"Unlock Private Key" dialog mysteriously refers to "an application"

[Matthew Paul Thomas]

Binary package hint: gnome-keyring

Ubuntu 8.04, all updates installed

Several times after I log in, an "Unlock Private Key" dialog pops up. The dialog says something like "An application is trying to access the private key 'id_rsa', but it is locked", and asks me to enter my passphrase. (I'm not sure of the exact wording, because while this dialog is open I can focus other windows but not type into them, and nor am I allowed to take a screenshot.)

This question is useless, because it doesn't identify the application that wants to access my key. It should gave the .desktop name of the application if there is one, or the name of the binary otherwise.

[Kai Mast (kai-mast)]

I have the same issue on Jaunty. It does just say "Allow access to keyring?" nothing more. There must be a way to state which app this wants otherwise GNOME Keyring is pretty insecure.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

Thanks for your bug report. This bug has been reported to the developers of the software. You can track it and make comments here: http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=574315

[Trey Ethridge (tethridge)]

Is there some way to determine what started gnome-keyring-prompt via the command line by looking at the process list? Maybe there is some other way?

I'm seeing an "Unlock Keyring" when I boot my laptop. I running Lucid Lynx and I have it set to automatically login to the desktop. I know that this prompt is not for the wireless network, because I'm already connected to the wireless network. I'm posting this message now and I still have the prompt minimized from when I booted.

[Tomas Pospisek (tpo-deb)]

This issue is a security problem! For the rationale see https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=574315

[David (lofidevops)]

See https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=574315#c4 for a clear answer from a gnome-keyring developer, including the security implications and scope of the task. See also http://live.gnome.org/GnomeKeyring/SecurityPhilosophy