.Remote users are no longer repetitively prompted to access smart cards
Previously, the `polkit` policy for the `pcscd` daemon incorrectly requested user interaction. As a consequence, non-local and non-privileged users could not access smart cards and encountered large numbers of prompts. With this update, the `pcsc-lite` package policy no longer includes the interactive prompts. As a result, remote card users are no longer repeatedly asked for privilege escalation.
For additional information about adjusting the policy to escalate privileges of non-privileged users, see link:https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/8/html/security_hardening/assembly_controlling-access-to-smart-cards-using-polkit_security-hardening[Controlling access to smart cards using polkit] in link:https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/8/html/security_hardening/index[Security hardening] in RHEL product documentation.
When connecting to gnome 3 desktop on RHEL 8.3, a password prompt
is shown requiring authentication and showing the @subject message.
Experiments made to attempt to remove the prompt were:
o disable pscd service
o Add:
polkit.addRule(function(action, subject) {
if (action.id == "org.debian.pcsc-lite.access_pcsc" &&
subject.isInGroup("{the-user-grop}")) {
return polkit.Result.YES;
}
});
to /etc/polkit-1/rules.d/03-allow-pcscd.rules with and without {}
around the group.
o Changed the above to not check for subject.isInGroup to make sure
there was no bug in the rule.
o Several experiments in /usr/share/polkit-1/actions/org.debian.pcsc-lite.policy
Like replacing all ocurrences of
<allow_any>auth_admin</allow_any>
with:
<allow_any>auth_self</allow_any>
o Also following the above, attempted changing
<allow_any>auth_self</allow_any>
<allow_inactive>auth_self</allow_inactive>
<allow_active>yes</allow_active>
to
<allow_any>no</allow_any>
<allow_inactive>no</allow_inactive>
<allow_active>no</allow_active>
o Last attempts were to check/verify
$ gsettings get org.gnome.login-screen enable-smartcard-authentication
that as expected returns 'false', and validate
/etc/dconf/db/distro.d/20-authselect had the line
'enable-smartcard-authentication=false' in the section
'[org/gnome/login-screen]'
Neither of the above did help. Need some extra input of possible ways
to debug and resolve the issue.
RHEL8 server is accessed using Microsoft's Remote Desktop and MoboXterm.
pscs-lite does not have any UI prompts. I'm at a loss to understand why gnome3-desktop needs to authenticate to access it (I'm running rhel8, with pcsc-lite and a smart card reader installed and do not get thoses prompts).
Reassigning to gnome3-desktop, which is probably wrong because it's probably coming from some other gnome3 application, but it's the best guess.
It's almost certainly something going on with the reporter's setup.
bob
I do not follow how changes to sshd_config can fix neither of the issues they were seeing. But given that they no longer see the issues, there is nothing to fix on our side.
Looks good. But still, I think the link to the documentation should be there as it is relevant to the users who used the functionality to escalate privileges of non-privileged users. They will need to adjust the policy according to that guide.
Since the problem described in this bug report should be
resolved in a recent advisory, it has been closed with a
resolution of ERRATA.
For information on the advisory (pcsc-lite bug fix and enhancement update), and where to find the updated
files, follow the link below.
If the solution does not work for you, open a new bug report.
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHBA-2022:2089
When connecting to gnome 3 desktop on RHEL 8.3, a password prompt is shown requiring authentication and showing the @subject message. Experiments made to attempt to remove the prompt were: o disable pscd service o Add: polkit.addRule(function(action, subject) { if (action.id == "org.debian.pcsc-lite.access_pcsc" && subject.isInGroup("{the-user-grop}")) { return polkit.Result.YES; } }); to /etc/polkit-1/rules.d/03-allow-pcscd.rules with and without {} around the group. o Changed the above to not check for subject.isInGroup to make sure there was no bug in the rule. o Several experiments in /usr/share/polkit-1/actions/org.debian.pcsc-lite.policy Like replacing all ocurrences of <allow_any>auth_admin</allow_any> with: <allow_any>auth_self</allow_any> o Also following the above, attempted changing <allow_any>auth_self</allow_any> <allow_inactive>auth_self</allow_inactive> <allow_active>yes</allow_active> to <allow_any>no</allow_any> <allow_inactive>no</allow_inactive> <allow_active>no</allow_active> o Last attempts were to check/verify $ gsettings get org.gnome.login-screen enable-smartcard-authentication that as expected returns 'false', and validate /etc/dconf/db/distro.d/20-authselect had the line 'enable-smartcard-authentication=false' in the section '[org/gnome/login-screen]' Neither of the above did help. Need some extra input of possible ways to debug and resolve the issue. RHEL8 server is accessed using Microsoft's Remote Desktop and MoboXterm.