[Bug 2078356] Re: python3 preinst failure to run pre-rtupdate hooks

[theofficialgman]

I found the bug. It is with this line

         [ -z "$errors" ] || exit 3

debian package maintainer scripts do not have their environment
sanitized. So if the (root) user has a variable "errors" set in their
environment (for whatever reason, maybe even apt set it) the postinst
will error.

100% reproduction usecase

sudo errors=hi apt install --reinstall python3

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 reinstalled, 0 to remove and 7 not upgraded.
Need to get 23.0 kB of archives.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Get:1 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-updates/main amd64 python3 amd64 3.12.3-0ubuntu2 [23.0 kB]
Fetched 23.0 kB in 0s (56.4 kB/s)  
(Reading database ... 601985 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../python3_3.12.3-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb ...
running python pre-rtupdate hooks for python3.12...
dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/python3_3.12.3-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb (--unpack):
 new python3 package pre-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 3
Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/python3_3.12.3-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)


** Changed in: python3-defaults (Ubuntu)
       Status: Incomplete => Confirmed

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2078356

Title:
  python3 preinst failure to run pre-rtupdate hooks

Status in python3-defaults package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  # README first

  If you are hit by this bug, please provide the information asked in
  the comment #53 further down in this page, thanks

  [ Original Description ]

  running python pre-rtupdate hooks for python3.12...
  dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/python3_3.12.3-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb (--unpack):
   new python3 package pre-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 3
  Preparing to unpack .../libpython3-stdlib_3.12.3-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb ...
  Unpacking libpython3-stdlib:amd64 (3.12.3-0ubuntu2) over (3.12.3-0ubuntu1) ...
  Preparing to unpack .../libsmartcols1_2.39.3-9ubuntu6.1_amd64.deb ...
  Unpacking libsmartcols1:amd64 (2.39.3-9ubuntu6.1) over (2.39.3-9ubuntu6) ...
  Errors were encountered while processing:
   /var/cache/apt/archives/python3_3.12.3-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb
  E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 24.04
  Package: python3 3.12.3-0ubuntu1
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 6.8.0-41.41-generic 6.8.12
  Uname: Linux 6.8.0-41-generic x86_64
  NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_modeset nvidia zfs
  ApportVersion: 2.28.1-0ubuntu3.1
  Architecture: amd64
  CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
  CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
  Date: Thu Aug 29 10:52:19 2024
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2024-07-13 (47 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS "Noble Numbat" - Release amd64 (20240424)
  ProcEnviron:
   LANG=en_US.UTF-8
   PATH=(custom, no user)
   SHELL=/bin/bash
   TERM=xterm-256color
  SourcePackage: python3-defaults
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

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