I just installed KDE neon today on VirtualBox. I tried running Dolphin as root, but it said it is "not possible". I even tried it with kdesudo.

However, on my laptop running on Kubuntu 17.04, it is possible to run Dolphin as root (but ugly as sin).

For the security reasons: Disallow executing Dolphin as root on Linux - https://cgit.kde.org/dolphin.git/commit ... e9b417cf89

Your 'Kubuntu 17.04' installation has an older version of the Dolphin so it can execute the Dolphin with the root rights. Latest released KDE Applications and the Dolphin is now 17.08.1. KDE Schedules: https://community.kde.org/Schedules .

More:
Elvis Angelaccio: https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=378169#c3 :

...running Dolphin as root is dangerous. Hopefully Dolphin 17.12 will be able to edit root files in the proper way (polkit). More details here: https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=152150#c7

CHINMOY'S BLOG: http://blog.chinmoyrp.com -> http://blog.chinmoyrp.com/gsoc%20kde/20 ... al-status/

Polkit Support in KIO - Final Status
Aug 29, 2017 | gsoc kde

In this post I intend report the final status of my GSoC project (obviously). My goal for this summer was to add Polkit support in KIO and integrate the upgraded library in dolphin. And well, I have accomplished most (not all ) of my goals.

So here goes the list of file operations that can now be performed with elevated privileges

1. File Cut/Copy/Paste
2. File/Folder Delete
3. File Rename
4. Create New Folder/File/Link
5. Undo
6. Drag and Drop
.
.
.

Rog131 wrote:For the security reasons: Disallow executing Dolphin as root on Linux - https://cgit.kde.org/dolphin.git/commit ... e9b417cf89

But shouldn't there be a password prompt if I try to enter a folder that can only be entered with root privileges?

Presumably that's what was meant by integrating PolKit into KIO/Dolphin. Any time an action is attempted which requires elevated privileges then it involves PolKit to either grant (depending on how PolKit's permissions rules are set up, possibly requiring the current or root user's password) or deny permission to perform the given action.

However reviewing that blog post, apparently opening a folder that is "locked" (not readable by the current user) wasn't implemented (yet, but perhaps will be in the future?). Instead you'll continue getting the red bar informing you that you can't enter that folder.

airdrik wrote:However reviewing that blog post, apparently opening a folder that is "locked" (not readable by the current user) wasn't implemented (yet, but perhaps will be in the future?). Instead you'll continue getting the red bar informing you that you can't enter that folder.

All this polkit support is still work-in-progress and not in any (KDE Frameworks) release yet.

Only ktexteditor (used by e.g. kate and kwrite) uses polkit meanwhile for saving files when the user doesn't have the necessary permissions.

Hmm, so we cannot copy, paste, cut, make files in root folder with dolphin?

Have you tried Krunner (ALT+F2) and typed in kdesudo dolphin?

toad wrote:Have you tried Krunner (ALT+F2) and typed in kdesudo dolphin?

Hmm, if I use Konsole Terminal the answer is

Code: Select all

Executing Dolphin as root is not possible.

I assume you are using Neon as I've got no problems doing this under Debian testing? How about konqueror? Can you start that as root?

Hm.. I didn't install konqueror, but I have installed nautilus, and can open as root with kdesudo.

Sorry for late reply, and I'm not good with english and I'm not pro as linux user

toad wrote:I assume you are using Neon as I've got no problems doing this under Debian testing?

Running dolphin (and kate/kwrite) as root was disabled in 17.04.0, as already indicated by rog131.
Debian testing probably still has an older version...

How about konqueror? Can you start that as root?

Running Konqueror as roo should still work, even though it just embeds dolphin for file management since 4.0.

Thanks for clearing that one up!

To me it is simply idiotic to disable root functionality on Dolphin without making some provision to accommodate users who want that functionality and are not particularly concerned with the security paranoia that seems to be gripping the world! The truth is that if a user wants a file manager with root access they will find one. ( I installed Nemo). This kind of defeats the object .....whatever that was anyway. At minimum something like a root actions menu should be introduced or an arrangement similar to that adopted by kate where a password is required to overwrite a root file/directory.

I really hate to complain but.....

First I want to say I have used and loved KDE since the 1990's (Red Hat 2.4). I use Linux on everything yes Linux has been my workstation for years and mostly KDE for the desktop. Sure its gotten funky at times and I have never complained knowing the problem would be fixed. I work as a Pen Test and I use Kali. I'm on this machine more than 10 hours a day. Pen Testing really needs to be done in root. Sure I do have a user account on here and use it for all "normal" computer use but when testing I'm in root I have to have full control of the functions of the OS.

Today I ran my updates like a good user and then went to go to work and what??? Dolphin doesn't work. So from the command line I ran it and get "Executing Dolphin as root is not possible." So I come here and also find out that Kate doesn't work as root either! WTF?? I tried and it sure nuff no Kate.... ;( LeafPad works so why not Kate? Kate is such a great text editor and now I forced to use LeafPad. Gee thanks.

The reason given is security problems. Now if I am in root no matter what I'm doing is dangerous and yes with full control I'm aware of that when I logged in. Keeping Dolphin and Kate from running isn't securing anything. I'm root already! Now if there is a security hole in normal user access because root "can" have access to the application then there is a problem with sandboxing of the application and just killing access is lazy coding not fixing the actual security problem. So a user is left to ONLY have access to system files from the command line and can ONLY edit any system configuration using Nano. Seems we have returned to 1970. Do you as a Developer think that once a system is set up you never need to edit a system configuration file or access a system folder?? So what your saying is your code is so bad that a TEXT EDITOR can't have root access. This is shameful.

I hate to say it but it seems that you developers just don't understand how the real world of computing works. How a "user" uses the system. Last year I watched Gnome do the same thing with their desktop and turn it into the Windows 8.1 desktop for Linux. Completely unusable on a full size workstation with more than one monitor.

PLEASE!! people fix this! This is not a security enhancement this is a f_ck up. Please at least tell just how to tear out your code and get these functions to work again. Do I have to go to MATE to get a usable desktop? Their File Manager and Text Editor work under root.

Kate/Kwrite

The password is asked if needed.... (*more)




Dolphin

Under work - Polkit support in KIO: https://phabricator.kde.org/T6561

When it is ready the Dolphin will show the password query if needed. Now, with the patched Dolphin&KIO:




*more

KDE Applications 17.04: https://www.kde.org/announcements/fulll ... .04.0#kate -> https://cgit.kde.org/kate.git/commit/?i ... 46b0e12a7e

Disallow executing kate and kwrite as root on Linux...

but

KDE Frameworks 5.34 or later the password is requested if needed: https://phabricator.kde.org/D4847 and https://phabricator.kde.org/D5394



KDE Schedules: https://community.kde.org/Schedules