Maybe Ubuntu and Gnome aren't so bad after all ;-)

[Jason]

One thing I just realized is that Ubuntu doesn't ask for the password when it does updates which is something I think a Linux distro should always do. Even though it's arguably not important as asking when installing software (which it does do), a bad actor could still replace a package in a repo with one with malware.

[buster]

Jason wrote: One thing I just realized is that Ubuntu doesn't ask for the password when it does updates which is something I think a Linux distro should always do.

I'm pretty sure a few years ago, when I was using OpenSuse a lot, that I was notified of updates, and the download didn't require a password. I always assumed it was delta patches to some software with critical updates needed for security. Never thought much about it except as a convenience. Don't think it did things like Firefox, tho it might have if needed.

Doubt this still happens if Gecko is anything to judge it by.

[fox]

Jason wrote: One thing I just realized is that Ubuntu doesn't ask for the password when it does updates which is something I think a Linux distro should always do.
....

Always does for me.

[Jason]

Try checking right now and see if it does if you don't mind. Because that would be really odd.


Update:
It might be just me. I think when I installed Ubuntu in the VM, I enabled the root user so that's why it asks. Can you doublecheck for me that you can't login as root? Try sudo -s in the terminal.

[fox]

OK, I wasn't quite correct. If I use the Software Updater, it didn't ask me for a password; probably because I have admin privileges. However, I use Synaptic quite a lot, and it asks me for a password before it even opens. And yes, I can log in to root from a Terminal with sudo -s.

[buster]

Just clarifying  But does 'OK, I wasn't quite correct' mean I was wrong? 

Yes I know. You use Synaptic. Come on Doctor Fox, own up.

[Jason]

OK, I wasn't quite correct. If I use the Software Updater, it didn't ask me for a password; probably because I have admin privileges. However, I use Synaptic quite a lot, and it asks me for a password before it even opens. And yes, I can log in to root from a Terminal with sudo -s.

I believe when you install Ubuntu, the first user is the administrator by default. You could change it later but I don't think you have the option during the install. Some distros like CentOS, Fedora and OpenSUSE give you the choice if you want it that way or to have a separate root user. In Kubuntu, I'm also set as the administrator but it still asks for a password whether I update or install.

It's funny that I never noticed that about Ubuntu before regarding updates.

I wondered if you could login as root because when you're the administrator, I thought the root account was disabled. If you try to go in as root at the login screen or by typing 'su root', it won't work. But 'sudo -s' appears to do so. Odd. I guess root is just disabled for logging in but still there behind the scenes.

[buster]

Apparently you can turn automatic updates on or off in Ubuntu. Updater settings

You could look in there and see if password-less updates possible to turn off or on.

[Jason]

Yeah, I checked in Software & Updates already. You can't actually install updates automatically, at least not using the GUI, but you can have it auto-install security updates. It also says that with snap packages that updates are installed automatically. But there's nothing about password-less updates.

However, I just booted in Ubuntu again and this time it asked for a password to install the updates. Actually, I didn't so boot it as reload the machine state. So probably, like using sudo, there's a certain amount of time before you have to enter the password again and I had already and forgotten. That's good. I think it's a really bad idea to install updates automatically although I guess if they're signed... maybe it's not that big of a deal. Still, I like to know what is happening on my system that nothing is going on behind my back and that I'm in control.

[fox]

.... So probably, like using sudo, there's a certain amount of time before you have to enter the password again and I had already and forgotten. That's good. I think it's a really bad idea to install updates automatically although I guess if they're signed... maybe it's not that big of a deal. Still, I like to know what is happening on my system that nothing is going on behind my back and that I'm in control.

There is definitely a time after running sudo that you don't have to supply a password for another operation that requires root access. On my system, it's either 15 or 20 minutes, and I can't remember whether that time is something one can set. Also, I have no automatic updates set, so I have to be asked before allowing any operation (at least that I know of).

[buster]

So because my friends are going on and on about Ubuntu I downloaded a massive 2.4 gig torrent (took almost 2 minutes!) and re-installled it. Trying it out for awhile, and I must say it's pretty good except that it really, really sucks. Other than that it's fine.

[fox]

OK, the Ubuntu 20.04 Software Updater did ask me for a password today before installing updates. It didn't the previous time I checked. It might have to do with how recently I signed in with sudo.

[Jason]

OK, the Ubuntu 20.04 Software Updater did ask me for a password today before installing updates. It didn't the previous time I checked. It might have to do with how recently I signed in with sudo.

Somehow I only just saw this post. Anyway, I know that sudo will go for a while not requiring a password after the first time you use it in a session. I think it's 5 minutes by default. You can change this timeout, too. I don't know if it's the same amount of time as sudo but the graphical way of doing that is probably similar.