[arch-dev-public] user/group management in packages

[Evangelos Foutras]

On 03/02/15 13:46, Allan McRae wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> While looking into how best handle those directory permission warnings
> with pacman-4.2, I have noticed a couple of things about user/group
> management in our packages.
> 
> 1) We should not remove users/groups when packages are uninstalled. This
> is a potential security issue if any files are left owned by the
> non-existent user/group.
> 
> 2) Most packages that chown files in the install file could do it use
> the user/group number in the PKGBUILD.  This works on any package with a
> reserved user/group ID.  The advantage of doing this is that pacman can
> track the permissions.  (A solution is being worked on for dynamically
> created user/groups whose id number can vary.)
> 
> Should I create a rebuild list?

I'd say yes and I agree on both points.

This is also a perfect opportunity to mention systemd-sysusers(8) which,
along with sysusers.d(5) entries, can greatly simplify the creation of
system users.

For an example, check out the openldap package:

https://projects.archlinux.org/svntogit/packages.git/tree/trunk/slapd.sysusers?h=packages/openldap

https://projects.archlinux.org/svntogit/packages.git/tree/trunk/openldap.install?h=packages/openldap