KDE file manager problem

[oshunluvr]

As far as Dolphin and root functionality goes, since I'm a CLI guy anyway, I use Dolphin to navigate to a directory and then hit F4 and do my root business as the Linux Gods intended - at the command line with "sudo"

[oshunluvr]

I'm surprised at the number of folks who shrug their shoulders at the mention of the need for security. Maybe some of that nonchalance is because the NSA, CIA and other government spooks have been spying on us for decades. I read somewhere that even TOR was funded by the CIA as a way for agents abroad to connect with HQ, That the FBI had no problem taking over a pseudophile onion website and run it for a year, collecting IP addresses of pervs, doesn't surprise me. Very very few ISPs, banks and businesses will buck their government's request for info on a customer, or not allow the gov to monitor live traffic. I suspect that Apple's refusal to create a backdoor for the FBI in the San Bernidino shooting was a ruse. The FBI claimed that they got an Israeli firm to do it. Uh huh.

The only people we are keeping out of our systems, Linux included, are Joe and Sally Sixpacks and the script kiddies, not the State agents or professional thieves. Intel's internal "8th core" back door was recently revealed, which bypasses every operating system and allows remote attackers full access to any system using Intel's CPUs. China makes essentially ALL our computers and parts. I have little doubt that they have their own back doors in the firmware they put on the mobo.

Honestly Jerry, I meant "Keeping our systems safe from unintended file deletion or inappropriate or damaging editing" not keeping us safe from whatever boogiemen are out there. I somehow doubt using Dolphin with kdesudo will alert the guys in black helicopters to swoop in and take a look at the pictures of my kids. Next time I'll try and post more specifically.

[Rog131]

editing files is only one reason to use dolphin as root ,,,what about drag and dropping to make a link?

VINNY

Meanwhile

1) The links can be made with the KDE service menus (not drag&drop) - either make your own or edit the RootActions. A mockup:



2) There are plenty of fish in the sea - 16 Best Linux file managers: https://www.slant.co/topics/2090/~linux-file-managers

Giving the pcmanfm-qt a quick test: Option to run as root & make symlinks.

3) If you don't mind to build/edit from the source: There could be alternative versions of the KDE applications: https://forum.kde.org/viewtopic.php?...136907#p366219

[GreyGeek]

KDE file manager problem

I'm surprised at the number of folks who shrug their shoulders at the mention of the need for security. Maybe some of that nonchalance is because the NSA, CIA and other government spooks have been spying on us for decades. I read somewhere that even TOR was funded by the CIA as a way for agents abroad to connect with HQ, That the FBI had no problem taking over a pedophile onion website and run it for a year, collecting IP addresses of pervs, doesn't surprise me. Very very few ISPs, banks and businesses will buck their government's request for info on a customer, or not allow the gov to monitor live traffic. I suspect that Apple's refusal to create a backdoor for the FBI in the San Bernidino shooting was a ruse. The FBI claimed that they got an Israeli firm to do it. Uh huh.

The only people we are keeping out of our systems, Linux included, are Joe and Sally Sixpacks and the script kiddies, not the State agents or professional thieves. Intel's internal "8th core" back door was recently revealed, which bypasses every operating system and allows remote attackers full access to any system using Intel's CPUs. China makes essentially ALL our computers and parts. I have little doubt that they have their own back doors in the firmware they put on the mobo.

[oshunluvr]

The sad thing is most don't realize that it's these types of "restrictions" that keep our systems safe.

[GreyGeek]

editing files is only one reason to use dolphin as root ,,,what about drag and dropping to make a link?

VINNY

Yup. I suspect that because a lot of folks won't be able to run Dolphin as root they'lll walk away from Neon and Kubuntu or, perhaps, KDE itself.

The time for Linux being an OS for nerds has long past and now the majority of users are not any more computer literate than the average Windows user. I suspect that they'll take convenience over security and vote with their feet.

If editing config and other script files as root without running Dolphin as root is the goal then making sudoedit drop dead easy to use is a must. Perhaps assigning $EDITOR in the same system settings "Applications" panel that declares the browser or email client and making sudoedit an option when you right mouse click on a file owned by root. That way, while running Dolphin under my account I could browse to /etc/somedir/somefile, right click on it, and select "sudoedit this file as root". I would be asked for my account password, Kate would open up with somefile being displayed. I make the edits and save it.

The problem would be when I wanted to modify the directory & file arrangements. But, I can't think of a time in the last 10 years when I've made changes to the / hierarchy. When I need to make file changes as root I usually open a Konsole and sudo mc. I often use mc (Midnight Commander) to edit files owned by root as well.

[vinnywright]

Hopefully

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=378169

editing files is only one reason to use dolphin as root ,,,what about drag and dropping to make a link?

VINNY

[GreyGeek]

Ah, right. Missed the 'n'. Thanks for catching that. Closing the barn door on Windows after the horses have left wouldn't make much sense to me either.

I do most of my serious work in root with mc, but having root actions on Dolphin as a user was great. I'll miss it. May try Vinny's solution

[Rog131]

Rog, I see the the git log of main.cpp that it was committed on Feb 19, 2017. HOWEVER, that commit for main.cpp ONLY includes the test for the Window OS, not Linux, exactly as shown above.

#ifndef Q_OS_WIN
   // Check whether we are running as root
   if (getuid() == 0) {
       std::cout << "Executing Dolphin as root is not possible." << std::endl;
       return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
#endif

How do they expect to trap the use of Dolphin as root on Linux when they only test for Windows?

The !7.04 (beta - Linux) Dolphin is telling: "Executing Dolphin as root is not possible."
https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=378169 -> https://bugsfiles.kde.org/attachment.cgi?id=104763

Beta: https://marc.info/?l=kde-release-tea...5650606535&w=2

I think that you are thinking #ifdef - the code is using not defined: #ifndef.

[Rog131]

so now we have no root mode GUI file manager by default?

well Krusader still works as root !

VINNY

Hopefully

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=378169

Elvis Blanco 2017-03-27 19:28:43 UTC

So, they just decided i can't open Dolphin as root?

Elvis Angelaccio 2017-03-28 21:06:59 UTC

Yes, because running Dolphin as root is dangerous. Hopefully Dolphin 17.12 will be able to edit root files in the proper way (polkit). More details here: https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=152150#c7

[GreyGeek]

....

+#ifndef [COLOR=#ff0000]Q_OS_WIN[/COLOR]
+    // Check whether we are running as root
+    if (getuid() == 0) {
+        std::cout << "Executing Dolphin as root is not possible." << std::endl;
+        return EXIT_FAILURE;

Rog, I see the the git log of main.cpp that it was committed on Feb 19, 2017. HOWEVER, that commit for main.cpp ONLY includes the test for the Window OS, not Linux, exactly as shown above.

#ifndef Q_OS_WIN
    // Check whether we are running as root
    if (getuid() == 0) {
        std::cout << "Executing Dolphin as root is not possible." << std::endl;
        return EXIT_FAILURE;
    }
#endif

How do they expect to trap the use of Dolphin as root on Linux when they only test for Windows?

[vinnywright]

so now we have no root mode GUI file manager by default?

well Krusader still works as root !

VINNY

[Rog131]

Domino effect


( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domino_effect )

KDE File Manager devel mailing list - https://marc.info/?l=kfm-devel&m=148754509714115&w=2#1

List: kfm-devel
Subject: Re: Looking for co-mentors for a GSoC Dolphin/KIO project
From: Elvis Angelaccio

.
.
.
Btw, Emmanuel pushed a commit [1] similar to the kate one, disabling
root in dolphin master...

[1]: https://cgit.kde.org/dolphin.git/com...7901e9b417cf89

https://cgit.kde.org/dolphin.git/com...7901e9b417cf89

Disallow executing Dolphin as root on Linux

Basically a copy of commit kate/9adcebd3c2e476c8a32e9b455cc99f46b0e12a7e which was written by Martin Grässlin...

+#ifndef Q_OS_WIN
+    // Check whether we are running as root
+    if (getuid() == 0) {
+        std::cout << "Executing Dolphin as root is not possible." << std::endl;
+        return EXIT_FAILURE;

[kubicle]

so I guess this will brake the "root actions service menu" that worked so well for editing root owned files

Yes and no. The menu is not tied to kate. Kate is used by default, but if another editor is set as the default text editor, it will use it instead.

And as Rog mentioned, sudoedit can be used with kate, but it is trickier than it seems...and definitely not a drop-in replacement that can easily be integrated into the menu (problems that come to mind instantly are: 1. handling graphical password dialog [which askpass programs work and which the user has installed?] and 2. problems with running/existing kate sessions).

Don't get me wrong, getting policykit integration into KDE is a worthy goal, and I would be very happy if the root actions menu would be made redundant by it...but in my opinion there needs to be about 10 steps towards that goal before this particular step is taken.

It's superfluous at best (making one GUI editor refuse to run as root won't really affect security, as there are a load of other programs and even other GUI editors that will continue to do so), and developer cockiness at worst (this will certainly affect work flows in unforeseen ways and for very small gains...these kind of changes should not be done on a whim). I'm all for developer efforts to make the defaults as secure as possible (within reason), but not allowing the defaults to be changed is borderline vandalism.

I have the highest respect for M. Gräßlin, I just disagree with his decision here (but not his end goal).

[GreyGeek]

As usual, ALL the real power is in the terminal!
(Which is good ... if you have a good memory! )