[Bug 1713311] Re: Unable to launch applications which use su-to-root from menu package as root on Wayland session

[Julian Andres Klode]

Generally speaking, all (Wayland-capable) apps that currently run their
UI as root need to be restructured to use PolicyKit for the privileged
operations, and have the UI run as a normal user.

Apps that do not run on Wayland and use the legacy Xwayland compat, but
you need to run xhost +si:localuser:root first. gksu is apparently
broken because it assumes that there is an Xauthority file, but that's
not the case with XWayland (I'd assume it would work with pkexec, for
apps registered with PolicyKit, as a temporary workaround).

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1713311

Title:
  Unable to launch applications which use su-to-root from menu package
  as root on Wayland session

Status in bleachbit package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in gadmin-openvpn-client package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in gadmin-openvpn-server package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in gadmin-proftpd package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in gadmin-rsync package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in gkdebconf package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in gsmartcontrol package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in gtkorphan package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in gui-apt-key package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in guymager package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in kvpnc package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in lshw package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in luckybackup package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in menu package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in ndisgtk package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in nmap package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in prey package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in sbackup package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in usbview package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in wifi-radar package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  Steps to reproduce:
  1. Install Ubuntu 17.10
  2. Install application from above list and menu package (if missed, for zenmap, see bug 1713274) - full list from - https://codesearch.debian.net/search?q=Exec%3Dsu-to-root+filetype%3Adesktop+path%3A*%2Fapplications%2F*&perpkg=1 , https://codesearch.debian.net/search?q=Exec%3Dgksudo+filetype%3Adesktop+path%3A*%2Fapplications%2F* and https://codesearch.debian.net/search?q=Exec%3Dgksu+filetype%3Adesktop+path%3A*%2Fapplications%2F* .

  3. Try to launch $APP_NAME from shortcut
  4. Get error window:
  Failed to run $APP_NAME as user root.
  Unable to copy the user's Xauthorization file.

  Expected results:
  * $APP_NAME may be run as root

  Actual results:
  * unable to run $APP_NAME as root

  Additional info:
  $ xhost
  access control enabled, only authorized clients can connect
  SI:localuser:artful

  $ export | grep "SESSION\|DESK"
  declare -x DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS="unix:path=/run/user/1000/bus"
  declare -x DESKTOP_AUTOSTART_ID="1082dacfd3a20e972150382958079482700000012280008"
  declare -x DESKTOP_SESSION="gnome"
  declare -x GDMSESSION="gnome"
  declare -x GNOME_DESKTOP_SESSION_ID="this-is-deprecated"
  declare -x SESSION_MANAGER="local/artful:@/tmp/.ICE-unix/1228,unix/artful:/tmp/.ICE-unix/1228"
  declare -x XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP="GNOME"
  declare -x XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP="gnome"
  declare -x XDG_SESSION_ID="2"
  declare -x XDG_SESSION_TYPE="wayland"

  and this operations does not help:

  artful at artful:~$ xhost +si:localuser:root
  localuser:root being added to access control list
  artful at artful:~$ gksudo zenmap
  Error copying '/home/artful/.Xauthority' to '/tmp/libgksu-AgXCxW': No such file or directory

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 17.10
  Package: zenmap 7.50-1
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.12.0-11.12-generic 4.12.5
  Uname: Linux 4.12.0-11-generic i686
  ApportVersion: 2.20.6-0ubuntu7
  Architecture: i386
  CurrentDesktop: GNOME
  Date: Sun Aug 27 13:28:31 2017
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2017-08-26 (0 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 17.10 "Artful Aardvark" - Alpha i386 (20170826)
  PackageArchitecture: all
  SourcePackage: nmap
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

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