Add libnss_pwb NSS support to workbench-session (jammy + noble)#132
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Create a build-time dangling symlink from the glibc NSS multiarch path to
/usr/lib/rstudio-server/bin/{jammy,noble}/libnss_pwb.so and append pwb
after files in nsswitch.conf for passwd, group, and shadow. Dormant-safe:
with no workbench-nss.conf present the module returns UNAVAIL and
resolution falls through to files — non-rootless containers are unaffected.
Companion to rstudio/rstudio-docker-products#1053.
ssinnott
requested review from
bschwedler,
ianpittwood,
skyeturriff and
zachhannum
as code owners
bschwedler
requested changes
Jun 11, 2026
bschwedler
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Looking good.
Please add some goss tests for this. Thanks!
Verifies the nsswitch.conf entries for passwd/group/shadow include the pwb module, and that the architecture-specific dangling symlink for libnss_pwb.so.2 was created at image build time.
bschwedler
approved these changes
Jun 16, 2026
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Summary
/usr/lib/rstudio-server/bin/{jammy,noble}/libnss_pwb.so— the location populated at runtime byworkbench-session-initpwbafterfilesinnsswitch.confforpasswd,group, andshadowso rootless session users resolve via the Workbench API instead of failing a/etc/passwdlookupamd64(x86_64-linux-gnu) andarm64(aarch64-linux-gnu) viaTARGETARCHDormant-safe: with no
workbench-nss.confpresent (orWORKBENCH_NSS_CONFIG_PATHunset), the module returnsUNAVAILand resolution falls through tofiles— non-rootless containers are unaffected.Companion to rstudio/rstudio-docker-products#1053, extending the same pattern to both ubuntu2204 (jammy) and ubuntu2404 (noble).
Test plan
bakery build --image-name workbench-sessionls -la /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libnss_pwb.so.2→../rstudio-server/bin/jammy/libnss_pwb.sols -la /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libnss_pwb.so.2→../rstudio-server/bin/noble/libnss_pwb.sogrep -E '^(passwd|group|shadow)' /etc/nsswitch.confshowsfiles pwbgetent passwd rootresolves without errorgetent passwd <rootless-session-user>resolves via pwb