- Arch-announce - lists.archlinux.org

[arch-announce] Arch Linux 2024 Leader Election Results
by Arch Linux: Recent news updates: Christian Heusel 15 Apr '24

15 Apr '24

Recently we held our leader election, and the previous Project Leader Levente "anthraxx" Polyák ran again while no other people were nominated for the role. As per [our election rules][0] he is re-elected for a new term. The role of of the project lead within Arch Linux is connected to [a few responsibilities][1] regarding decision making (when no consensus can be reached), handling financial matters with SPI and overall project management tasks. **Congratulations to Levente and all the best wishes for another successful term! 🥳** [0]: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/DeveloperWiki:Project_Leader#Election [1]: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/DeveloperWiki:Project_Leader#Roles URL: https://archlinux.org/news/arch-linux-2024-leader-election-results/

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[arch-announce] Increasing the default vm.max_map_count value
by Arch Linux: Recent news updates: Robin Candau 07 Apr '24

07 Apr '24

The [vm.max_map_count][1] paramater will be increased from the default `65530` value to `1048576`. This change should help address performance, crash or start-up issues for a number of memory intensive applications, particularly for (but not limited to) [some Windows games][2] played through Wine/Steam Proton. Overall, end users should have a smoother experience out of the box with no expressed concerns about potential downsides in [the related proposal on arch-dev-public mailing list][3]. This `vm.max_map_count` increase is introduced in the `2024.04.07-1` release of the [filesystem package][4] and will be effective right after the upgrade. Before upgrading, in case you are already setting your own value for that parameter in a `sysctl.d` configuration file, either remove it (to switch to the new default value) or make sure your configuration file will be read [with a higher priority][5] than the `/usr/lib/sysctl.d/10-arch.conf` file (to supersede the new default value). [1]: https://docs.kernel.org/admin-guide/sysctl/vm.html#max-map-count [2]: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/2057792/comments/5 [3]: https://lists.archlinux.org/archives/list/arch-dev-public@lists.archlinux.o… [4]: https://archlinux.org/packages/core/any/filesystem/ [5]: https://man.archlinux.org/man/sysctl.8#SYSTEM_FILE_PRECEDENCE URL: https://archlinux.org/news/increasing-the-default-vmmax_map_count-value/

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[arch-announce] The xz package has been backdoored
by Arch Linux: Recent news updates: David Runge 29 Mar '24

29 Mar '24

TL;DR: Upgrade your systems and container images **now**! As many of you may have already read [1], the upstream release tarballs for `xz` in version `5.6.0` and `5.6.1` contain malicious code which adds a backdoor. This vulnerability is tracked in the Arch Linux security tracker [2]. The `xz` packages prior to version `5.6.1-2` (specifically `5.6.0-1` and `5.6.1-1`) contain this backdoor. The following release artifacts contain the compromised `xz`: - installation medium `2024.03.01` - virtual machine images `20240301.218094` and `20240315.221711` - container images created between and including *2024-02-24* and *2024-03-28* The affected release artifacts have been removed from our mirrors. We strongly advise against using affected release artifacts and instead downloading what is currently available as latest version! ## Upgrading the system It is strongly advised to do a full system upgrade right away if your system currently has `xz` version `5.6.0-1` or `5.6.1-1` installed: ``` pacman -Syu ``` ## Upgrading container images To figure out if you are using an affected container image, use either ``` podman image history archlinux/archlinux ``` or ``` docker image history archlinux/archlinux ``` depending on whether you use `podman` or `docker`. Any Arch Linux container image older than `2024-03-29` and younger than `2024-02-24` is affected. Run either ``` podman image pull archlinux/archlinux ``` or ``` docker image pull archlinux/archlinux ``` to upgrade affected container images to the most recent version. Afterwards make sure to rebuild any container images based on the affected versions and also inspect any running containers! ## Regarding sshd authentication bypass/code execution From the upstream report [1]: > openssh does not directly use liblzma. However debian and several other distributions patch openssh to support systemd notification, and libsystemd does depend on lzma. Arch does not directly link openssh to liblzma, and thus this attack vector is not possible. You can confirm this by issuing the following command: ``` ldd "$(command -v sshd)" ``` However, out of an abundance of caution, we advise users to remove the malicious code from their system by upgrading either way. This is because other yet-to-be discovered methods to exploit the backdoor could exist. [1]: https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/03/29/4 [2]: https://security.archlinux.org/ASA-202403-1 URL: https://archlinux.org/news/the-xz-package-has-been-backdoored/

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[arch-announce] mkinitcpio hook migration and early microcode
by Arch Linux: Recent news updates: Morten Linderud 04 Mar '24

04 Mar '24

With the release of [mkinitcpio v38][^1], several hooks previously provided by Arch packages have been moved to the mkinitcpio upstream project. The hooks are: systemd, udev, encrypt, sd-encrypt, lvm2 and mdadm_udev. To ensure no breakage of users' setup occurs, temporary conflicts have been introduced into the respective packages to prevent installing packages that are no longer compatible. The following packages needs to be upgraded together: * mkinitcpio 38-2 * systemd 255.4-2 * lvm2 2.03.23-3 * mdadm 4.3-2 * cryptsetup 2.7.0-3 Please note that the `mkinitcpio` flag `--microcode`, and the `microcode` option in the preset files, has been deprecated in favour of a new `microcode` hook. This also allows you to drop the microcode `initrd` lines from your boot configuration as they are now packed together with the main initramfs image. [^1]: https://lists.archlinux.org/hyperkitty/list/arch-projects@lists.archlinux.o… URL: https://archlinux.org/news/mkinitcpio-hook-migration-and-early-microcode/

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[arch-announce] Making dbus-broker our default D-Bus daemon
by Arch Linux: Recent news updates: Jan Alexander Steffens 09 Jan '24

09 Jan '24

We are making `dbus-broker` our default implementation of D-Bus, for improved performance, reliability and integration with systemd. For the foreseeable future we will still support the use of `dbus-daemon`, the previous implementation. Pacman will ask you whether to install `dbus-broker-units` or `dbus-daemon-units`. We recommend picking the default. For a more detailed rationale, please see our [RFC 25][1]. [1]: https://gitlab.archlinux.org/archlinux/rfcs/-/blob/master/rfcs/0025-dbus-br… URL: https://archlinux.org/news/making-dbus-broker-our-default-d-bus-daemon/

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[arch-announce] Bugtracker migration to GitLab completed
by Arch Linux: Recent news updates: Christian Heusel 04 Dec '23

04 Dec '23

We are happy to announce that the [migration of the bugtracker to GitLab][0] is done! 🥳 Thanks to everyone who has helped during the migration! This means the issue tracker and merge requests on the GitLab package repos are now enabled. The old bugtracker will subsequently be closed down. For archiving reasons there will be a static copy so that links (for example the randomly picked [Task #56716][1]) are still stable, migrated bugs have a closing comment pointing to the new URL on GitLab. Packaging bugs are now opened on the repo hosting the corresponding packaging sources, the "Add a new Bug" button on the package page on archlinux.org will automatically direct you to the correct place to open the issue. The workflow afterwards is mostly the same, first our [Bug Wranglers][2] will have a look at the issues and triage them, and then they will be handed over to the respective [Package Maintainers][3] to fix. A list of all issues can be found [here][4]. If you do not have an account for GitLab already (which authenticates against our [SSO service][5]), please write us a mail with your desired username to accountsupport(a)archlinux.org as advised in the banner. [0]: https://lists.archlinux.org/hyperkitty/list/arch-dev-public@lists.archlinux… [1]: https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/56716 [2]: https://gitlab.archlinux.org/groups/archlinux/teams/bug-wranglers/-/group_m… [3]: https://gitlab.archlinux.org/archlinux/teams/package-maintainer-team [4]: https://gitlab.archlinux.org/groups/archlinux/packaging/-/issues [5]: https://accounts.archlinux.org/ URL: https://archlinux.org/news/bugtracker-migration-to-gitlab-completed/

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[arch-announce] Incoming changes in JDK / JRE 21 packages may require manual intervention
by Arch Linux: Recent news updates: Frederik Schwan 02 Nov '23

02 Nov '23

We are introducing a change in JDK/JRE packages of our distro. This is triggered from the way a JRE is build in modern versions of Java (>9). We are introducing this change in Java 21. To sum it up instead of having JDK and JRE packages coexist in the same system we will be making them conflict. The JDK variant package includes the runtime environment to execute Java applications so if one needs compilation and runtime of Java they need only the JDK package in the future. If, on the other hand, they need just runtime of Java then JRE (or jre-headless) will work. This will (potentially) require a manual user action during upgrade: * if you have both JDK and JRE installed you can manually install the JDK with pacman -Sy jdk-openjdk and this removes the JRE related packages. * if you have both JRE and JRE-headless you will need to choose one of them and install it manually since they would conflict each other now. * If you only have one of the JDK/JRE/JRE-headless pacman should resolve dependencies normally and no action is needed. At the moment this is only valid for the upcoming JDK 21 release. URL: https://archlinux.org/news/incoming-changes-in-jdk-jre-21-packages-may-requ…

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[arch-announce] Changes to default password hashing algorithm and umask settings
by Arch Linux: Recent news updates: David Runge 22 Sep '23

22 Sep '23

With *shadow* >= `4.14.0`, Arch Linux's default password hashing algorithm changed from **SHA512** to **yescrypt** [1]. Furthermore, the `umask` [2] settings are now configured in `/etc/login.defs` instead of `/etc/profile`. This should not require any manual intervention. ## Reasons for Yescrypt The password-based key derivation function (KDF) and password hashing scheme **yescrypt** has been chosen due to its adoption (readily available in *libxcrypt*, which is used by *pam* [3]) and its stronger resilience towards password cracking attempts over **SHA512**. Although the winner of the Password Hashing Competition [4] has been **argon2**, this even more resilient algorithm is not yet available in *libxcrypt* [5][6]. ## Configuring yescrypt The `YESCRYPT_COST_FACTOR` setting in `/etc/login.defs` is currently without effect, until *pam* implements reading its value [7]. If a `YESCRYPT_COST_FACTOR` higher (or lower) than the default (`5`) is needed, it can be set using the `rounds` option of the `pam_unix` [8] module (i.e. in `/etc/pam.d/system-auth`). ## General list of changes - **yescrypt** is used as default password hashing algorithm, instead of **SHA512** - *pam* honors the chosen `ENCRYPT_METHOD` in `/etc/login.defs` and does not override the chosen method anymore - changes in the *filesystem* (>= `2023.09.18`) and *pambase* (>= `20230918`) packages ensure, that `umask` is set centrally in `/etc/login.defs` instead of `/etc/profile` [1] https://www.openwall.com/yescrypt/ [2] https://man.archlinux.org/man/umask.1p [3] https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/PAM [4] https://www.password-hashing.net/ [5] https://github.com/besser82/libxcrypt/pull/113 [6] https://github.com/besser82/libxcrypt/pull/150 [7] https://github.com/linux-pam/linux-pam/issues/607 [8] https://man.archlinux.org/man/pam_unix.8 URL: https://archlinux.org/news/changes-to-default-password-hashing-algorithm-an…

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[arch-announce] ansible-core >= 2.15.3-1 update may require manual intervention
by Arch Linux: Recent news updates: Robin Candau 19 Aug '23

19 Aug '23

As of `ansible-core 2.15.3`, upstream moved documentation and examples to a separate [dedicated repository](https://github.com/ansible/ansible-documentation) (see the [related changelogs](https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/v2.15.3/changelogs/CHAN…). This means that, starting from version `2.15.3` the `ansible-core` package will stop shipping documentation and a default configuration example under `/etc/ansible/ansible.cfg`. Regarding the documentation, it is available online: <https://docs.ansible.com/> As for the configuration file, as explained in the [wiki](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Ansible#Configuration), a base config can be generated with the following command: ``` ansible-config init --disabled > ansible.cfg ``` After updating from `ansible-core` <= `2.15.2-1` to >= `2.15.3-1`, everyone using a **custom** global Ansible configuration file stored under `/etc/ansible/ansible.cfg` will have their configuration saved as a `pacsave` file. To restore it, run the following command: ``` mv /etc/ansible/ansible.cfg.pacsave /etc/ansible/ansible.cfg ``` URL: https://archlinux.org/news/ansible-core-2153-1-update-may-require-manual-in…

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[arch-announce] budgie-desktop >= 10.7.2-6 update requires manual intervention
by Arch Linux: Recent news updates: Campbell Jones 11 Aug '23

11 Aug '23

When upgrading from budgie-desktop 10.7.2-5 to 10.7.2-6, the package mutter43 must be replaced with magpie-wm, which currently depends on mutter. As mutter43 conflicts with mutter, manual intervention is required to complete the upgrade. First remove mutter43, then immediately perform the upgrade. Do not relog or reboot between these steps. ``` pacman -Rdd mutter43 ``` ``` pacman -Syu ``` URL: https://archlinux.org/news/budgie-desktop-1072-6-update-requires-manual-int…

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