Bug#659878: cannot set terminal process group (-1): Inappropriate ioctl for device

[jid...@jidanni.org]

Package: passwd
Version: 1:4.1.5-1

Broke sux. Su still OK.
$ sux
Password:
bash: cannot set terminal process group (-1): Inappropriate ioctl for device
bash: no job control in this shell
# exit
exit
$ su
Password:
#



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[Nicolas François]

Hello,

On Tue, Feb 14, 2012 at 08:45:18PM +0800, jid...@jidanni.org wrote:
>
> Broke sux. Su still OK.
> $ sux
> Password:
> bash: cannot set terminal process group (-1): Inappropriate ioctl for device
> bash: no job control in this shell
> # exit

This might be due to the fix for CVE-2005-4890
http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=628843

This needs to be investigated further (in particular to check what sux is
doing, and whether this could be fixed on the sux side).
(The fix removes the controlling terminal for non-interactive executions)

--
Nekral

[jid...@jidanni.org]

Dear 633652, sux now sux due to 659878.

[Nicolas François]

tags 659878 help
thanks

Hello,

I currently can't find any idea how to fix this issue.

The security issue had to be solved by dropping the controlling terminal,
so you cannot start a command that would interact with the current
terminal.
I don't have enough terminal handling skills to find other way to fix the
security issue than by dropping the terminal.

An option could be to keep the controlling terminal when su-ing to root.
The issue would be less visible in sux (probably used mostly to gain root
privileges), but even if the risk when su'ing to root is lower, it does not
smell good.

Alternative on the sux side would be to create a terminal when an
interactive command is started (e.g. starting an xterm in sux should work)

Best Regards,

[jid...@jidanni.org]

(Bug #633652 is no longer bothering me, I just only get warnings. So I
went back to using su instead of sux.)