Unable to rename system user

A web-based interface for system administration of UNIX

Brought to you by: iliaross, jcameron

#4747 Unable to rename system user

Milestone: 1.791

Status: closed-fixed

Owner: nobody

Labels: None

Priority: 8

Updated: 2018-10-23

Created: 2016-05-09

Creator: mbnoimi

Private: No

Whenever I try to rename system user I get this error message:

Failed to save user : Failed to replace /etc/passwd with /etc/passwd.webmintmp.13014 : Operation not permitted

Webmin 1.791
Ubuntu Linux 14.04.4
Linux 3.13.0-85-generic on x86_64

Discussion

mbnoimi - 2016-05-09

After getting this error message the affected user disappered!!!

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Jamie Cameron - 2016-05-10

Which specific user did you try to rename?

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- mbnoimi - 2016-05-10
  
  admin
  
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Jamie Cameron - 2016-05-11

Is admin user equivalent to root?

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- mbnoimi - 2016-05-12
  
  Yes
  
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Jamie Cameron - 2016-05-13

Ok, I wouldn't expect this to work then - because during the rename, you are temporarily deleting the user Webmin runs as!

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mbnoimi - 2016-05-13

OMG, I'm unable to create any system user!

Failed to save user : Failed to replace /etc/passwd with /etc/passwd.webmintmp.16547 : Operation not permitted

Last edit: mbnoimi 2016-05-13

webmin.png
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Jamie Cameron - 2016-05-14

Are you sure you're running Webmin as the root user?

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- mbnoimi - 2016-05-14
  
  Sure
  
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Jamie Cameron - 2016-05-14

Are you sure /etc/passwd doesn't have some Linux filesystem attributes set that prevent it from being modified?

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- mbnoimi - 2016-05-15
  
  I'm unable to edit it using webmin althouhg I loggin to webmin using root user!
  
  Screenshot_2016-05-15_12-02-48.png
  
  webmin.png
  
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- mbnoimi - 2016-05-15
  
  I've same problem with groups too :(
  
  Failed to save group : Failed to replace /etc/group with /etc/group.webmintmp.21011 : Operation not permitted
  
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- mbnoimi - 2016-05-15
  
  All the configs may you need (if you want I can send the text one :))
  
  root.png
  
  users.png
  
  wemin.png
  
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Jamie Cameron - 2016-05-15

If you go to the Command Shell module (under the Others category) and run id -a , what does it output?

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mbnoimi - 2016-05-15

> id -a uid=0(root) gid=0(root) groups=0(root)
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Jamie Cameron - 2016-05-16

Ok, so you are definitely running as root.

What output do you get from the command lsattr /etc/passwd

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- mbnoimi - 2016-05-16
  
  ----i----------- /etc/passwd
  
  webmin.png
  
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Jamie Cameron - 2016-05-17

Ok, there's your problem - it has the immutable bit set. You can remove this by running chattr -i /etc/passwd

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- mbnoimi - 2016-05-17
  
  Thanks, problem solved.
  
  May you please explain to me why this happen?! I didn't touch /etc/passwd permission at all (my server still fresh)
  
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Jamie Cameron - 2016-05-17

status: open --> closed-fixed
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Jamie Cameron - 2016-05-17

I have no idea how that permission was set - only that Webmin doesn't do it.

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Md. Tanvir Rahman - 2018-10-23

Hi, I am getting the same problem. here is the out put

lsattr /etc/passwd
-------------e- /etc/passwd
id -a
uid=0(root) gid=0(root) groups=0(root)

But i use this following command. Nothing Happen.

chattr -i /etc/passwd

Last edit: Md. Tanvir Rahman 2018-10-23

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