Ubuntu
update-manager package

No login required during updates

Asked by David Hartung

I just updated to Ubuntu 12.04.

In the past when the Update manager wanted to install updates, I was required to imput the system password. This mornign the update manager ran for the first time time since the upgrade and there was no password requested. Is this a problem?

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Warren Hill
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Best Warren Hill (warren-hill) said : 		#1

No,

Im not sure exactly when this changed but this was deliberate change.

You can not install new software without entering your password.

However, once software has been installed from official Ubuntu repositries. Security updates are automatic and do not require a password.

The rational for this was that if updates required the password each time then either people would not install updates or they would become so relaxed about entering the password that they would not take the time to think whether it was justified or not.

This was not the case in 10.x or earlier and is the case in 12.04 onwards. I'm not sure if it was the case in 11.04 or 11.10

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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#2

Had you been using gksudo recently?

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David Hartung (david-lemagroup) said : 		#3

Thanks Warren Hill, that solved my question.

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David Hartung (david-lemagroup) said : 		#4

Andrew, not to my knowledge.

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Sam_ (and-sam) said : 		#5

On this matter privileges have been changed since 11.10.
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/SecurityTeam/FAQ#Update_Manager_doesn.27t_prompt_for_security_updates
https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/oneiric/+source/policykit-desktop-privileges/0.6