Can't type password after resume.

Bug #1311403 reported by NoBugs!
198
This bug affects 44 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
Unity
Confirmed
High
Unassigned
Xubuntu Greeter
New
Undecided
Unassigned
unity (Ubuntu)
Confirmed
High
Unassigned

Bug Description

I couldn't type password after resume - no characters displayed this time.

I had to Ctrl+alt+f2 and service lightdm restart.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: lightdm 1.10.0-0ubuntu3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-24.46-generic 3.13.9
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-24-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3
Architecture: amd64
Date: Tue Apr 22 17:37:49 2014
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-11-23 (150 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.10 "Saucy Salamander" - Release amd64 (20131016.1)
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=linux
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: lightdm
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to trusty on 2014-04-19 (3 days ago)

Revision history for this message
NoBugs! (luke32j) wrote :
Revision history for this message
Robert Ancell (robert-ancell) wrote :

Are you in the greeter or the lock screen?

Changed in lightdm (Ubuntu):
status: New → Incomplete
Revision history for this message
NoBugs! (luke32j) wrote :

The lock screen after resume - the one that looks like the user-login now since 14.04.

affects: lightdm (Ubuntu) → unity (Ubuntu)
Revision history for this message
Sebastien Bacher (seb128) wrote :

Did you have a password prompt open when the screen got locked? in which case that could be a duplicate of bug #1305586

Andrea Azzarone (azzar1)
tags: added: lockscreen
Changed in unity:
status: New → Incomplete
Changed in unity (Ubuntu):
importance: Undecided → High
Changed in unity:
importance: Undecided → High
Revision history for this message
NoBugs! (luke32j) wrote :

That bug with workaround of clicking on guest session isn't applicable here because it's only one text box - lock screen.

I don't think it's a duplicate.

Revision history for this message
Andrea Azzarone (azzar1) wrote :

How did you suspend your system? Closing the lid, system-menu, etc?

Revision history for this message
NoBugs! (luke32j) wrote :

Just closing and re-opening - which usually works just fine.

Revision history for this message
Till W. (tillw.) wrote :

I experienced the same behavior. After resuming from a suspend-to-RAM, I was not able to type a password in the lock-screen. After clicking into the password-entry field, no blinking cursor appeared and typing characters did not work. The buttons were clickable, though. I switched to a text TTY and killed gnome-screensaver to get back into my running GNOME session.

I am using gnome-flashback session with lightdm.

Revision history for this message
Sebastien Bacher (seb128) wrote :

@Till: your issue is a different one, the bug here is specific to Unity sessions

Revision history for this message
NoBugs! (luke32j) wrote :

Just happened again, and as a workaround, I chose switch session from the upper right, then I could log back in to my session.

Revision history for this message
Andrea Azzarone (azzar1) wrote :

Do you remember which program had the focus when you closed the laptop? VirtualBox, Remina, or something like that?

Revision history for this message
Henna Haahti (grejppi) wrote :

This has happened to me a couple of times after resuming from suspend (opening the laptop's lid).

Sometimes there is a delay before the lock screen is displayed -- your session is visible for a second or so.

Once I managed to focus on a terminal window before the lock screen appeared, and I was unable to type my password in the password field. I managed to work around this somehow (unfortunately I don't remember how) and discovered that all characters I had typed were entered into the terminal window.

Looks like a serious security risk.

Revision history for this message
Chris J Arges (arges) wrote :

I can reproduce this reliably on my thinkpad t420. I just close the lid and when I resume I can not type into the password box.
If I click on a menu item, then I can click again. This is a *major* nuisance at this point, and I'll willing to help debug just ping me on IRC.

Changed in unity (Ubuntu):
status: Incomplete → Confirmed
Changed in unity:
status: Incomplete → Confirmed
Changed in lightdm (Ubuntu):
importance: Undecided → High
status: New → Invalid
Revision history for this message
Josh Arenson (josharenson) wrote :

I'm running latest Utopic and I see this exact same issue as well.

Revision history for this message
NoBugs! (luke32j) wrote :

Yikes, I just noticed after clicking in the upper right dropdowns, then clicking in the password and entering password, it worked, and what I'd previously typed was in the terminal (which had had focus)!

So this is a security bug.

Revision history for this message
Dave Chiluk (chiluk) wrote :

Same issue here. This really should be a security concern. Any one of us could have been typing our password directly into irc if it was in focus behind the lock screen.

no longer affects: lightdm (Ubuntu)
Revision history for this message
gregreen (gregreen) wrote :

I've noticed that when this happens, if a text box was selected before closing my laptop's lid, when I open up again and try to enter in my password, it's entered into the text box, instead of into the password field. Needless to say, that's an incredibly disturbing behavior, especially when the text box behind the lock screen is an instant messaging service! This bug has, for whatever reason, just started to affect my system (an up-to-date Ubuntu 14.04 system) over the past day.

Revision history for this message
gregreen (gregreen) wrote :

This bug should definitely be marked as a security risk. It makes it incredibly easy to inadvertently expose your administrator password to other applications. I hope this bug gets addressed within the next few days.

Revision history for this message
Jeremy Cooper (2-jeremy) wrote :

I'm new to the Ubuntu community, however I just experienced this behavior from Unity. However in my case I didn't have to fully suspend the computer.
In my case Ubuntu put my monitor into power save mode.
When I moved my mouse to wake my screen back up I was at the lock screen, clicked into the password box (currsor appeared) and began to type, nothing was being entered. I clicked the control icon in the top right then back into the password entry field, it began to recognize characters and let me back into my session.
Once I was in I saw it had put my password into my last clicked on text entry box (a Facebook chat). Definitely a security risk.
The other applications I had open were terminal (ssh'd into a server), document viewer (pdf), & had an audio stream playing in a flash based player.
I've only been using Ubuntu for about a week and this is the first time I experienced this issue.
The only recent (past couple days) I made was installing flash player.
Just sharing my experience in case it's of any help.

Revision history for this message
Sergio Torassa (sertorassa) wrote :

I experienced the same behaviour as Jeremy, but it is not reliable.
E.g., after lightdm restart everything seems to work properly.

Not sure if the same as #1349128, because in my case the password input box inside the login box is not displayed at all.

If it can be helpful, in my case Synergy is running and Chrome is not.

Revision history for this message
Matthew Tift (mctift) wrote :

This also affects me on a ThinkPad T430s. Definitely a big security risk. It's been happening for weeks.

Revision history for this message
Aaron (armahillo) wrote :

I experience this occasionally, but it's inconsistent. Sometimes the lock screen works on resume and other times it does not. I cannot reliably reproduce the error.

Revision history for this message
Jake W. (jakeworth82) wrote :

I can reproduce this bug consistently on a Lenovo Thinkpad Edge (Ubuntu 14.04 + lightdm version: 1.10.1-0ubuntu1).

When I open the lid and try to log in, the input goes to the active program in the session. This is a security concern because that could expose my password to a variety of other programs (IRC, GChat, etc.).

Current workaround is to click the gear icon, which makes the input register in the password field.

Revision history for this message
Bryn Hughes (linux-nashira) wrote :

Removed 'duplicate' status as the fix committed in the bug this was marked as a duplicate of does not solve the issue described here. Confirmed with unity:amd64/trusty-security 7.2.2+14.04.20140714-0ubuntu1.1

I notice a significant number of Thinkpad owners appear to experience this problem - I am likewise on a Thinkpad W510.

In my case there is no 'gear icon' or any indicators visible at the lock screen, so the workaround in #23 doesn't do anything.

Revision history for this message
Aaron (aaronb-s) wrote :

I've just encountered this on a Lenovo Thinkpad T520.
No password prompt, no gear icon, just a grey box with my name in it. Had to restart lightdm which is inconvenient to say the least.

Revision history for this message
Nate Finch (natefinch) wrote :

This happens sporadically on my 2013 Dell XPS-15 (same model Mark Shuttleworth uses... just sayin' ;)

For me, the passowrd text box often just doesn't show up at all.... the rest of the UI is there, but not the text box.

Sometimes I can click on guest session from the gear menu to get it back, but sometimes there is no gear menu, and I have to hard reset (maybe there's some other way to cancel out of the lock screen, but I don't know it).

Revision history for this message
Cristian Măgherușan-Stanciu (cristi) wrote :

Is this a duplicate of bug #1311316?

Revision history for this message
Pithikos (manossef) wrote :

Same problem here! I have a Thinkpad T440s at work and sometimes I have to restart the whole computer resulting in me losing unsaved work!

Revision history for this message
jong (agitato816) wrote :

same here

Lenovo T530
Ubuntu 14.04 amd64

Linux umi 3.13.0-46-generic #75-Ubuntu SMP Tue Feb 10 15:24:04 UTC 2015 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Revision history for this message
jong (agitato816) wrote :

workaround:

ctl+alt+f1
terminal log in
$ sudo service lightdm restart
change input language to english (if you have another language)
log in

Revision history for this message
Daniel Halvorsen (danielhalvorsen) wrote :

another workaround without the risk of losing your work:

http://askubuntu.com/questions/463372/lightdm-cannot-type-password-on-login-screen

Does anyone know if there is a fix for this issue perhaps available in 15.04 when it arrives? I have encountered this bug since 12.04 LTS on very random occasions. Was a major letdown that it was present even in 14.04 LTS . Have not tested with 14.10.

Revision history for this message
Rob (robbie-cartwood) wrote :

This is still present in 15.04.

i.e. the password dialogue box is present on the lock screen but keyboard input results in no dots appearing. It is not just a case of "no dots" being displayed because typing the full password and pressing return has no effect.

This is listed as a possible duplicate of bug #1311316 but this may not be the case as that bug seems concerned with the lack of password box being displayed and maybe dual monitors.

NOTE
In my case, if an onscreen touch keyboard is used, a password can be entered suggesting an issue with reactivating the keyboard following resume.

Revision history for this message
G.C. Hassink (gchassink) wrote :

The same in ubuntu 14.04 gnome with gdm

Revision history for this message
Alex (luehm) wrote :

I am having this same issue with 16.04 - Whenever I am prompted with the locking screen, I am not able to fill in my password - the cursor does not blink, and no matter where I click on the screen (gear icon, etc...) I am not able to enter password.

In addition - when the system keyboard is NOT english I am unable to enter tty1-6 via ctrl+alt+f<num> to restart lightdm - works find with english keyboard. I've not looked extensively into what the F<num> keys are under German, but I'd imagine that there wouldn't be much of a difference.

Revision history for this message
LeSam (lesametlemax) wrote :
Revision history for this message
fugounashi (fugounashi+launchpad) wrote :

This bug is present in 16.04 with current updates, however it only started around a week ago so it was probably introduced in a recent update.

It is not a duplicate of 1311316 as the password box is still there, it just doesn't accept keyboard input.

A work-around is to start and logout from a guest session, then when returning to the login screen the password field works normally.

Revision history for this message
fugounashi (fugounashi+launchpad) wrote :

An easier work around is to select switch user from the settings menu.

Revision history for this message
fernanda (nandatrancoso) wrote :

even switching users isnt working for me, only restarting

Revision history for this message
SeijiSensei (ubuntuforums-2) wrote :

This bug is still present in Xubuntu 18.04.1. I cannot type in the password box after resume. The text "Enter your password" appears in the box and cannot be deleted by typing. I have to take the route of choosing "Other" and mucking around until I get a password prompt.

Revision history for this message
SeijiSensei (ubuntuforums-2) wrote :
Download full text (3.3 KiB)

Of course, the day after I post this report, an update appears to have fixed the bug. I can't really tell which package was responsible. Here's the list

Install: libwayland-egl1:amd64 (1.16.0-1ubuntu1~oibaf~b,)
 gnome-software:amd64 (3.28.1-0ubuntu4.18.04.4, 3.28.1-0ubuntu4.18.04.5,)
 gnome-software-common:amd64 (3.28.1-0ubuntu4.18.04.4, 3.28.1-0ubuntu4.18.04.5,)
 gnome-software-plugin-snap:amd64 (3.28.1-0ubuntu4.18.04.4, 3.28.1-0ubuntu4.18.04.5,)
 kmod:amd64 (24-1ubuntu3, 24-1ubuntu3.1,)
 libdrm2:amd64 (2.4.96+git1810220630.9d07fb~oibaf~b, 2.4.96+git1811020630.b3dec0~oibaf~b,)
 libdrm2:i386 (2.4.96+git1810220630.9d07fb~oibaf~b, 2.4.96+git1811020630.b3dec0~oibaf~b,)
 libdrm-amdgpu1:amd64 (2.4.96+git1810220630.9d07fb~oibaf~b, 2.4.96+git1811020630.b3dec0~oibaf~b,)
 libdrm-amdgpu1:i386 (2.4.96+git1810220630.9d07fb~oibaf~b, 2.4.96+git1811020630.b3dec0~oibaf~b,)
 libdrm-common:amd64 (2.4.96+git1810220630.9d07fb~oibaf~b, 2.4.96+git1811020630.b3dec0~oibaf~b)
 libdrm-intel1:amd64 (2.4.96+git1810220630.9d07fb~oibaf~b, 2.4.96+git1811020630.b3dec0~oibaf~b,)
 libdrm-intel1:i386 (2.4.96+git1810220630.9d07fb~oibaf~b, 2.4.96+git1811020630.b3dec0~oibaf~b,)
 libdrm-nouveau2:amd64 (2.4.96+git1810220630.9d07fb~oibaf~b, 2.4.96+git1811020630.b3dec0~oibaf~b,)
 libdrm-nouveau2:i386 (2.4.96+git1810220630.9d07fb~oibaf~b, 2.4.96+git1811020630.b3dec0~oibaf~b,)
 libdrm-radeon1:amd64 (2.4.96+git1810220630.9d07fb~oibaf~b, 2.4.96+git1811020630.b3dec0~oibaf~b,)
 libdrm-radeon1:i386 (2.4.96+git1810220630.9d07fb~oibaf~b, 2.4.96+git1811020630.b3dec0~oibaf~b,)
 libegl1-mesa:amd64 (18.3~git1810241930.edc06d~oibaf~b, 18.3~git1811011930.1f4110~oibaf~b,)
 libegl-mesa0:amd64 (18.3~git1810241930.edc06d~oibaf~b, 18.3~git1811011930.1f4110~oibaf~b,)
 libgbm1:amd64 (18.3~git1810241930.edc06d~oibaf~b, 18.3~git1811011930.1f4110~oibaf~b,)
 libgl1-mesa-glx:amd64 (18.3~git1810241930.edc06d~oibaf~b, 18.3~git1811011930.1f4110~oibaf~b,)
 libkmod2:amd64 (24-1ubuntu3, 24-1ubuntu3.1,)
 libpython3-stdlib:amd64 (3.6.5-3ubuntu1, 3.6.7-1~18.04,)
 libwayland-egl1-mesa:amd64 (18.0.5-0ubuntu0~18.04.1, 18.3~git1811011930.1f4110~oibaf~b,)
 libxatracker2:amd64 (18.3~git1810241930.edc06d~oibaf~b, 18.3~git1811011930.1f4110~oibaf~b,)
 linux-generic:amd64 (4.15.0.37.39, 4.15.0.39.41,)
 linux-headers-4.15.0-39:amd64 (4.15.0-39.42, automatic,)
 linux-headers-4.15.0-39-generic:amd64 (4.15.0-39.42, automatic,)
 linux-image-4.15.0-39-generic:amd64 (4.15.0-39.42, automatic)
 linux-image-generic:amd64 (4.15.0.37.39, 4.15.0.39.41,)
 linux-modules-4.15.0-39-generic:amd64 (4.15.0-39.42, automatic,)
 linux-modules-extra-4.15.0-39-generic:amd64 (4.15.0-39.42, automatic,)
 mesa-va-drivers:amd64 (18.3~git1810241930.edc06d~oibaf~b, 18.3~git1811011930.1f4110~oibaf~b,)
 mesa-vdpau-drivers:amd64 (18.3~git1810241930.edc06d~oibaf~b, 18.3~git1811011930.1f4110~oibaf~b,)
 python3:amd64 (3.6.5-3ubuntu1, 3.6.7-1~18.04,)
 python3-gdbm:amd64 (3.6.5-3, 3.6.7-1~18.04,)
 python3-minimal:amd64 (3.6.5-3ubuntu1, 3.6.7-1~18.04,)
 xkb-data:amd64 (2.23.1-1ubuntu1, 2.23.1-1ubuntu1.18.04.1,)
 xserver-xorg-video-amdgpu:amd64 (18.1.99+git1810241933.c9d43c~oibaf~b, 18.1.99+git1810291933.1cb338~oibaf~b,)
Upgrade: libcurl3-gnutls:amd64 (7.58.0-2ubuntu...

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no longer affects: xubuntu-website
Revision history for this message
Eddy Quicksall (eddyq) wrote :

This problem still exits in 18.10

Revision history for this message
Tõnis B (bramanis) wrote :

I have this problem after upgrading to Ubuntu 20.04

Revision history for this message
Luca Capra (luca-capra) wrote :

I confirm also on 2 different laptop with xubuntu. If I close the lid or even the screen black out I cannot type the password.

Revision history for this message
Luca Capra (luca-capra) wrote :

Still on xubuntu 20.04, this gives a good hint
https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=870641

1. go to terminal ctrl+alt+f1
2. `killall screen-lockers`
3. back to UI ctrl+alt+f7
4. type password

Revision history for this message
iLugo (isra) wrote :

Exact same problem (at the unlock screen, it is not possible to enter any characters on the password box, as if focus is not there) on Xubuntu 18.04 and Xubuntu 20.04 in three different machines (two laptops and one desktop); problem existed since 18.04 and persists after upgrade to 20.20 focal fossa.

Revision history for this message
Luca Capra (luca-capra) wrote :

This is consistently happening when closing and opening the lid or having the screen blackout as per power management configurations.

I found some relief by disabling all power management features involving locking the screen and also disable ubuntu native screensaver.

After that, installed `xscreensaver` and confiured with password prompts, which has its own login modal.

Additionally, after suspending but before opening the lid I detach the USB hub with ext keyboard input and use the laptop keyboard to type the password. It works most of the time.

Very annoying bug.

Revision history for this message
Alex (a-t-page) wrote :

Same here on Ubuntu 20.04 (XFCE). I can ssh in and kill xfce4-screensaver to get back in.

Revision history for this message
Niccola (meetnick) wrote :

I have the exact same problem happening in different situation (all related to suspend):
- When I lock screen, later some time without activity it get suspended automatically.
- When suspended by closing lid.
- When suspended by clicking on suspend.

So it appears to be resume from suspension general issue. I'm on Gnome with latest updates. It is very annoying.

Mouse movement works, but no response from mouse buttons being pressed neither keyboard keys. After some time it works.

My workaround (doesn't work all the time) is to scroll down the clock, then scroll up from clock to input password again (it usually works, but not always).

Same behavior when I'm also using two monitors.

Revision history for this message
Evgeni (ev-mp) wrote :

I'm having the same issue with 20.04:
I've configured the screen saver to not require password after power resume.
Yet in practice the password prompt is displayed (strangely it is grayed, as it was not fully active) but when I write my password nothing happens.
There is not way to logout from that state as well.

Revision history for this message
Pete Cowley (prcowley) wrote :

I did not have this issue in 18.04 but now that I have upgraded to 20.04.01 (Ubuntu-studio) I now have it and it is really annoying. I did not know how to work around it so had to reboot my machine. Fortunately this thread has given me a couple of things to try now.

Interestingly, the login background had the xbuntu background showing and the password box would not accept any text although it KNEW if the caps lock key was pressed as it gave a warning. The login screen was completely different to the usual one after reboot.

Revision history for this message
Pete Cowley (prcowley) wrote :

A workaround:

I turned the screen saver off in settings.
If IMANUALLY lock the screen when I restart it shows the standard login (not the screensaver login) and that works fine.

Hope this is helpful to those struggling with this.

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