Questions[canonical-livepatch](ubuntu)

In my Ubuntu 18.04 LTS desktop I have now, after today's software updates last kernels 4.15.0-50-generic and 4.15.0-51-generic and Canonical Livepatch installed and enabled today.

Problem: I have red exclamation mark on Livepatch icon on right upper corner of the screen and I get following info from Livepatch Settings: 1.) ’’Livepatch is on’’ and 2.) ’’Canonical Livepatch has experienced an internal error. Please refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/Livepatch#Commonissues for further information.’’ Does this mean that Livepatch is working OK or not in this desktop ? Should I do something ?

///Background: Until today I had similar problem (and information as above) in my other desktop with Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. But after today's software update (among others installed latest kernel 4.15.0-51-generic and removed old kernel -48) the red exclamation mark on icon changed automatically to green V-mark and Livepatch Settings informs: 1.) ’’Livepatch is on’’ and 2.) ’’Last check for updates 13.6.2019 16:28 (48 minutes ago)''. So this it looks like all is OK.///

 Adasiko hi, 

1.) At first I made the following with the desktop in question: I re-installed Livepatch, launched it and acquired machine token. After this the Livepatch icon appeared with the green V-mark.

2.) After this I made as you asked and below are the results from terminal.

3.) After this I re-booted the desktop and the results were same as earlier yesterday, i.e.. the re-boot with mouse only failed (only start from power-on switch succeeded), Livepatch icon appeared with RED exclamation mark and Livepatch Setting inform about ''internal error'' as earlier. Yesterday after these same results I uninstalled Livepatch (as you see from my earlier comment). Now I did the same thing.

Brgds

Terminal:

Logs begin at Tue 2019-02-26 17:11:19 EET, end at Sun 2019-06-16 11:48:15 EEST. --

kesä 16 11:35:12 HP-EliteBook-8530p systemd[1]: Started Service for snap application canonical-livepatch.canonical-liveepatchd.
kesä 16 11:35:12 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: starting client daemon version 9.3.0
kesä 16 11:35:12 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: starting svc "mitigation loop"
kesä 16 11:35:12 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: service "mitigation loop" started
kesä 16 11:35:12 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: starting svc "socket servers"
kesä 16 11:35:12 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: service "socket servers" started
kesä 16 11:35:12 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: starting svc "refresh loop"
kesä 16 11:35:12 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: service "refresh loop" started
kesä 16 11:35:12 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: client daemon started
kesä 16 11:35:12 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: Client.Check
kesä 16 11:35:12 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: error in livepatch check state: needs-check
kesä 16 11:35:12 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: No payload available.
kesä 16 11:35:12 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: during refresh: cannot check: No machine-token. Please run 'canonical-livepatc
kesä 16 11:35:26 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: error in livepatch check state: needs-check
kesä 16 11:43:26 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: error in livepatch check state: needs-check
kesä 16 11:47:54 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: Client.Check
kesä 16 11:47:54 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: error in livepatch check state: needs-check
kesä 16 11:47:54 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: Checking with livepatch service.
kesä 16 11:47:56 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: updating last-check
kesä 16 11:47:56 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: touched last check
kesä 16 11:47:56 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: No updates available at this time.
kesä 16 11:47:56 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: No payload available.
kesä 16 11:47:56 HP-EliteBook-8530p canonical-livepatch[2990]: error in livepatch check state: check-failed

I've started seeing a livepatch warning in my system tray.

Clicking it takes me the the livepatch client where I see this error message:

Despite the URL, there isn't a #CommonIssues section on the page: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/Livepatch#CommonIssues

Any ideas how I can fix this?

Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS
4.15.0-34-generic

After updating Ubuntu packages today, I see a new livepatch indicator in the top-panel:

How can I hide it? I tried running sudo apt remove indicator-livepatch, but there's no such package. When I go to livepatch settings, I don't see an option to hide the indicator, just a button for sign-in.

Ubuntu says

Use canonical Livepatch to increase security between restarts.

I have to sign in to do this, so is it worth setting up? I'm not sure what it is, the box is unticked.

The more secure the better, but is it worth it? How complicated is this?

I just upgraded to 18.04 and wanted to try out livepatch. After reading the Livepatch Terms of Service web page (https://www.ubuntu.com/legal/terms-and-policies/livepatch-terms-of-service) I wondered a bit about these two paragraphs in the personal data section:

We may also collect certain non-personally-identifiable information, which is located on your computer. The information collected may include statistics relating to how often data is transferred, and performance metrics in relation to software and configuration. You agree this information may be retained and used by Canonical.

Canonical may disclose any or all personal data and content you have sent, posted or published if required to comply with applicable law or the order or requirement of a court, administrative agency or other governmental body. All other use of your personal data is subject to the Privacy Policy.

I understand that, in order to do the live patching, Canonical needs to know some things about my system, like the kernel version. Also, through my SSO account and the token they know my email address and name.

So far so good. But I wonder what else Canonical needs to know about my system. The above text is vague about this. "Statistics" and "performance metrics" do not sound like they are necessary for the live patch service per se. Also, if those data are really "non-personally-identifiable", why Canonical is asking one paragraph later to agree that they may disclose them to administrative agencies or governmental bodies on request?

What are the data transmitted to Canonical, once and regularly? How can I investigate what is transmitted? How can I be sure it will not change suddenly to transmit more than I want?

This is a technical question. I do not want to discuss Canonical's TOS or legal issues. I really want a technical way to find what is transmitted before I sign up.