lvm
system-config-nfs
system-config-rootpassword
system-config-users
system-switch-displaymanager
system-switch-java
system-switch-mail
system-switch-mail-gnome
tuned
vpnc-consoleuser
wifi-radar
wlassistant
xawtv
yumex
zyx-liveinstaller

Contingency Plan

Even, if we cannot drop usermode, the changes in the packages do not have to be reverted.

Documentation

Release Notes

Comments and Discussion

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