User should be able to select allowed sources

Bug #1029157 reported by Fred
8
This bug affects 1 person
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
dpkg (Ubuntu)
New
Undecided
Unassigned
gdebi (Ubuntu)
Opinion
Wishlist
Unassigned
software-center (Ubuntu)
Confirmed
Wishlist
Unassigned

Bug Description

Maybe you want to only allow package installs of software from Ubuntu Software Center and disallow any package installs from third-party sources.

Have a setting dialog where a user is presented with a choice such as the one below.
-- Packages --
Allow applications downloaded from:
* Ubuntu repository
* Ubuntu repository and PPA
* Anywhere
--------------------

http://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/gatekeeper-small.png

Revision history for this message
Matthew Paul Thomas (mpt) wrote :

I like that idea. But an option to block third-party software would need to be lower-level than USC and gdebi, to also prevent someone from using dpkg -i from the Terminal.

Third-party software could be blocked either at install time, as you suggest, or at launch time. You link to a screenshot of GateKeeper, which blocks it at launch time. The Mac has a framework called Launch Services that is responsible for launching any application, including checking whether it has ever been run before (LSQuarantine), whether it is on the list of known malware (XProtect), whether anyone has permission to run it (GateKeeper), and whether you in particular have permission to run it (Parental Controls). I expect we would need something equivalent at the kernel level if we hoped to block third-party software at launch time.

Changed in gdebi (Ubuntu):
status: New → Opinion
importance: Undecided → Wishlist
Changed in software-center (Ubuntu):
status: New → Confirmed
importance: Undecided → Wishlist
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