Re: [PATCH 09/10] doc/develop/py_testing.rst: Update section on filesystem images

[Heinrich Schuchardt]

Am 7. März 2025 00:17:11 MEZ schrieb Tom Rini <trini at konsulko.com>:
>Now that we have no users of "virt-make-fs" nor users of "sudo" for
>creating disk images update the documentation. We remove packages that
>are no longer required (and related text) as well as be firm in our
>wording around not using "sudo".
>
>Signed-off-by: Tom Rini <trini at konsulko.com>
>---
>Cc: Heinrich Schuchardt <xypron.glpk at gmx.de>
>---
> doc/develop/py_testing.rst | 22 +++-------------------
> 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 19 deletions(-)
>
>diff --git a/doc/develop/py_testing.rst b/doc/develop/py_testing.rst
>index b50473039be4..ea1329c44b17 100644
>--- a/doc/develop/py_testing.rst
>+++ b/doc/develop/py_testing.rst
>@@ -41,13 +41,11 @@ will be required. The following is an incomplete list:
> * dfu-util
> * dtc
> * openssl
>-* sudo OR guestmount
> * e2fsprogs
> * util-linux
> * coreutils
> * dosfstools
> * efitools
>-* guestfs-tools
> * mount
> * mtools
> * sbsigntool
>@@ -64,23 +62,9 @@ The test script supports either:
>   physical board, attach to the board's console stream, and reset the board.
>   Further details are described later.
> 
>-The usage of command 'sudo' should be avoided in tests. To create disk images
>-use command virt-make-fs which is provided by package guestfs-tools. This
>-command creates a virtual machine with QEMU in which the disk image is
>-generated.
>-
>-Command virt-make-fs needs read access to the current kernel. On Ubuntu only
>-root has this privilege. You can add a script /etc/initramfs-tools/hooks/vmlinuz
>-with the following content to overcome the problem:
>-
>-.. code-block:: bash
>-
>-    #!/bin/sh
>-    echo "chmod a+r vmlinuz-*"
>-    chmod a+r /boot/vmlinuz-*
>-
>-The script should be chmod 755. It will be invoked whenever the initial RAM file
>-system is updated.
>+The usage of the command 'sudo' is not allowed in tests. To create disk images

Can we add the reasoning here:

Using elevated priviledges can lead to security concerns. Furthermore not all users may have administrator rights. Therefore the command 'sudo' must not be used in tests.

>+we have helper functions located in `test/py/tests/fs_helper.py` which is to be

%s/is to be/shall be/

I would rather use 'shall' in accordance with RFC 2119 for clarity.

>+used in any tests that require disk images.

%s/require/require creating/

We have tests coming with prepared images  (efi_selftest_disk_image.h). Other tests might require a downloaded ISO (see the pmem patch series).

Best regards

Heinrich

> 
> Using `virtualenv` to provide requirements
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~