Bug#999640: fail2ban: [regression] fails to install in bullseye Docker containers (but not buster): Have not found any log file for sshd jail

[Paul Wise]

Package: fail2ban
Version: 0.11.2-2
Severity: important

When I try to install fail2ban (as a dependency of a metapackage) into
a Debian bullseye Docker container, the fail2ban postinst errors with
the message "Have not found any log file for sshd jail", causing the
dpkg process ran by apt to fail. A similar message occurs in buster,
but the message does not result in an error and apt install failure.

root@bullseye:/# apt install fail2ban
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Suggested packages:
mailx system-log-daemon monit sqlite3
Recommended packages:
nftables | iptables whois python3-pyinotify python3-systemd
The following NEW packages will be installed:
fail2ban
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 451 kB of archives.
After this operation, 2,142 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Get:1 https://friskrepo/debian bullseye/main amd64 fail2ban all 0.11.2-2 [451 kB]
Fetched 451 kB in 0s (9,125 kB/s)
Selecting previously unselected package fail2ban.
(Reading database ... 19895 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../fail2ban_0.11.2-2_all.deb ...
Unpacking fail2ban (0.11.2-2) ...
Setting up fail2ban (0.11.2-2) ...
invoke-rc.d: could not determine current runlevel
Starting Authentication failure monitor: fail2ban2021-11-14 05:39:39,575 fail2ban [98]: ERROR Failed during configuration: Have not found any log file for sshd jail
failed!
invoke-rc.d: initscript fail2ban, action "start" failed.
dpkg: error processing package fail2ban (--configure):
installed fail2ban package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
Processing triggers for man-db (2.9.4-2) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
fail2ban
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

root@buster:/# apt install fail2ban
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Suggested packages:
mailx system-log-daemon monit sqlite3
Recommended packages:
python iptables | nftables whois python3-pyinotify python3-systemd
The following NEW packages will be installed:
fail2ban
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 385 kB of archives.
After this operation, 1,777 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Get:1 https://friskrepo/debian buster/main amd64 fail2ban all 0.10.2-2.1 [385 kB]
Fetched 385 kB in 0s (11.2 MB/s)

Selecting previously unselected package fail2ban.
(Reading database ... 19493 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../fail2ban_0.10.2-2.1_all.deb ...
Unpacking fail2ban (0.10.2-2.1) ...
Setting up fail2ban (0.10.2-2.1) ...
invoke-rc.d: could not determine current runlevel
[....] Starting authentication failure monitor: fail2ban No file(s) found for glob /var/log/auth.log
Failed during configuration: Have not found any log file for sshd jail
failed!
Processing triggers for man-db (2.8.5-2) ...

-- System Information:
Debian Release: 11.1
APT prefers stable-updates
APT policy: (500, 'stable-updates'), (500, 'stable-security'), (500, 'stable')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)

Kernel: Linux 5.10.0-0.bpo.9-amd64 (SMP w/16 CPU threads)
Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8) (ignored: LC_ALL set to en_US.UTF-8), LANGUAGE=en_US:en
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash
Init: unable to detect

Versions of packages fail2ban depends on:
ii lsb-base 11.1.0
ii python3 3.9.2-3

Versions of packages fail2ban recommends:
pn nftables | iptables <none>
pn python3-pyinotify <none>
pn python3-systemd <none>
pn whois <none>

Versions of packages fail2ban suggests:
pn mailx <none>
pn monit <none>
pn sqlite3 <none>
pn system-log-daemon <none>

-- no debconf information

--
bye,
pabs

https://wiki.debian.org/PaulWise