Bug #17173

GNOME crashes when opening Nautilus from Tor Browser

Added by Anonymous 2019-10-21 15:55:26 . Updated 2019-10-31 11:15:49 .

Status:
Confirmed
Priority:
Normal
Assignee:
Category:
Target version:
Start date:
Due date:
% Done:

0%

Feature Branch:
Type of work:
Code
Blueprint:

Starter:
Affected tool:
Browser
Deliverable for:

Description

GNOME keeps on crashing when downloading a video then right clicking on it from downloads in the browser and choosing open containing folder

Same thing happens with pictures but more random

This has been happening for the last 3 versions of Tails + 4.0 RC

In 4.0 though it kicks me out to a black screen while with previous version GNOME crashes to command line page

I tried several laptop versions and I can confirm this happening on all of them with processors i3+ / with and without a dedicated graphics card

Could have somthing to do with apparmor or sandboxing? I dont know and it is very frustrating

Subtasks

Related issues

Blocked by Tails - Feature #10422: Grant Tor Browser access to files as designated by the user Confirmed 2018-08-30

History

#1 Updated by intrigeri 2019-10-22 09:35:07

  • Target version deleted (Tails_4.0)

#2 Updated by intrigeri 2019-10-22 11:26:34

  • Subject changed from GNOME Crashes to GNOME crashes when opening Nautilus from Tor Browser
  • Status changed from New to Confirmed
  • Affected tool set to Browser

I did not try to reproduce it but yeah, I’m pretty sure this is related to AppArmor.

Our options that I can think of are:

  • allow Tor Browser to start Nautilus (unconfined) → a bit scary IMO
  • mitigate this by hiding the “Open Containing Folder”: if it does not work anyway, that’s not a functionality regression

@sajolida, does this feel important enough to you for adding it to the FT’s plate? I’m not sure.

#3 Updated by Anonymous 2019-10-22 12:46:36

What is the safe way to open downloaded videos / images without crashing GNOME if not through the browser?

Sometimes simply navagating to the file also crashes GNOME!

#4 Updated by intrigeri 2019-10-22 13:50:44

> What is the safe way to open downloaded videos / images without crashing GNOME if not through the browser?

I would say: use the GNOME Files (aka. Nautilus) manager.

> Sometimes simply navagating to the file also crashes GNOME!

That may be another bug; next time you see this happen, please send a WhisperBack report, referencing this ticket (Bug #17173) and making it clear how exactly you started the Files manager. Thanks in advance!

#5 Updated by Anonymous 2019-10-22 17:31:25

There is no way to access whisperback when GNOME crashes so I usually resolve it by restarting tails.

The way I access downloads is from “places” menu then “torbrowser” which actually launches Nautilus. But if there is video there or an image it could be a problem (potential crash).

I think this particular crash is related to video / image editor trying to load thumbnails but something prevents it then whole GNOME fails the same way described in the ticket, it just happens immediately after opening the folder without even touching the files.

I would suggest testing this multiple times on your side.

#6 Updated by Anonymous 2019-10-22 17:34:24

It is also worth noting that right click open containing folder doesnt 100% result in a crash. Sometimes it does work and opens Nautilus. Maybe this means apparmor doesnt catch this event all the time.

#7 Updated by Anonymous 2019-10-22 17:35:42

baxc wrote:
> It is also worth noting that right click open containing folder doesnt 100% result in a crash when there are videos. Sometimes it does work and opens Nautilus. Maybe this means apparmor doesnt catch this event all the time.

#8 Updated by sajolida 2019-10-29 19:58:09

> @sajolida, does this feel important enough to you for adding it to the FT’s plate? I’m not sure.

I tried to reproduce it but couldn’t.

The description is unclear to me regarding the exact consequences
(“GNOME crashes” and “kicks me out to a black screen”).

If it’s GNOME Shell restarting then the consequences are little (the
screen flickers in black but everything comes back) and we could ignore it.

If it’s GNOME becoming unresponsive and the user having to restart
Tails, then it can lead to serious data loss and should fix it.

@baxc: Can you clarify whether your computer becomes unresponsive and
you have to restart it when this happens?

@intrigeri: It would also be interesting to know if it might be fixed by
Feature #10422.

#9 Updated by Anonymous 2019-10-30 21:51:07

@sajolida

Gnome crashes and all I can see is a black screen when this happens

I have to restart tails as of ver 4.0

in previous versions, it is a black screen with command line asking for login

#10 Updated by intrigeri 2019-10-31 11:13:00

  • blocked by Feature #10422: Grant Tor Browser access to files as designated by the user added

#11 Updated by intrigeri 2019-10-31 11:15:02

> There is no way to access whisperback when GNOME crashes

Right. So, to gather debugging info, if you feel comfortable with using the command line:

  1. set an administration greeter in the Greeter
  2. after the crash, CTRL-ALT-F3 to reach a text console
  3. log in as the amnesia user, with the password you’ve set
  4. run sudo tails-debugging-info > /tmp/debug
  5. copy /tmp/debug to a USB stick
  6. send me that debug file

Thanks in advance!

#12 Updated by intrigeri 2019-10-31 11:15:49

> intrigeri: It would also be interesting to know if it might be fixed by Feature #10422.

If this is indeed an AppArmor-related problem, and if Feature #10422 is implemented in a way that gets rid of AppArmor for Tor Browser, then yes, it would be fixed that way.