Re: KDE run Dolphin as root?

From	Default User <hunguponcontent@gmail.com>
Newsgroups	linux.debian.user
Subject	Re: KDE run Dolphin as root?
Date	2020-06-07 05:00 +0200
Message-ID	<AeTHr-2qL-1@gated-at.bofh.it> (permalink)
References	<AerLb-1oS-11@gated-at.bofh.it> <AeS8F-1zZ-5@gated-at.bofh.it>
Organization	linux.* mail to news gateway

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On Sat, Jun 6, 2020, 21:19 Kushal Kumaran <kushal@locationd.net> wrote:

> Default User <hunguponcontent@gmail.com> writes:
>
> > Hi, all.
> >
> > As an experiment, I just installed Debian 10.4 Stable on a spare drive,
> and
> > installed kde on it.
> >
> > I have not tried kde in many years, so am not really familiar with it.
> > Perhaps I am overlooking something obvious, but I can not seem to run
> > Dolphin or Konqueror as root.
> >
> > Searching online, I was astounded to see many references to this problem,
> > saying that this is not a bug, but a feature - that kde developers are
> > deliberately working to prevent users from using some programs, including
> > Dolphin as root, as a "security measure".
> >
> > So, can the current version of Dolphin in Debian Stable be run as root
> > (without re-compiling, etc)?
> >
>
> Dolphin is just checking the SUDO_USER environment variable.  Just unset
> the variable before starting dolphin.  Ref:
>
> https://codesearch.debian.net/search?q=Executing+Dolphin+with+sudo+is+not+possible+due+to+unfixable+security+vulnerabilities&literal=1
>
> I have no idea what the unfixable security vulnerabilities are.
>
> > And, if not, how (and why) would anyone use kde at all?
>
> You might be overestimating the number of people who need to do file
> management as root with a graphical tool.  I, for one, use plasma as my
> primary desktop environment, but almost all file management activity is
> through emacs (with tramp for root stuff), or just a shell.  Until I saw
> your post, I had no idea dolphin would refuse to run as root.
>
> --
> regards,
> kushal
>

First, to Keith:

Yes, I vaguely remember that thread.  I did briefly look through the list
archive but could not find it.

Perhaps there is a search function for the list archive, but I am unaware
of it.

Second, to Kushal:

I did look at the code you referenced. Interesting. But I am not a
programmer.

I did try to under the SUDO_USER environment variable as you suggested.
Maybe I didn't do it correctly, but it did not resolve the problem. Dolphin
refuses to run with elevated privileges.

Anyway, for now, I can use Midnight Commander, either as sudo or as root,
to do file management of root folders and files. But it is somewhat
"clunky" to do so.

And just to note: I do a lot of management of files and directories
requiring root privileges.

So I guess I just got spoiled, using the nemo file manager in Cinnamon.
Just right click the Cinnamon desktop, select "Open as root", then use nemo
with temporarily elevated privileges.  Then close nemo, and I am back to
the desktop as a regular user again. Easy.

Thread

KDE run Dolphin as root? Default User <hunguponcontent@gmail.com> - 2020-06-05 23:10 +0200
  Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? Default User <hunguponcontent@gmail.com> - 2020-06-06 23:30 +0200
    Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? Paul Johnson <baloo@ursamundi.org> - 2020-06-06 23:40 +0200
      Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? Marco Möller <talby@debianlists.mobilxpress.net> - 2020-06-07 00:40 +0200
        Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? Keith bainbridge <keithrbau@gmail.com> - 2020-06-07 03:10 +0200
          Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? Marco Möller <talby@debianlists.mobilxpress.net> - 2020-06-07 21:30 +0200
            Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? Andrei POPESCU <andreimpopescu@gmail.com> - 2020-06-08 08:10 +0200
              Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? Greg Wooledge <wooledg@eeg.ccf.org> - 2020-06-08 13:40 +0200
                Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? Default User <hunguponcontent@gmail.com> - 2020-06-10 00:00 +0200
                Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? Andrei POPESCU <andreimpopescu@gmail.com> - 2020-06-10 08:40 +0200
                Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? Marco Möller <talby@debianlists.mobilxpress.net> - 2020-06-10 10:20 +0200
                Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? Default User <hunguponcontent@gmail.com> - 2020-06-14 22:30 +0200
                Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? "Gary L. Roach" <garyroach719.lists@gmail.com> - 2020-06-15 21:50 +0200
                Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? Andrei POPESCU <andreimpopescu@gmail.com> - 2020-06-15 22:10 +0200
                Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2020-06-15 22:20 +0200
                Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? Keith bainbridge <keithrbau@gmail.com> - 2020-06-16 01:00 +0200
                Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2020-06-16 09:30 +0200
                Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? "Gary L. Roach" <garyroach719.lists@gmail.com> - 2020-06-17 01:40 +0200
                Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? didier.gaumet@gmail.com - 2020-06-17 10:40 +0200
                Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2020-06-16 09:30 +0200
                Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? "Gary L. Roach" <garyroach719.lists@gmail.com> - 2020-06-17 02:00 +0200
                Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? didier.gaumet@gmail.com - 2020-06-17 10:30 +0200
                Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2020-06-17 11:00 +0200
                Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? Andrei POPESCU <andreimpopescu@gmail.com> - 2020-06-19 05:00 +0200
                Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2020-06-19 10:00 +0200
                Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? Andrei POPESCU <andreimpopescu@gmail.com> - 2020-06-20 16:50 +0200
                Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? Marco Möller <talby@debianlists.mobilxpress.net> - 2020-06-16 09:30 +0200
    Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? Marco Möller <talby@debianlists.mobilxpress.net> - 2020-06-07 00:20 +0200
  Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? Kushal Kumaran <kushal@locationd.net> - 2020-06-07 03:20 +0200
    Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? Default User <hunguponcontent@gmail.com> - 2020-06-07 05:00 +0200
      Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? Kushal Kumaran <kushal@locationd.net> - 2020-06-07 06:20 +0200
      Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? Keith bainbridge <keithrbau@gmail.com> - 2020-06-07 07:20 +0200
    Re: KDE run Dolphin as root? David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2020-06-07 06:50 +0200

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