package openssh-server 1:7.2p2-4ubuntu2.8 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

[Jeffrey Suchomel]

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ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: openssh-server 1:7.2p2-4ubuntu2.8
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.15.0-46.49~16.04.1-generic 4.15.18
Uname: Linux 4.15.0-46-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.18
Architecture: amd64
Date: Mon Mar 18 13:38:42 2019
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
InstallationDate: Installed on 2019-01-21 (56 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04.5 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20180731)
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.18.4ubuntu1.5
 apt 1.2.29ubuntu0.1
SSHDConfig: Error: command ['/usr/sbin/sshd', '-T'] failed with exit code 255: Missing privilege separation directory: /var/run/sshd
SourcePackage: openssh
Title: package openssh-server 1:7.2p2-4ubuntu2.8 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Andreas Hasenack (ahasenack)]

Thanks for filing this bug in Ubuntu.

This is the error that was logged:
Setting up openssh-server (1:7.2p2-4ubuntu2.8) ...
Unsafe symlinks encountered in /var/run/sshd, refusing.
Job for ssh.service failed because the control process exited with error code. See "systemctl status ssh.service" and "journalctl -xe" for details.
invoke-rc.d: initscript ssh, action "restart" failed.
● ssh.service - OpenBSD Secure Shell server
   Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/ssh.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
   Active: activating (auto-restart) (Result: exit-code) since Mon 2019-03-18 13:38:42 UTC; 31ms ago
  Process: 14891 ExecStartPre=/usr/sbin/sshd -t (code=exited, status=255)

Mar 18 13:38:42 HMNRHSECP006 systemd[1]: Failed to start OpenBSD Secure Shel....
Mar 18 13:38:42 HMNRHSECP006 systemd[1]: ssh.service: Unit entered failed state.
Mar 18 13:38:42 HMNRHSECP006 systemd[1]: ssh.service: Failed with result 'ex....
Hint: Some lines were ellipsized, use -l to show in full.
dpkg: error processing package openssh-server (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

Of note, I see this line:
Unsafe symlinks encountered in /var/run/sshd, refusing.

But no more details were given.

Could you please attach /var/log/syslog, /var/log/auth.log and the output of "sudo systemctl status -l ssh"? You can trim the logfiles to cover just March 18th.

[Andreas Hasenack (ahasenack)]

Oh, and I just now saw this:
SSHDConfig: Error: command ['/usr/sbin/sshd', '-T'] failed with exit code 255: Missing privilege separation directory: /var/run/sshd

That directory is created on startup, unless something else happened. Maybe your /var/run symlink is busted?

Please check:

ls -lad /run /var/run /var/run/sshd

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for openssh (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]