Persistent authentication failed errors

[WJS]

I’m getting authentication failure errors every time I try to do anything that requires privileges, or when unlocking the screen after it sleeps. I’m able to log in after boot just fine. I’ve tried searching for solutions and tried reinstalling pam (didn’t help) and making sure I have polkit-kde-agent running (I do).

[Wollie]

Have you taken care on .pacnew’s after updates?

[Yochanan]

Logs or it didn’t happen.

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[WJS]

Sorry, I forgot to attach a log. I sampled one from when I try to use sudo in a terminal:

-- Journal begins at Thu 2020-11-12 08:08:22 GMT, ends at Sat 2021-07-10 23:32:17 BST. --
Jul 10 23:32:01 ws-desktop plasmashell[1858]: qml: Refreshing status
Jul 10 23:32:01 ws-desktop sudo[2501384]: pam_unix(sudo:auth): conversation failed
Jul 10 23:32:01 ws-desktop sudo[2501384]: pam_unix(sudo:auth): auth could not identify password for [william]
Jul 10 23:32:01 ws-desktop sudo[2501384]: pam_systemd_home(sudo:auth): Not a user managed by systemd-homed: No home for user william known
Jul 10 23:32:01 ws-desktop audit[2501384]: USER_AUTH pid=2501384 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=2 subj==unconfined msg='op=PAM:authentication grantors=? acct="william" exe="/usr/bin/sudo" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=failed'
Jul 10 23:32:01 ws-desktop kernel: audit: type=1100 audit(1625956321.291:142913): pid=2501384 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=2 subj==unconfined msg='op=PAM:authentication grantors=? acct="william" exe="/usr/bin/sudo" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=failed'
Jul 10 23:32:03 ws-desktop sudo[2501393]: pam_unix(sudo:auth): conversation failed
Jul 10 23:32:03 ws-desktop sudo[2501393]: pam_unix(sudo:auth): auth could not identify password for [william]
Jul 10 23:32:03 ws-desktop sudo[2501393]: pam_systemd_home(sudo:auth): Not a user managed by systemd-homed: No home for user william known
Jul 10 23:32:03 ws-desktop audit[2501393]: USER_AUTH pid=2501393 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=2 subj==unconfined msg='op=PAM:authentication grantors=? acct="william" exe="/usr/bin/sudo" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=failed'
Jul 10 23:32:03 ws-desktop kernel: audit: type=1100 audit(1625956323.511:142914): pid=2501393 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=2 subj==unconfined msg='op=PAM:authentication grantors=? acct="william" exe="/usr/bin/sudo" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=failed'
Jul 10 23:32:09 ws-desktop audit[2501394]: USER_AUTH pid=2501394 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=2 subj==unconfined msg='op=PAM:authentication grantors=? acct="william" exe="/usr/bin/sudo" hostname=? addr=? terminal=/dev/pts/8 res=failed'
Jul 10 23:32:09 ws-desktop kernel: audit: type=1100 audit(1625956329.235:142915): pid=2501394 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=2 subj==unconfined msg='op=PAM:authentication grantors=? acct="william" exe="/usr/bin/sudo" hostname=? addr=? terminal=/dev/pts/8 res=failed'
Jul 10 23:32:14 ws-desktop sudo[2501394]: pam_unix(sudo:auth): conversation failed
Jul 10 23:32:14 ws-desktop sudo[2501394]: pam_unix(sudo:auth): auth could not identify password for [william]
Jul 10 23:32:14 ws-desktop sudo[2501394]: pam_systemd_home(sudo:auth): Not a user managed by systemd-homed: No home for user william known
Jul 10 23:32:14 ws-desktop audit[2501394]: USER_AUTH pid=2501394 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=2 subj==unconfined msg='op=PAM:authentication grantors=? acct="william" exe="/usr/bin/sudo" hostname=? addr=? terminal=/dev/pts/8 res=failed'
Jul 10 23:32:14 ws-desktop kernel: audit: type=1100 audit(1625956334.412:142916): pid=2501394 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=2 subj==unconfined msg='op=PAM:authentication grantors=? acct="william" exe="/usr/bin/sudo" hostname=? addr=? terminal=/dev/pts/8 res=failed'
Jul 10 23:32:17 ws-desktop sudo[2501394]:  william : 1 incorrect password attempt ; TTY=pts/8 ; PWD=/home/william ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/usr/bin/echo foo

And from when I try to do something that uses the gui agent:

-- Journal begins at Thu 2020-11-12 08:08:22 GMT, ends at Sat 2021-07-10 23:33:15 BST. --
Jul 10 23:33:01 ws-desktop sudo[2501495]: pam_unix(sudo:auth): conversation failed
Jul 10 23:33:01 ws-desktop sudo[2501495]: pam_unix(sudo:auth): auth could not identify password for [william]
Jul 10 23:33:01 ws-desktop sudo[2501495]: pam_systemd_home(sudo:auth): Not a user managed by systemd-homed: No home for user william known
Jul 10 23:33:01 ws-desktop audit[2501495]: USER_AUTH pid=2501495 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=2 subj==unconfined msg='op=PAM:authentication grantors=? acct="william" exe="/usr/bin/sudo" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=failed'
Jul 10 23:33:01 ws-desktop kernel: audit: type=1100 audit(1625956381.653:142920): pid=2501495 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=2 subj==unconfined msg='op=PAM:authentication grantors=? acct="william" exe="/usr/bin/sudo" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=failed'
Jul 10 23:33:04 ws-desktop polkitd[1096]: Registered Authentication Agent for unix-process:2501496:199664714 (system bus name :1.207931 [/usr/bin/pkttyagent --notify-fd 5 --fallback], object path /org/freedesktop/PolicyKit1/AuthenticationAgent, locale en_GB.UTF-8)
Jul 10 23:33:04 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: Listener adapter polkit_qt_listener_initiate_authentication
Jul 10 23:33:04 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: GSimpleAsyncResult: 0x55d487a98980
Jul 10 23:33:04 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: polkit_qt_listener_initiate_authentication callback for  0x55d487a36a00
Jul 10 23:33:04 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: Initiating authentication
Jul 10 23:33:04 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: Message of action:  "Authentication is required to stop 'nordvpnd.service'."
Jul 10 23:33:04 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: Action description has been found
Jul 10 23:33:04 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: WinId of the dialog is  27263051 27263051
Jul 10 23:33:04 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: WinId of the shown dialog is  27263051 27263051
Jul 10 23:33:04 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: Trying again
Jul 10 23:33:04 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: showInfo
Jul 10 23:33:04 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: showInfo
Jul 10 23:33:04 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: REQUEST
Jul 10 23:33:04 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: Request:  "Password: "
Jul 10 23:33:04 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: "Password: "
Jul 10 23:33:10 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: Dialog accepted
Jul 10 23:33:10 ws-desktop audit[2501502]: USER_AUTH pid=2501502 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=2 subj==unconfined msg='op=PAM:authentication grantors=? acct="william" exe="/usr/lib/polkit-1/polkit-agent-helper-1" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=failed'
Jul 10 23:33:10 ws-desktop kernel: audit: type=1100 audit(1625956390.160:142921): pid=2501502 uid=1000 auid=1000 ses=2 subj==unconfined msg='op=PAM:authentication grantors=? acct="william" exe="/usr/lib/polkit-1/polkit-agent-helper-1" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=failed'
Jul 10 23:33:11 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: COMPLETED
Jul 10 23:33:11 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: Completed:  false
Jul 10 23:33:11 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: Finishing obtaining privileges
Jul 10 23:33:11 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: Trying again
Jul 10 23:33:11 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: showInfo
Jul 10 23:33:11 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: showInfo
Jul 10 23:33:11 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: REQUEST
Jul 10 23:33:11 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: Request:  "Password: "
Jul 10 23:33:11 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: "Password: "
Jul 10 23:33:15 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: Dialog cancelled
Jul 10 23:33:15 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: COMPLETED
Jul 10 23:33:15 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: Completed:  false
Jul 10 23:33:15 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: Finishing obtaining privileges
Jul 10 23:33:15 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: Listener adapter polkit_qt_listener_initiate_authentication_finish
Jul 10 23:33:15 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: polkit_qt_listener_initiate_authentication_finish callback for  0x55d487a36a00
Jul 10 23:33:15 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: Finish obtain authorization: false
Jul 10 23:33:15 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: Finishing obtaining privileges
Jul 10 23:33:15 ws-desktop polkit-kde-authentication-agent-1[1856]: Finish obtain authorization: false
Jul 10 23:33:15 ws-desktop polkitd[1096]: Operator of unix-session:2 FAILED to authenticate to gain authorization for action org.freedesktop.systemd1.manage-units for system-bus-name::1.207932 [systemctl stop nordvpnd] (owned by unix-user:william)
Jul 10 23:33:15 ws-desktop polkitd[1096]: Unregistered Authentication Agent for unix-process:2501496:199664714 (system bus name :1.207931, object path /org/freedesktop/PolicyKit1/AuthenticationAgent, locale en_GB.UTF-8) (disconnected from bus)

[Yochanan]

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[Fizz]

Just this is not possible since I have no Wifi-connection… - I cant get any update or even status of the release… - may be that I would be able to use the RJ45 plug of the Acer Laptop