Confirmed that I receive the following error on Ubuntu 10.04 with Log Viewer 2.30.0:
/var/log/btmp You don't have enough permissions to read the file. This error is mentioned in the following Ubuntu Forums threads: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1458975 http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1444418 http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1283823 http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1324816 http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1143152 http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1315549 http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1280122 It appears that the /var/log/btmp file logs bad login attempts and is used with the lastb command. I have seen suggestions that the read permissions on this file can be relaxed as a workaround; however, I have also read that the information in this file contains sensitive bad login information which requires protection. I believe that this is only a problem in Ubuntu because Log Viewer is run without superuser permissions when accessed through System > Administration > Log File Viewer. The solution may be to (1) configure Ubuntu to run Log Viewer with superuser permissions when accessed through System > Administration > Log File Viewer or (2) to remove /var/log/btmp from the list of files monitored by Log Viewer. Unless there is a reason not run Log File Viewer with superuser permissions, I think the first option is best so that bad logins can be monitored with Log Viewer. Unfortunately, I have read that this logging only starts once the /var/log/btmp is created; and I do not know if this file is automatically created in Ubuntu. Also, I am not sure about the best approach to accomplish either the first or second options mentioned above; so if anyone has any suggestions on how to do either of these, they would be greatly appreciated. It looks like the following error is also common in Log Viewer and perhaps related: /var/log/btmp This file is not a regular file or is not a text file. This error is mentioned in the following Ubuntu Forums threads: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1458975 http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1443803 http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1210650 http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1339622 http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1320579 http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1143152 This error is also mentioned in the following Ubuntu Question: https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/78010 -- Gnome System Log Complains About btmp log permissions https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/374320 You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list [email protected] https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs
