#598730 bash: outdated comment in /etc/skel/.profile about the default umask

Package:
bash
Source:
bash
Description:
GNU Bourne Again SHell
Submitter:
Ferenc Wagner
Date:
2025-04-28 04:42:02 UTC
Severity:
minor
#598730#5
Date:
2010-10-01 13:51:26 UTC
From:
To:
Package: bash
Version: 4.1-3
Severity: minor

Hi,

/etc/skel/.profile contains the paragraph:

# the default umask is set in /etc/profile; for setting the umask
# for ssh logins, install and configure the libpam-umask package.
#umask 022

However, /etc/profile declares

# The default umask is now handled by pam_umask.
# See pam_umask(8) and /etc/login.defs.

Even if the pointer in .profile make sense (I've got no idea how old
it is), going through /etc/profile probably does not (but the comment
in /etc/profile is definitely useful, as it's a change from lenny).
#598730#10
Date:
2016-04-04 01:36:14 UTC
From:
To:
The file /etc/skel/.profile still states that "the default umask is set in
/etc/profile".

However, the comment in /etc/profile stating that "the default umask is now
handled by pam_umask" appears to have been removed, making the comment in
the skel file even more confusing.

Setting the umask in /etc/profile has no effect.
#598730#15
Date:
2025-04-28 04:38:18 UTC
From:
To:
Dear Maintainer,

I just got bit by this as I wanted to change the default umask. Spent some time
exhaustively looking through /etc/profile, /etc/profile.d/ and the things
source by the contents of those things, just to find out a while ago Debian
always sets umask via PAM now.

Maybe after 15 years this can get fixed in Trixie before it hits stable?