Bug#590081: ecryptfs-utils: ecrypt-setup-private says ERROR: Cannot get ecryptfs version, ecryptfs kernel module not loaded?

[allens]

Package: ecryptfs-utils
Version: 83-1+b1
Severity: normal

When I try to use ecryptfs-setup-private I get the ERROR:
ERROR: Cannot get ecryptfs version, ecryptfs kernel module not loaded?

Expected result - no error message

-- System Information:
Debian Release: squeeze/sid
APT prefers testing
APT policy: (500, 'testing')
Architecture: i386 (i686)

Kernel: Linux 2.6.32-5-686 (SMP w/1 CPU core)
Locale: LANG=en_AU.utf8, LC_CTYPE=en_AU.utf8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash

Versions of packages ecryptfs-utils depends on:
ii gettext-base 0.17-11 GNU Internationalization utilities
ii keyutils 1.4-1 Linux Key Management Utilities
ii libc6 2.11.2-2 Embedded GNU C Library: Shared lib
ii libecryptfs0 83-1+b1 ecryptfs cryptographic filesystem
ii libgpg-error0 1.6-1 library for common error values an
ii libgpgme11 1.2.0-1.2 GPGME - GnuPG Made Easy
ii libkeyutils1 1.4-1 Linux Key Management Utilities (li
ii libnss3-1d 3.12.6-2 Network Security Service libraries
ii libpam-runtime 1.1.1-3 Runtime support for the PAM librar
ii libpam0g 1.1.1-3 Pluggable Authentication Modules l

ecryptfs-utils recommends no packages.

Versions of packages ecryptfs-utils suggests:
pn cryptsetup <none> (no description available)
pn opencryptoki <none> (no description available)

-- no debconf information

--
To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-bugs-...@lists.debian.org
with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listm...@lists.debian.org

[Allen S]

Excuse my lack of knowledge, but I expected aptitude to do whatever is
needed for the package to 'just work'.

Also, I thought ecryptfs was part of the kernel for a while now.
Shouldn't the module already be loaded in the Squeeze kernel, and
therefore the message shouldn't appear? This error does not appear in
Ubuntu Lucid, if that has any relevance.

Is the correct action to add 'ecryptfs' to /etc/modules? Perhaps the man
page should say this if my assumptions above are incorrect.

Thanks
Allen

[Daniel Baumann]

On 07/24/2010 07:24 AM, Allen S wrote:
> Excuse my lack of knowledge, but I expected aptitude to do whatever is
> needed for the package to 'just work'.

it just works, except that you have to load the kernel module in case
it's not already loaded or built-in.

> Also, I thought ecryptfs was part of the kernel for a while now.
> Shouldn't the module already be loaded in the Squeeze kernel, and
> therefore the message shouldn't appear?

ecryptfs is part of the kernel, debian kernels ship it as a module.
modules that are not used should not be loaded. therefore ecryptfs is
not loaded unless the local admin decides to do so.

> Is the correct action to add 'ecryptfs' to /etc/modules?

if you want to always load it, yes.

--
Address: Daniel Baumann, Burgunderstrasse 3, CH-4562 Biberist
Email: daniel....@panthera-systems.net
Internet: http://people.panthera-systems.net/~daniel-baumann/

[Allen S]

On 24/07/10 22:45, Daniel Baumann wrote:
> On 07/24/2010 07:24 AM, Allen S wrote:
>
>> Excuse my lack of knowledge, but I expected aptitude to do whatever is
>> needed for the package to 'just work'.
>>
> it just works, except that you have to load the kernel module in case
> it's not already loaded or built-in.
>
>
>> Also, I thought ecryptfs was part of the kernel for a while now.
>> Shouldn't the module already be loaded in the Squeeze kernel, and
>> therefore the message shouldn't appear?
>>
> ecryptfs is part of the kernel, debian kernels ship it as a module.
> modules that are not used should not be loaded. therefore ecryptfs is
> not loaded unless the local admin decides to do so.
>
>
>> Is the correct action to add 'ecryptfs' to /etc/modules?
>>
> if you want to always load it, yes.
>
>

If it is possible and does not break any Debian rules then I think the
installation of the ecryptfs-util package should add ecryptfs to
/etc/modules automatically.

If you follow the logic that a package should have the defaults for the
majority of users and only in the exceptional cases require any further
configuration required then I think this would be better.

I imagine most people who install ecryptfs-utils would want the kernal
module always to be loaded (otherwise why would they have installed it?).

Also the current default is not great for the novice user. OK, it is my
ignorance, but I got locked out of my system because the module isn't
loaded. I set up a encrypted home (after using modprobe) and then
rebooted. Of course I realise now that the ecryptfs module wasn't loaded
and therefore my home couldn't be read.