Wrong Network Manager Security Defaults

[nullack]

Binary package hint: network-manager

This is on jaunty, as of 13/02/09.

By default, a user has no permission to edit network connections that network manager configures. For example, in relation to bug #258743 I am now unable to edit my MTU preference for the eth0 connection as the preferences are all disabled in the GUI. If I try gksudo nm-connection-editor its still greyed out. Moreover, when I try to fix this via policykit, there is another bug #328921 that prevents the user from changing any implicit or explicit authorisations.

I don't see why a normal user should not have the ability to manager their own network connections by default on a desktop OS, or at the very least has an easy way to escalate their priveledge level to root via the GUI to do so. Such as an unlock button.

[Steve Beattie (sbeattie)]

I see this as well, confirming. This is with network-manager 0.7.1~rc1-0ubuntu2 and network-manager-gnome 0.7.1~rc1+20090219+bzr974-0ubuntu1. Marking as a regression against intrepid's behavior.

[Martin Pitt (pitti)]

Are you sure that this is a regression? Indeed you can't edit automatically generated connections, but it's possible to delete them and create a manual configuration for e. g. your ethernet connection. That works well.

[nullack (nullack)]

I am sure it is a regression because I used to be able to edit the MTU under Intrepid, and now with Jaunty I am prevented from doing so. Please refer to bug #258743.

[Steve Beattie (sbeattie)]

Yes, Martin, I verified that in intrepid, I could edit things like the MTU and whether the ip address was dhcp or static before marking as a regression. Though it is worth pointing out that in intrepid, any such changes would not survive a reboot.

That said, regardless of whether it's a regression against intrepid or not, it's a frustrating user interface that pretends to offer the ability to edit a connection,but then pops up a dialog where all the options are greyed out. If it's intended behavior that auto interfaces are not to be edited, then the UI ought not to present that as a bogus option.

[Martin Pitt (pitti)]

Steve Beattie [2009-02-20 17:28 -0000]:
> Though it is worth pointing out that in intrepid, any such changes
> would not survive a reboot.

Ah, maybe that's the reason why the change was made in the first
place?

> . If it's intended behavior that auto interfaces are not to be
> edited, then the UI ought not to present that as a bogus option.

I agree. Either, the Edit button should be made insensitive for Auto
connections, or editing it would automatically remove the Auto
connection and turn it into a manual one.

[Steve Beattie (sbeattie)]

I attempted to reproduce this bug with an install based on the ubuntu live cd (build 20090305.1) and it looks to me like this issue has been addressed; I am able to edit wired network settings, including MTU (and it appears to be persistent across reboots, so bug #258743 may also be fixed.) Marking fix released, please re-open if you are still experiencing this bug. Thanks.

[Alexander Sack (asac)]

On Fri, Feb 20, 2009 at 08:59:57AM -0000, nullack wrote:
> I am sure it is a regression because I used to be able to edit the MTU
> under Intrepid, and now with Jaunty I am prevented from doing so. Please
> refer to bug #258743.
>

This isnt a regression ... in intrepid it was a bug that the UI
suggested that you could change auto connections. Backend however,
did never safe those changes.

 - Alexander