[Impact]
Users could have a message saying that packages are covered by ESM-Apps even in series which are not under LTS support yet. ESM-Apps will cover that, but it is still unreleased, which lead to confusion on why users are seeing messages about it.
ESM-Apps is currently a beta service, and users which explicitly enabled it can use it. Ubuntu Advantage Tools only shows relevant information about ESM-Apps if it is enabled. Ubuntu-security-status should do the same.
[Test Plan]
Attached to the bug there is a test script showing the messages, and how they behave with the proposed patch.
[Where problems could occur]
There may be problems if there is the desire to show ESM-Apps related information before it comes out of beta. If people (products people?) change their minds and want to show those messages, there would be a need of a subsequent SRU. This is not a possibility being considered today.
People with access to ESM-Apps can still see the message and be confused about it, but if they have access to it in beta it means they have the appropriate context.
[Additional Information]
ubuntu-security-status is useful on its own (i.e. for Impish) but the changes we are making here are its integration with ubuntu-advantage and ESM which is not relevant for Impish so this change is not being SRU'ed there.
[Original Description]
There seems to be a misleading, incorrect message in
ubuntu-security-status
ESM wouldn’t be needed (or even enabled) until 20.04 is EOL, in 2025.
---
See this link:
https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/why-is-extended-security-maintenance-needed-for-apps-in-ubuntu-20-04-x-lts-in-2021/25871
tester@lenovo-v130:~$ ubuntu-security-status
1832 packages installed, of which:
1673 receive package updates with LTS until 4/2025
152 could receive security updates with ESM Apps until 4/2030
7 packages are from third parties
Packages from third parties are not provided by the official Ubuntu
archive, for example packages from Personal Package Archives in
Launchpad.
For more information on the packages, run 'ubuntu-security-status
--thirdparty'.
Enable Extended Security Maintenance (ESM Apps) to get 10 security
updates (so far) and enable coverage of 152 packages.
This machine is not attached to an Ubuntu Advantage subscription.
See https://ubuntu.com/advantage
tester@lenovo-v130:~$
Questions
Why is Extended Maintenance needed for apps in Ubuntu 20.04.x LTS in 2021?
Which are those 10 security updates that need ESM? Is there a link where they are listed?
Where are the 152 packages (that need ESM) listed?
---
I was told to report this as a bug by oSoMoN:
Why is Extended Maintenance needed for apps in Ubuntu 20.04.x LTS in 2021?
Which are those 10 security updates that need ESM? Is there a link where they are listed?
This sounds like a misleading, incorrect message. ESM wouldn’t be needed (or even enabled) until 20.04 is EOL, in 2025. Can you file a bug issuing the following command: ubuntu-bug update-manager-core ?
ProblemType: BugDistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
Package: update-manager-core 1:20.04.10.9
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.11.0-43.47~20.04.2-generic 5.11.22
Uname: Linux 5.11.0-43-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.21
Aptdaemon:
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Tue Dec 21 09:43:33 2021
GsettingsChanges:
b'com.ubuntu.update-manager' b'launch-count' b'12'
b'com.ubuntu.update-manager' b'first-run' b'false'
b'com.ubuntu.update-manager' b'launch-time' b'int64 1639852408'
InstallationDate: Installed on 2020-09-04 (472 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS "Focal Fossa" - Release amd64 (20200731)
PackageArchitecture: allSourcePackage: update-manager
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
Suffice it to say, I don't think there's a bug here in update-manager. You are thinking about ESM Infra, while this is about ESM Apps, which has not yet been properly announced, afaict.
So, I'm closing this bug report, and suggest that discussion continues on Discourse. Do note that we are on break until January 4.