Adduser devel - Feb 2005 - Bug#295416: adduser: deluser will silently delete a group of the same name

Package: adduser
Version: 3.59
Severity: normal


Example:
  # addgroup monkey
  # adduser --ingroup monkey monkey
  # deluser monkey

This example will silently delete the "monkey" group, providing no
output message that it will be doing so. The manpage also gives no
indication that this will happen.

The "monkey" group is deleted even if other users exist for which
"monkey" is their primary group. This behaviour is exhibited for both
normal and --system accounts.

Suggested fixes:

  * Don''t delete similarly named group.

or

  * Provide a warning when running deluser; e.g.:

    # deluser monkey
    Removing user `monkey''...
    Warning: Also removing group `monkey''...
    done.
    
    Also document this behaviour in the manpage.

-- System Information:
Debian Release: 3.1
  APT prefers testing
  APT policy: (990, ''testing''), (500,
''unstable'')
Architecture: i386 (i686)
Kernel: Linux 2.4.28-leo
Locale: LANG=en_GB.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_GB.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)

Versions of packages adduser depends on:
ii  debconf                     1.4.30.11    Debian configuration management sy 
ii  passwd                      1:4.0.3-30.8 Change and administer password and 
ii  perl-base                   5.8.4-6      The Pathologically Eclectic Rubbis

-- debconf information excluded

reassign #295416 passwd
retitle #295416 userdel will silently delete a group of the same name
thanks

On Tue, Feb 15, 2005 at 06:05:47PM +0000, Paul Evans
wrote:
> Example:
>   # addgroup monkey
>   # adduser --ingroup monkey monkey
>   # deluser monkey
> 
> This example will silently delete the "monkey" group, providing
no
> output message that it will be doing so. The manpage also gives no
> indication that this will happen.
deluser is a front-end for userdel here, which is responsible for
deleting the group:

[25/25]mh@lefler[chroot sid]:~$ grep monkey /etc/group
monkey:x:1002:
[26/26]mh@lefler[chroot sid]:~$ sudo userdel monkey
[27/27]mh@lefler[chroot sid]:~$ grep monkey /etc/group
[28/28]mh@lefler[chroot sid]:~$ 

I am reassigning appropriately.

Greetings
Marc

-- 
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Processing commands for control@bugs.debian.org:
> reassign #295416 passwd
Bug#295416: adduser: deluser will silently delete a group of the same name
Bug reassigned from package `adduser'' to `passwd''.
> retitle #295416 userdel will silently delete a group of the same name
Bug#295416: adduser: deluser will silently delete a group of the same name
Changed Bug title.
> thanks
Stopping processing here.

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