Bug 2228450 - [RHEL-8] Anaconda rewrites /var/log/anaconda logs and changes selinux context on files when running in rescue mode
Summary: [RHEL-8] Anaconda rewrites /var/log/anaconda logs and changes selinux context...
Keywords:
Status: NEW
Alias: None
Product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
Classification: Red Hat
Component: anaconda
Version: 8.8
Hardware: All
OS: Linux
unspecified
unspecified
Target Milestone: rc
: ---
Assignee: anaconda-maint
QA Contact: Release Test Team
URL:
Whiteboard:
Depends On:
Blocks: 2180394
TreeView+ depends on / blocked
 
Reported: 2023-08-02 12:11 UTC by Jan Stodola
Modified: 2023-08-10 12:11 UTC (History)
0 users

Fixed In Version:
Doc Type: If docs needed, set a value
Doc Text:
Clone Of:
: 2228480 (view as bug list)
Environment:
Last Closed:
Type: Bug
Target Upstream Version:
Embargoed:


Attachments (Terms of Use)
anaconda logs (84.34 KB, application/octet-stream)
2023-08-02 12:13 UTC, Jan Stodola
no flags Details


Links
System ID Private Priority Status Summary Last Updated
Red Hat Issue Tracker RHELPLAN-164153 0 None None None 2023-08-02 12:38:33 UTC

Description Jan Stodola 2023-08-02 12:11:41 UTC
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 Jan Stodola 2023-08-02 12:13:15 UTC
Created attachment 1981306 [details]
anaconda logs

Comment 2 Jan Stodola 2023-08-02 12:39:25 UTC
rhel-9 clone: bug 2228480


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