Bug 2228480

Summary: [RHEL-9] Anaconda rewrites /var/log/anaconda logs and changes selinux context on files when running in rescue mode
Product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 Reporter: Jan Stodola <jstodola>
Component: anacondaAssignee: anaconda-maint
Status: CLOSED MIGRATED QA Contact: Release Test Team <release-test-team-automation>
Severity: unspecified Docs Contact:
Priority: unspecified    
Version: 9.2Keywords: MigratedToJIRA, Triaged
Target Milestone: rcFlags: pm-rhel: mirror+
Target Release: ---   
Hardware: All   
OS: Linux   
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Clone Of: 2228450 Environment:
Last Closed: 2023-09-18 17:31:06 UTC Type: Bug
Regression: --- Mount Type: ---
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Verified Versions: Category: ---
oVirt Team: --- RHEL 7.3 requirements from Atomic Host:
Cloudforms Team: --- Target Upstream Version:
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Description Jan Stodola 2023-08-02 12:38:27 UTC
The problem also exists on RHEL-9.2.

+++ This bug was initially created as a clone of Bug #2228450 +++

Description of problem:
When the installer is executed in rescue mode and the existing system is mounted by anaconda in read-write mode, the logs stored in /mnt/sysroot/var/log/anaconda are rewritten and SELinux context of some files may be changed. This happens right after anaconda mounts the detected system.

In other words, %post scripts from https://github.com/rhinstaller/anaconda/tree/rhel-8/data/post-scripts are executed even in rescue mode, which is not expected.

Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):
RHEL-8.8 GA

How reproducible:
Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Install a RHEL system
2. Create a file in /root with an unexpected SELinux context:
# touch /root/my_file
# chcon -t httpd_sys_content_t /root/my_file
3. Start the installer in rescue mode ("inst.rescue" on the kernel command line)
4. Let anaconda find and mount the existing partitions
5. Check logs in /mnt/sysroot/var/log/anaconda and SELinux context of /mnt/sysroot/root/my_file

Actual results:
/mnt/sysroot/var/log/anaconda contains logs from the current rescue mode
The SELinux context of /mnt/sysroot/root/my_file is reset to the default

Expected results:
No changes made in the system being rescued.

Additional info:
A workaround to avoid rewriting /var/log/anaconda is to append "inst.nosave=all" on the kernel command line when starting rescue mode.

Comment 1 RHEL Program Management 2023-09-18 16:46:54 UTC
Issue migration from Bugzilla to Jira is in process at this time. This will be the last message in Jira copied from the Bugzilla bug.

Comment 2 RHEL Program Management 2023-09-18 17:31:06 UTC
This BZ has been automatically migrated to the issues.redhat.com Red Hat Issue Tracker. All future work related to this report will be managed there.

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