fix(testing): boot the systemd install containers without --privileged

The deb-install and dns-resolver harnesses boot systemd inside
containers started with --privileged. A privileged container sees the
host's real VT and serial devices and a writable /proc/sys and /sys, so
the image's systemd acts on the host: it starts a getty on the host's
tty1, where each side's hangup kills the other's getty until the host
unit hits its start limit and the machine has no console login; logind
holds tty6; and systemd-sysctl applies the image's sysctl.d to the
host's kernel parameters. The Fedora image also sets up the host's
virtual consoles and runs a udev coldplug against the host's /sys.

Start the containers with SYS_ADMIN and NET_ADMIN and an unconfined
AppArmor profile instead. That is what the suites use privilege for:
mount namespaces for the units' sandboxing, TUN and dummy links, and
nftables in the container's own network namespace. The default AppArmor
profile denies the mounts systemd makes, so the profile override is
needed on AppArmor hosts. The containers then have no host console
devices, and docker's /proc/sys and /sys mounts are read-only, so the
getty, logind VT, sysctl, vconsole and udev units above skip on their
own conditions and nothing has to be listed per image. The cgroup tree
the harnesses bind in for systemd stays writable, as before.

IPv6 forwarding for the gateway checks is now set with --sysctl at
start, since /proc/sys is no longer writable from inside. Forwarding is
therefore on for the whole scenario, including the install and resolver
checks that run before the gateway, where it used to be off until the
gateway step.

A check after each container start fails the suite if the container
can see a host console device or write /proc/sys or /sys, so restoring
--privileged turns the run red rather than quietly reaching the host.

Measured: all 13 dns-resolver and 5 deb-install scenarios pass, with the
check passing once per container. The four host kernel parameters the
Fedora image's sysctl.d sets to other values were unchanged across the
dns-resolver run. In the e2e-debian12 container, no tty device
nodes exist, no process holds a tty and /proc/sys and /sys are
read-only; before the change the same container had agetty on the
host's tty1 and logind on tty6. With --privileged restored on one start
function the check fails and the suite exits non-zero.

.github/workflows/ci.yml

@@ -805,7 +805,7 @@ jobs:
 # ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 # Job 5 – Real-deb install across target distros
 #
-# Boots a privileged systemd container per distro, runs `apt install
+# Boots a systemd container per distro (not privileged), runs `apt install
 # ./fips_*.deb` with the package job 4 built, then asserts end-to-end `.fips`
 # resolution + the gateway/daemon default-pairing. The most thorough single
 # test surface — exercises packaging, maintainer scripts, systemd unit

testing/README.md

@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ through the configured backend.
 
 ### [deb-install/](deb-install/) -- Debian Package Install
 
-Installs the built `.deb` in privileged systemd containers for each
+Installs the built `.deb` in systemd containers for each
 target distro and verifies unit enablement, conffile placement and
 end-to-end `.fips` resolution as a user would meet it.
 

testing/deb-install/test.sh

@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 # Test the fips Debian package install path across target distros.
 #
-# Each scenario builds (or reuses) the .deb in a Debian 12 cargo-deb
+# Each scenario builds (or reuses) the .deb in a cached Debian 12
-# builder image (cached), boots a privileged systemd container with
+# cargo-deb image, boots a systemd container with TUN access for the
-# TUN access for the target distro, installs the .deb via `apt
+# target distro, installs the .deb via `apt
 # install ./fips_*.deb`, waits for fips.service + fips-dns.service
 # to come up, and verifies that `dig @127.0.0.53 AAAA <npub>.fips`
 # returns a non-empty AAAA answer through the resolver backend that
@@ -22,12 +22,15 @@
 #   No args = run all scenarios.
 #   Named args = run only those (e.g., ./test.sh ubuntu26 debian12)
 #
-# Requirements: Docker with privileged container support, /dev/net/tun
+# Requirements: Docker able to grant SYS_ADMIN and NET_ADMIN and an
-# on the host (standard).
+# unconfined AppArmor profile (the containers are not privileged; see
+# testing/lib/systemd-container.sh), /dev/net/tun on the host (standard).
 
 set -uo pipefail
 
 SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)"
+# shellcheck source=SCRIPTDIR/../lib/systemd-container.sh
+source "$SCRIPT_DIR/../lib/systemd-container.sh"
 REPO_ROOT="$(cd "$SCRIPT_DIR/../.." && pwd)"
 CACHE_DIR="$SCRIPT_DIR/.cache"
 DEB_CACHE_DIR="$CACHE_DIR/deb"
@@ -76,17 +79,28 @@ build_image() {
     echo "$@" | docker build -t "$tag" -f - "$REPO_ROOT" >/dev/null 2>&1
 }
 
+# Start the scenario's systemd container. Not privileged: see
+# testing/lib/systemd-container.sh for the flags and why.
+#
+# IPv6 forwarding is set here rather than inside the container because
+# /proc/sys is read-only there. fips-gateway checks it before its DNS upstream
+# check, so the gateway block needs it; the cost is that forwarding is on for
+# every check in the scenario, including the install and resolver checks that
+# run before the gateway block.
 start_systemd_container_with_tun() {
     local name="$1" image="$2"
     cleanup_container "$name"
     docker run -d --name "$name" \
         --label com.corganlabs.fips-ci=1 \
-        --privileged \
+        "${SYSTEMD_CAPS[@]}" \
         --cgroupns=host \
         --device /dev/net/tun \
+        --sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding=1 \
         -v /sys/fs/cgroup:/sys/fs/cgroup:rw \
         --tmpfs /run --tmpfs /run/lock \
-        "$image" >/dev/null 2>&1
+        "$image" >/dev/null 2>&1 || return
+    check_isolation "$name"
+    return
 }
 
 wait_for_systemd() {
@@ -499,8 +513,8 @@ DOCKERFILE
     # the gateway/daemon default-pairing on a real .deb install (no
     # custom config). Requires enabling the unit (it's not in the
     # default preset) and ipv6 forwarding (gateway checks before
-    # the DNS upstream check).
+    # the DNS upstream check), which the container is started with;
-    docker exec "$name" sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding=1 >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+    # see start_systemd_container_with_tun.
     timeout "$CONFIG_RESTART_TIMEOUT" docker exec "$name" bash -c '
         systemctl unmask fips-gateway.service 2>/dev/null
         # Patch in a minimal gateway config since the shipped fips.yaml

testing/dns-resolver/test.sh

@@ -18,12 +18,16 @@
 #   No args = run all scenarios.
 #   Named args = run only those (e.g., ./test.sh debian12-resolved e2e-debian12)
 #
-# Requirements: Docker with privileged container support. The e2e
+# Requirements: Docker able to grant SYS_ADMIN and NET_ADMIN and an
-# scenario also needs /dev/net/tun on the host (standard).
+# unconfined AppArmor profile (the containers are not privileged; see
+# testing/lib/systemd-container.sh). The e2e scenario also needs
+# /dev/net/tun on the host (standard).
 
 set -uo pipefail
 
 SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)"
+# shellcheck source=SCRIPTDIR/../lib/systemd-container.sh
+source "$SCRIPT_DIR/../lib/systemd-container.sh"
 REPO_ROOT="$(cd "$SCRIPT_DIR/../.." && pwd)"
 SETUP_SCRIPT="$REPO_ROOT/packaging/common/fips-dns-setup"
 TEARDOWN_SCRIPT="$REPO_ROOT/packaging/common/fips-dns-teardown"
@@ -93,33 +97,45 @@ build_image() {
         docker build -t "$tag" -f - "$REPO_ROOT"
 }
 
-# Start a systemd container in the background.
+# Start a systemd container in the background. Not privileged: see
+# testing/lib/systemd-container.sh for the flags and why.
 start_systemd_container() {
     local name="$1" image="$2"
     cleanup_container "$name"
     run_quiet "docker run $name" \
         docker run -d --name "$name" \
         --label com.corganlabs.fips-ci=1 \
-        --privileged \
+        "${SYSTEMD_CAPS[@]}" \
         --cgroupns=host \
         -v /sys/fs/cgroup:/sys/fs/cgroup:rw \
         --tmpfs /run --tmpfs /run/lock \
-        "$image"
+        "$image" || return
+    check_isolation "$name"
+    return
 }
 
 # Same, but with TUN device for the e2e scenario.
+#
+# IPv6 forwarding is set here rather than inside the container because
+# /proc/sys is read-only there. fips-gateway checks it before its DNS upstream
+# check, so the gateway parity check needs it; the cost is that forwarding is
+# on for every check in the scenario, including the daemon, setup and dig
+# checks that run before the gateway.
 start_systemd_container_with_tun() {
     local name="$1" image="$2"
     cleanup_container "$name"
     run_quiet "docker run $name (with tun)" \
         docker run -d --name "$name" \
         --label com.corganlabs.fips-ci=1 \
-        --privileged \
+        "${SYSTEMD_CAPS[@]}" \
         --cgroupns=host \
         --device /dev/net/tun \
+        --sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding=1 \
         -v /sys/fs/cgroup:/sys/fs/cgroup:rw \
         --tmpfs /run --tmpfs /run/lock \
-        "$image"
+        "$image" || return
+    check_isolation "$name"
+    return
 }
 
 # Report why systemd never reached a running state. Every probe is
@@ -900,9 +916,9 @@ gateway:
   lan_interface: "eth0"
 EOF'
     # fips-gateway checks IPv6 forwarding before the DNS upstream
-    # reachability check; enable forwarding so we get to the check we
+    # reachability check; the container is started with forwarding on
+    # (see start_systemd_container_with_tun) so we get to the check we
     # actually want to test.
-    docker exec "$name" sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding=1 >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
     docker exec -d "$name" bash -c '/usr/bin/fips-gateway --config /tmp/gateway-test.yaml >/var/log/fips-gateway.log 2>&1 || true'
 
     # Wait briefly for the upstream-reachability log line to appear

testing/lib/systemd-container.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Shared flags and isolation check for test containers that boot systemd.
+#
+# Source this file from a harness one level under testing/:
+#   source "$SCRIPT_DIR/../lib/systemd-container.sh"
+#   docker run -d ... "${SYSTEMD_CAPS[@]}" ... "$image"
+#   check_isolation "$name"
+#
+# check_isolation reports through the harness's own pass() and fail(), so
+# those must be defined before it is called.
+#
+# Why these containers are not started with --privileged: a privileged
+# container sees the host's real VT and serial devices (/dev/tty0, /dev/tty1,
+# /dev/ttyS0, ...) and a writable /proc/sys and /sys. The systemd inside the
+# image treats them as its own, so it starts a getty on the host's console,
+# where each side's hangup kills the other's getty until the host's unit hits
+# its start limit and the machine is left with no console login; logind holds
+# a host VT open; and systemd-sysctl applies the image's sysctl.d to the host's
+# kernel parameters. Some images also set up the host's virtual consoles and
+# run a udev coldplug against the host's /sys.
+#
+# Without --privileged, docker gives the container only its default /dev and
+# mounts /proc/sys and /sys read-only, so those units skip on their own
+# conditions. That removes the console and kernel-parameter reach; it does not
+# seal the container off from the host. systemd still mounts the host's fusectl
+# and a hugetlbfs, and SYS_ADMIN would let a process inside remount /proc/sys
+# read-write, which nothing in these images does.
+#
+# What each flag is for:
+#   --cap-add SYS_ADMIN   mount namespaces for unit sandboxing (PrivateTmp,
+#                         ProtectHome, ProtectKernelModules in the fips units,
+#                         and the sandboxing resolved and logind carry)
+#   --cap-add NET_ADMIN   TUN and dummy fips0 links, and nftables and neighbour
+#                         proxy entries in the container's own network namespace
+#   --security-opt apparmor=unconfined
+#                         the default AppArmor profile denies the mounts systemd
+#                         makes for that sandboxing; without it boot ends
+#                         degraded with logind and resolved failed. Needed on
+#                         AppArmor hosts, which include Ubuntu hosts and
+#                         GitHub's ubuntu-latest runners.
+# shellcheck disable=SC2034  # read by the sourcing harness, not within this file
+SYSTEMD_CAPS=(
+    --cap-add SYS_ADMIN
+    --cap-add NET_ADMIN
+    --security-opt apparmor=unconfined
+)
+
+# Fail the suite if a running container can reach the host console or write
+# the host's kernel parameters.
+#
+# Device nodes and mount modes are fixed when the container is created, so one
+# look straight after `docker run` is enough; a remount made later from inside
+# is out of its reach. The probe prints a marker first and exits 0, so the
+# exec's status says only whether the probe ran: a container that could not be
+# inspected is a failure, never a pass. On any failure the container is
+# removed at once, so a privileged container does not live on to reach the
+# host's console.
+#
+# Returns 0 when the container is isolated, 1 otherwise.
+check_isolation() {
+    local name="$1" out findings
+    if ! out=$(docker exec "$name" sh -c '
+        echo ISOLATION-PROBE
+        for d in /dev/tty[0-9]* /dev/ttyS[0-9]* /dev/console; do
+            [ -e "$d" ] && echo "device $d"
+        done
+        [ -w /proc/sys/kernel/core_pattern ] && echo "writable /proc/sys"
+        [ -w /sys/kernel ] && echo "writable /sys"
+        exit 0' 2>&1); then
+        fail "isolation: could not inspect $name: ${out:-no output}"
+        docker rm -f "$name" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+        return 1
+    fi
+    case $'\n'"$out" in
+        *$'\n'ISOLATION-PROBE*) ;;
+        *)
+            fail "isolation: probe of $name printed no marker: ${out:-no output}"
+            docker rm -f "$name" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+            return 1
+            ;;
+    esac
+    findings=${out#*ISOLATION-PROBE}
+    findings=${findings#$'\n'}
+    if [ -n "$findings" ]; then
+        fail "isolation: $name reaches the host: ${findings//$'\n'/, }"
+        docker rm -f "$name" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+        return 1
+    fi
+    pass "isolation: $name has no host console devices and read-only /proc/sys and /sys"
+    return 0
+}