Remove uptime from the motd-news user agent

Bug #1886572 reported by Dean Henrichsmeyer
14
This bug affects 2 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
base-files (Ubuntu)
Fix Released
High
Andreas Hasenack
Xenial
Fix Released
Undecided
Andreas Hasenack
Bionic
Fix Released
Undecided
Andreas Hasenack
Focal
Fix Released
Undecided
Andreas Hasenack

Bug Description

[Impact]
The uptime value in the user-agent string sent to the motd-news server is unused and not necessary. It should be removed.

[Test Case]
Inspect the /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news script and verify that uptime is no longer used.

Previous version:
$ grep uptime /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news
# Some messages may only be pertinent before or after some amount of uptime
read up idle < /proc/uptime
uptime="uptime/$up/$idle"
USER_AGENT="curl/$curl_ver $lsb $platform $cpu $uptime cloud_id/$cloud_id"

Updated version:
$ grep uptime /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news
 (no output)

[Regression Potential]
The server side, if it were checking this value, could be surprised by this change.

[Other Info]
N/A

[Original Description]
I don't why that was included but it shouldn't be. Please remove it.

Related branches

Changed in base-files (Ubuntu):
status: New → In Progress
Revision history for this message
Andreas Hasenack (ahasenack) wrote :

There is this comment next to the uptime grabbing:
# Some messages may only be pertinent before or after some amount of uptime
read up idle < /proc/uptime
uptime="uptime/$up/$idle"

As far as I know, this was never used, as the server serves static content.

Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

This bug was fixed in the package base-files - 11ubuntu8

---------------
base-files (11ubuntu8) groovy; urgency=medium

  * motd/50-motd-news: don't include uptime in the user-agent string
    (LP: #1886572)

 -- Andreas Hasenack <email address hidden> Mon, 06 Jul 2020 19:50:22 -0300

Changed in base-files (Ubuntu):
status: In Progress → Fix Released
description: updated
Changed in base-files (Ubuntu Xenial):
status: New → In Progress
Changed in base-files (Ubuntu Bionic):
status: New → In Progress
Changed in base-files (Ubuntu Focal):
status: New → In Progress
Changed in base-files (Ubuntu Xenial):
assignee: nobody → Andreas Hasenack (ahasenack)
Changed in base-files (Ubuntu Bionic):
assignee: nobody → Andreas Hasenack (ahasenack)
Changed in base-files (Ubuntu Focal):
assignee: nobody → Andreas Hasenack (ahasenack)
Revision history for this message
Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton) wrote : Please test proposed package

Hello Dean, or anyone else affected,

Accepted base-files into focal-proposed. The package will build now and be available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/base-files/11ubuntu5.2 in a few hours, and then in the -proposed repository.

Please help us by testing this new package. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation on how to enable and use -proposed. Your feedback will aid us getting this update out to other Ubuntu users.

If this package fixes the bug for you, please add a comment to this bug, mentioning the version of the package you tested, what testing has been performed on the package and change the tag from verification-needed-focal to verification-done-focal. If it does not fix the bug for you, please add a comment stating that, and change the tag to verification-failed-focal. In either case, without details of your testing we will not be able to proceed.

Further information regarding the verification process can be found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/PerformingSRUVerification . Thank you in advance for helping!

N.B. The updated package will be released to -updates after the bug(s) fixed by this package have been verified and the package has been in -proposed for a minimum of 7 days.

Changed in base-files (Ubuntu Focal):
status: In Progress → Fix Committed
tags: added: verification-needed verification-needed-focal
Changed in base-files (Ubuntu Bionic):
status: In Progress → Fix Committed
tags: added: verification-needed-bionic
Revision history for this message
Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton) wrote :

Hello Dean, or anyone else affected,

Accepted base-files into bionic-proposed. The package will build now and be available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/base-files/10.1ubuntu2.10 in a few hours, and then in the -proposed repository.

Please help us by testing this new package. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation on how to enable and use -proposed. Your feedback will aid us getting this update out to other Ubuntu users.

If this package fixes the bug for you, please add a comment to this bug, mentioning the version of the package you tested, what testing has been performed on the package and change the tag from verification-needed-bionic to verification-done-bionic. If it does not fix the bug for you, please add a comment stating that, and change the tag to verification-failed-bionic. In either case, without details of your testing we will not be able to proceed.

Further information regarding the verification process can be found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/PerformingSRUVerification . Thank you in advance for helping!

N.B. The updated package will be released to -updates after the bug(s) fixed by this package have been verified and the package has been in -proposed for a minimum of 7 days.

Changed in base-files (Ubuntu Xenial):
status: In Progress → Fix Committed
tags: added: verification-needed-xenial
Revision history for this message
Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton) wrote :

Hello Dean, or anyone else affected,

Accepted base-files into xenial-proposed. The package will build now and be available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/base-files/9.4ubuntu4.13 in a few hours, and then in the -proposed repository.

Please help us by testing this new package. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation on how to enable and use -proposed. Your feedback will aid us getting this update out to other Ubuntu users.

If this package fixes the bug for you, please add a comment to this bug, mentioning the version of the package you tested, what testing has been performed on the package and change the tag from verification-needed-xenial to verification-done-xenial. If it does not fix the bug for you, please add a comment stating that, and change the tag to verification-failed-xenial. In either case, without details of your testing we will not be able to proceed.

Further information regarding the verification process can be found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/PerformingSRUVerification . Thank you in advance for helping!

N.B. The updated package will be released to -updates after the bug(s) fixed by this package have been verified and the package has been in -proposed for a minimum of 7 days.

Revision history for this message
Dean Henrichsmeyer (dean) wrote : Re: [Bug 1886572] Please test proposed package
Download full text (4.1 KiB)

There's no amd64 version of this package as far as I can tell.

On Fri, Aug 21, 2020 at 6:21 AM Timo Aaltonen <email address hidden>
wrote:

> Hello Dean, or anyone else affected,
>
> Accepted base-files into xenial-proposed. The package will build now and
> be available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/base-
> files/9.4ubuntu4.13 in a few hours, and then in the -proposed
> repository.
>
> Please help us by testing this new package. See
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation on how
> to enable and use -proposed. Your feedback will aid us getting this
> update out to other Ubuntu users.
>
> If this package fixes the bug for you, please add a comment to this bug,
> mentioning the version of the package you tested, what testing has been
> performed on the package and change the tag from verification-needed-
> xenial to verification-done-xenial. If it does not fix the bug for you,
> please add a comment stating that, and change the tag to verification-
> failed-xenial. In either case, without details of your testing we will
> not be able to proceed.
>
> Further information regarding the verification process can be found at
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/PerformingSRUVerification . Thank you in
> advance for helping!
>
> N.B. The updated package will be released to -updates after the bug(s)
> fixed by this package have been verified and the package has been in
> -proposed for a minimum of 7 days.
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1886572
>
> Title:
> Remove uptime from the motd-news user agent
>
> Status in base-files package in Ubuntu:
> Fix Released
> Status in base-files source package in Xenial:
> Fix Committed
> Status in base-files source package in Bionic:
> Fix Committed
> Status in base-files source package in Focal:
> Fix Committed
>
> Bug description:
> [Impact]
> The uptime value in the user-agent string sent to the motd-news server
> is unused and not necessary. It should be removed.
>
> [Test Case]
> Inspect the /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news script and verify that
> uptime is no longer used.
>
> Previous version:
> $ grep uptime /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news
> # Some messages may only be pertinent before or after some amount of
> uptime
> read up idle < /proc/uptime
> uptime="uptime/$up/$idle"
> USER_AGENT="curl/$curl_ver $lsb $platform $cpu $uptime
> cloud_id/$cloud_id"
>
> Updated version:
> $ grep uptime /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news
> (no output)
>
>
> [Regression Potential]
> The server side, if it were checking this value, could be surprised by
> this change.
>
> [Other Info]
> N/A
>
> [Original Description]
> I don't why that was included but it shouldn't be. Please remove it.
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
>
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/base-files/+bug/1886572/+subscriptions
>
> Launchpad-Notification-Type: bug
> Launchpad-Bug: distribution=ubuntu; sourcepackage=base-files;
> component=main; status=Fix Released; importance=High; assignee=
> <email address hidden>;
> Launchpad-Bug: distribution=ubuntu; di...

Read more...

Revision history for this message
Dean Henrichsmeyer (dean) wrote :

Sorry, I mean there's no amd64 version in bionic-proposed.

Revision history for this message
Andreas Hasenack (ahasenack) wrote :

The NEW package (motd-news-config) needs to be accepted, and needs to go into main. I believe an archive admin needs to intervene. Also, ubuntu-meta needs to be accepted together with this.

Revision history for this message
Andreas Hasenack (ahasenack) wrote :

Focal verification

Current focal version:
  Version table:
 *** 11ubuntu5.1 500
        500 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates/main amd64 Packages

Verifying uptime is present:
# grep uptime /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news
# Some messages may only be pertinent before or after some amount of uptime
read up idle < /proc/uptime
uptime="uptime/$up/$idle"
USER_AGENT="curl/$curl_ver $lsb $platform $cpu $uptime cloud_id/$cloud_id"

In the updated version, uptime is gone:
base-files:
  Installed: 11ubuntu5.2
  Candidate: 11ubuntu5.2
  Version table:
 *** 11ubuntu5.2 500
        500 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-proposed/main amd64 Packages

# grep uptime /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news
#

Focal verification succeeded.

tags: added: verification-done-focal
removed: verification-needed-focal
Revision history for this message
Andreas Hasenack (ahasenack) wrote :

Bionic verification

Current version:
$ apt-cache policy base-files
base-files:
  Installed: 10.1ubuntu2.9
  Candidate: 10.1ubuntu2.9
  Version table:
 *** 10.1ubuntu2.9 500
        500 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

Uptime is there:
ubuntu@bionic-motd-news-no-uptime:~$ grep uptime /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news
# Some messages may only be pertinent before or after some amount of uptime
read up idle < /proc/uptime
uptime="uptime/$up/$idle"
USER_AGENT="curl/$curl_ver $lsb $platform $cpu $uptime cloud_id/$cloud_id"

After updating, it's gone:
ubuntu@bionic-motd-news-no-uptime:~$ apt-cache policy base-files
base-files:
  Installed: 10.1ubuntu2.10
  Candidate: 10.1ubuntu2.10
  Version table:
 *** 10.1ubuntu2.10 500
        500 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-proposed/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     10.1ubuntu2.9 500

ubuntu@bionic-motd-news-no-uptime:~$ grep uptime /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news
ubuntu@bionic-motd-news-no-uptime:~$

Bionic verification succeeded.

tags: added: verification-done-bionic
removed: verification-needed-bionic
Revision history for this message
Andreas Hasenack (ahasenack) wrote :

Xenial verification

Current version:
ubuntu@xenial-motd-news-no-uptime:~$ apt-cache policy base-files
base-files:
  Installed: 9.4ubuntu4.12
  Candidate: 9.4ubuntu4.12
  Version table:
 *** 9.4ubuntu4.12 500
        500 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

Uptime is there:
ubuntu@xenial-motd-news-no-uptime:~$ grep uptime /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news
# Some messages may only be pertinent before or after some amount of uptime
read up idle < /proc/uptime
uptime="uptime/$up/$idle"
USER_AGENT="curl/$curl_ver $lsb $platform $cpu $uptime cloud_id/$cloud_id"

After updating:
ubuntu@xenial-motd-news-no-uptime:~$ apt-cache policy base-files
base-files:
  Installed: 9.4ubuntu4.13
  Candidate: 9.4ubuntu4.13
  Version table:
 *** 9.4ubuntu4.13 500
        500 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-proposed/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

Uptime is gone:
ubuntu@xenial-motd-news-no-uptime:~$ grep uptime /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news
ubuntu@xenial-motd-news-no-uptime:~$

Xenial verification succeeded.

tags: added: verification-done-xenial
removed: verification-needed-xenial
Mathew Hodson (mhodson)
tags: removed: verification-needed
Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

This bug was fixed in the package base-files - 9.4ubuntu4.13

---------------
base-files (9.4ubuntu4.13) xenial; urgency=medium

  [ Andreas Hasenack ]
  * motd/50-motd-news: don't include uptime in the user-agent string
    (LP: #1886572)
  * Move the /etc/default/motd-news conffile to the motd-news-config
    package (LP: #1888575):
    - d/postinst.in, d/postrm, d/preinst: remove /etc/default/motd-news
      config file on base-files upgrade using dpkg-maintscript-helper
    - d/rules: install d/preinst
    - d/control: break on ubuntu-server << 1.361.5 to force an upgrade if
      it is installed, which will pull motd-news-config and the conffile
      back in
    - d/control: new motd-news-config package, carrying the
      configuration file for the /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news script.
    - d/motd-news-config.postinst:
      + handle the upgrade case where the motd-news config file was
        changed while it belonged to base-files
      + disable motd-news if the config file was removed by hand before
        the upgrade
    - d/postinst.in: signal the motd-news-config package if the
      motd-news config file was removed manually before the upgrade
    - d/conffiles: remove motd-news
    - d/rules, d/motd-news-config.conffiles: packaging motd-news-config
      without debhelper

  [ Steve Langasek ]
  * motd/50-motd-news: use wget instead of curl, since wget is standard but
    curl is optional (LP: #1888572):
    - This changes the timeout behavior slightly because wget does not have
      an exact equivalent to curl's --max-time argument, we are using
      --timeout instead.

 -- Andreas Hasenack <email address hidden> Mon, 17 Aug 2020 11:19:19 -0300

Changed in base-files (Ubuntu Xenial):
status: Fix Committed → Fix Released
Revision history for this message
Steve Langasek (vorlon) wrote : Update Released

The verification of the Stable Release Update for base-files has completed successfully and the package is now being released to -updates. Subsequently, the Ubuntu Stable Release Updates Team is being unsubscribed and will not receive messages about this bug report. In the event that you encounter a regression using the package from -updates please report a new bug using ubuntu-bug and tag the bug report regression-update so we can easily find any regressions.

Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

This bug was fixed in the package base-files - 10.1ubuntu2.10

---------------
base-files (10.1ubuntu2.10) bionic; urgency=medium

  [ Andreas Hasenack ]
  * motd/50-motd-news: don't include uptime in the user-agent string
    (LP: #1886572)
  * Move the /etc/default/motd-news conffile to the motd-news-config
    package (LP: #1888575):
    - d/base-files.maintscript: remove /etc/default/motd-news config file
      on upgrade
    - d/control: break on ubuntu-server << 1.417.5 to force an upgrade if
      it is installed, which will pull motd-news-config and the conffile
      back in
    - d/motd-news-config.postinst:
      + handle the upgrade case where the motd-news config file was
        changed while it belonged to base-files
      + disable motd-news if the config file was removed by hand before
        the upgrade
    - d/postinst.in: signal the motd-news-config package if the
      motd-news config file was removed manually before the upgrade
    - d/control: new motd-news-config package, carrying the
      configuration file for the /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news script.
    - d/rules, d/motd-news-config.install: /e/d/motd-news is in the
      motd-news-config package now

  [ Steve Langasek ]
  * motd/50-motd-news: use wget instead of curl, since wget is standard but
    curl is optional (LP: #1888572):
    - This changes the timeout behavior slightly because wget does not have
      an exact equivalent to curl's --max-time argument, we are using
      --timeout instead.

 -- Andreas Hasenack <email address hidden> Thu, 13 Aug 2020 15:59:47 -0300

Changed in base-files (Ubuntu Bionic):
status: Fix Committed → Fix Released
Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

This bug was fixed in the package base-files - 11ubuntu5.2

---------------
base-files (11ubuntu5.2) focal; urgency=medium

  [ Andreas Hasenack ]
  * motd/50-motd-news: don't include uptime in the user-agent string
    (LP: #1886572)
  * Move the /etc/default/motd-news conffile to the motd-news-config
    package (LP: #1888575):
    - d/base-files.maintscript: remove /etc/default/motd-news config file
      on upgrade
    - d/control: break on ubuntu-server << 1.450.2 to force an upgrade if
      it is installed, which will pull motd-news-config and the conffile
      back in
    - d/motd-news-config.postinst:
      + handle the upgrade case where the motd-news config file was
        changed while it belonged to base-files
      + disable motd-news if the config file was removed by hand before
        the upgrade
    - d/postinst.in: signal the motd-news-config package if the
      motd-news config file was removed manually before the upgrade
    - d/control: new motd-news-config package, carrying the
      configuration file for the /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news script.
    - d/rules, d/motd-news-config.install: /e/d/motd-news is in the
      motd-news-config package now

  [ Steve Langasek ]
  * motd/50-motd-news: use wget instead of curl, since wget is standard but
    curl is optional (LP: #1888572):
    - This changes the timeout behavior slightly because wget does not have
      an exact equivalent to curl's --max-time argument, we are using
      --timeout instead.

 -- Andreas Hasenack <email address hidden> Mon, 17 Aug 2020 10:31:58 -0300

Changed in base-files (Ubuntu Focal):
status: Fix Committed → Fix Released
To post a comment you must log in.
This report contains Public information  
Everyone can see this information.

Other bug subscribers

Remote bug watches

Bug watches keep track of this bug in other bug trackers.