Invalid argument with "\" in Linux username (Active Directory user)

[nascarsayan]

Describe the bug

Is Backslash(\) accepted in Linux guest username using vmware tools or open-vm-tools?

VM: A domain (Active Directory) joined Linux VM open-vm-tools version: 2:11.1.5-1~ubuntu20.04.2

The following command works in Linux:

govc guest.getenv -l [email protected]:Password -vm ubuntu-20-vm-1

The following command fails:

govc guest.getenv -l arcvmw\\arcuser:Password -vm ubuntu-20-vm-1

Error: govc: ServerFaultCode: A specified parameter was not correct:

SSH succeeds though:

ssh arcvmw\\arcuser@<ip>

Contents of /var/log/vmware-vmsvc-root.log

[2023-02-21T16:10:55.717Z] [ message] [vix] VixTools_ProcessVixCommand: command 187
[2023-02-21T16:10:55.717Z] [ warning] [VCGA] Username 'arcvmw\arcuser' contains invalid characters
[2023-02-21T16:10:55.718Z] [ warning] [vix] VixToolsImpersonateUser: impersonation failed (3)
[2023-02-21T16:10:55.718Z] [ message] [vix] VixToolsReadEnvVariables: opcode 187 returning 3
[2023-02-21T16:10:55.718Z] [ message] [vix] ToolsDaemonTcloReceiveVixCommand: command 187, additionalError = 2

Reproduction steps

1. Join a Linux VM to active directory
2. Install latest version of open-vm-tools on the VM
3. Try to authenticate to the VM using "domain\user" format ...

Expected behavior

The guest credentials should work.

Additional context

No response

[dsouders]

Is Backslash() accepted in Linux guest username using vmware tools or open-vm-tools?

No, it is accepted in Windows usernames that have a domain name, but not in Linux.

See Usercheck_UsernameIsLegal() in https://github.com/vmware/open-vm-tools/blob/master/open-vm-tools/vgauth/common/usercheck.c.

357 #ifdef _WIN32 358 // allow '' in for Windows domain usernames 359 char *illegalChars = "<>/"; 360 #else 361 char *illegalChars = "\<>/"; 362 #endif

[dsouders]

An internal bug has been filed to track this issue.

[nascarsayan]

Hi @dsouders , thanks for looking into this so quickly! I had one follow-up question. Should I open the same issue in the vmware forum for making the same change in the proprietary vmware-tools? If I need to do that, can you provide a suitable link as to where I should post?

[dsouders]

Hi @nascarsayan, There's no need for that. The internal bug covers both. Thanks!