Beyond Linux® From Scratch (System V Edition) - Version 12.1

Chapter 4. Security

ssh-askpass-9.6p1

Introduction to ssh-askpass

The ssh-askpass is a generic executable name for many packages, with similar names, that provide a interactive X service to grab password for packages requiring administrative privileges to be run. It prompts the user with a window box where the necessary password can be inserted. Here, we choose Damien Miller's package distributed in the OpenSSH tarball.

This package is known to build and work properly using an LFS 12.1 platform.

Package Information

ssh-askpass Dependencies

Required

GTK+-3.24.41, Sudo-1.9.15p5 (runtime), Xorg Libraries, and a graphical environment (runtime)

Installation of ssh-askpass

Install ssh-askpass by running the following commands: 

cd contrib &&
make gnome-ssh-askpass3

Now, as the root user: 

install -v -d -m755                    /usr/libexec/openssh/contrib  &&
install -v -m755    gnome-ssh-askpass3 /usr/libexec/openssh/contrib  &&
ln -sv -f contrib/gnome-ssh-askpass3   /usr/libexec/openssh/ssh-askpass

The use of /usr/libexec/openssh/contrib and a symlink is justified by the eventual necessity of a different program for that service.

Configuring ssh-askpass

Configuration Information

As the root user, configure Sudo-1.9.15p5 to use ssh-askpass: 

cat >> /etc/sudo.conf << "EOF" &&
# Path to askpass helper program
Path askpass /usr/libexec/openssh/ssh-askpass
EOF
chmod -v 0644 /etc/sudo.conf

If a given graphical <application> requires administrative privileges, use sudo -A <application> from an x-terminal, from a Window Manager menu and/or replace "Exec=<application> ..." by "Exec=sudo -A <application> ..." in the <application>.desktop file.

Contents

Installed Programs: gnome-ssh-askpass3, ssh-askpass (symlink to gnome-ssh-askpass3)
Installed Library: None
Installed Directory: /usr/libexec/openssh/contrib