Debian Bug report logs - #1110355
smokeping: Smokeping fails to start due to ssh-keyscan issue

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Message #5 received at submit@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Matthijs van Aalten <debian@vanaalten.net>

To: Debian Bug Tracking System <submit@bugs.debian.org>

Subject: smokeping: Smokeping fails to start due to ssh-keyscan issue

Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2025 19:34:44 +0200

Package: smokeping
Version: 2.8.2+ds-1
Severity: grave
Justification: renders package unusable

Dear Maintainer,

   * What led up to the situation?
Upgraded a nicely working 'Bookworm' to 'Trixie', then I investigated which packages failed to start. Smokeping was one of them. Also after a reboot of my server, Smokeping did not start. 

Output of /var/log/syslog:
Aug 03 19:13:57 xx systemd[1]: Starting smokeping.service - Latency Logging and Graphing System...
Aug 03 19:13:57 xx smokeping[50332]: ### parsing dig output...OK
Aug 03 19:13:57 xx smokeping[50332]: ERROR: output of '/usr/bin/ssh-keyscan -t dsa,rsa,ecdsa 127.0.0.1' does not match (?^i:^# \S+ SSH-)
Aug 03 19:13:57 xx smokeping[50332]:  at (eval 108) line 1.
Aug 03 19:13:57 xx systemd[1]: smokeping.service: Control process exited, code=exited, status=255/EXCEPTION
Aug 03 19:13:57 xx systemd[1]: smokeping.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Aug 03 19:13:57 xx systemd[1]: Failed to start smokeping.service - Latency Logging and Graphing System.

   * What exactly did you do (or not do) that was effective (or
     ineffective)?

It seems that "/usr/bin/ssh-keyscan -t dsa,rsa,ecdsa 127.0.0.1" output does not match the Smokeping author expectations: trying this ssh-keyscan on command line gives me "Unknown key type "dsa"".
The command in question is coded in file /usr/share/perl5/Smokeping/probes/SSH.pm, line 58. My proposal is to change this line of code to:
        my $call = "$self->{properties}{binary} -t rsa,ecdsa 127.0.0.1";    

   * What was the outcome of this action?
Changing this line 58 in SSH.pm as described (removing 'dsa' from the type list) lets Smokeping start up again without errors. At first glance, it works OK.

   * What outcome did you expect instead?
-

Hopefully this SSH.pm can be corrected before Trixie release - as this error makes this tool unusable for me (and, I assume, unusable for everyone)

Note: I've removed some privacy related information in the list of config files changed.

Kind regards,
Matthijs


-- System Information:
Debian Release: 13.0
  APT prefers testing-security
  APT policy: (500, 'testing-security'), (500, 'stable-updates'), (500, 'stable-security'), (500, 'testing'), (500, 'stable')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)

Kernel: Linux 6.12.38+deb13-amd64 (SMP w/12 CPU threads; PREEMPT)
Kernel taint flags: TAINT_PROPRIETARY_MODULE, TAINT_OOT_MODULE, TAINT_UNSIGNED_MODULE
Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8 (charmap=locale: Cannot set LC_ALL to default locale: No such file or directory
UTF-8), LANGUAGE=en_US:en
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /usr/bin/dash
Init: systemd (via /run/systemd/system)
LSM: AppArmor: enabled

Versions of packages smokeping depends on:
ii  adduser                         3.152
ii  fping                           5.1-1
ii  init-system-helpers             1.68
ii  libcgi-fast-perl                1:2.17-1
ii  libconfig-grammar-perl          1.13-5
ii  libdigest-hmac-perl             1.05+dfsg-1
ii  libjs-cropper                   1.2.2-2
ii  libjs-prototype                 1.7.3-2
ii  libjs-scriptaculous             1.9.0-4
ii  librrds-perl                    1.7.2-4.2+b5
ii  libsnmp-session-perl            1.16-1
ii  liburi-perl                     5.30-1
ii  libwww-perl                     6.78-1
ii  perl                            5.40.1-6
ii  postfix [mail-transport-agent]  3.10.3-2
ii  ucf                             3.0052

Versions of packages smokeping recommends:
ii  apache2 [httpd-cgi]        2.4.65-2
ii  bind9-dnsutils [dnsutils]  1:9.20.11-4
ii  dnsutils                   1:9.18.33-1~deb12u2
pn  echoping                   <none>
ii  libsocket6-perl            0.29-3+b4
ii  lighttpd [httpd-cgi]       1.4.79-2

Versions of packages smokeping suggests:
ii  curl                           8.14.1-2
pn  libauthen-radius-perl          <none>
pn  libinfluxdb-lineprotocol-perl  <none>
ii  libio-pty-perl                 1:1.20-1+b3
ii  libio-socket-ssl-perl          2.089-1
ii  libnet-dns-perl                1.50-1
pn  libnet-ldap-perl               <none>
pn  libnet-openssh-perl            <none>
pn  libnet-telnet-perl             <none>
pn  libobject-result-perl          <none>
ii  libpath-tiny-perl              0.148-1
ii  openssh-client                 1:10.0p1-6

-- Configuration Files:
/etc/smokeping/config.d/Alerts changed:
*** Alerts ***
to = **removed**
from = **removed**
+someloss
type = loss
pattern = >0%,*12*,>0%,*12*,>0%
comment = loss 3 times  in a row
+offlineatstartup
type = rtt
pattern = ==S,==U
comment = offline at startup
+hostdown_with_state
type        = loss
pattern     = >90%
edgetrigger = yes
comment     = host down
+lossdetect
type        = loss
pattern     = ==0%,==0%,==0%,==0%,==0%,>0%,>0%,>0%
comment     = suddenly there is packet loss
+lossdetect_with_state
type        = loss
edgetrigger = yes
pattern     = ==0%,==0%,==0%,==0%,==0%,>0%,>0%,>0%
comment     = sudden packet loss
+rttdetect
type    = rtt
pattern = <100,<100,<100,<100,<100,>100,>100,>100
comment = suddenly latency increased over 100ms
+lost_5_from_20_with_state
type        = matcher
edgetrigger = yes
pattern     = CheckLoss(l => 5,x => 20)
comment     = lost over 5 from 20 samples
+rtt_avg_increased
type        = matcher
pattern     = Avgratio(historic => 20, current => 2, comparator=>'>', percentage => 500)
comment     = average latency from last 2 samples increased over 500% when compared to average from last 20 samples

/etc/smokeping/config.d/General changed:
*** General ***
owner    = **removed**
contact  = **removed**
mailhost = **removed**
cgiurl   = https://**removed**/smokeping.cgi
syslogfacility = local0
@include /etc/smokeping/config.d/pathnames

/etc/smokeping/config.d/Probes changed:
*** Probes ***
+ FPing
binary = /usr/bin/fping
+DNS
binary = /usr/bin/dig
+Curl
binary = /usr/bin/curl
+SSH
binary = /usr/bin/ssh-keyscan
pings  = 5

/etc/smokeping/config.d/Targets changed:
*** Targets ***
probe = FPing
menu = Top
title = Network Latency Grapher
remark = Welcome to the SmokePing website
+ ping
menu  = Ping check
title = Ping check
probe = FPing
++ Local
menu = Local
title = Local Network
+++ MainServer
menu = Main server
title = This host
host = localhost
alerts = someloss
+++ NAS
menu = NAS
title = NAS
host = 192.168.1.4
alerts =
+++ MicroNAS
menu = MicroNAS
title = MicroNAS
host = 192.168.1.6
alerts = someloss
++ Remote
menu = Remote
title = Remote Network
+++ Freedom
menu = Freedom website
title = Freedom website
host = freedom.nl
+++ Google
menu = Google website
title = Google website
host = google.com
+ dns
menu  = DNS check
title = DNS check
probe = DNS
++ local
menu  = Local
title = DNS check using local server
host = localhost
pings  = 5
server = 192.168.1.2
++ Freedom_1
menu  = Freedom DNS 1
title = DNS1 check using Freedom server
host = dns1.freedom.nl
pings  = 5
server = 185.93.175.43
++ Freedom_2
menu  = Freedom DNS 2
title = DNS2 check using Freedom server
host = dns2.freedom.nl
pings  = 5
server = 185.232.98.76


-- debconf information:
perl: warning: Setting locale failed.
perl: warning: Please check that your locale settings:
	LANGUAGE = "en_US:en",
	LC_ALL = (unset),
	LC_CTYPE = (unset),
	LC_NUMERIC = (unset),
	LC_COLLATE = "C",
	LC_TIME = "nl_NL.UTF-8",
	LC_MESSAGES = (unset),
	LC_MONETARY = (unset),
	LC_ADDRESS = (unset),
	LC_IDENTIFICATION = (unset),
	LC_MEASUREMENT = (unset),
	LC_PAPER = (unset),
	LC_TELEPHONE = (unset),
	LC_NAME = (unset),
	LANG = "en_US.UTF-8"
    are supported and installed on your system.
perl: warning: Falling back to a fallback locale ("en_US.UTF-8").
locale: Cannot set LC_ALL to default locale: No such file or directory

-- debsums errors found:
perl: warning: Setting locale failed.
perl: warning: Please check that your locale settings:
	LANGUAGE = "en_US:en",
	LC_ALL = (unset),
	LC_CTYPE = (unset),
	LC_NUMERIC = (unset),
	LC_COLLATE = "C",
	LC_TIME = "nl_NL.UTF-8",
	LC_MESSAGES = (unset),
	LC_MONETARY = (unset),
	LC_ADDRESS = (unset),
	LC_IDENTIFICATION = (unset),
	LC_MEASUREMENT = (unset),
	LC_PAPER = (unset),
	LC_TELEPHONE = (unset),
	LC_NAME = (unset),
	LANG = "en_US.UTF-8"
    are supported and installed on your system.
perl: warning: Falling back to a fallback locale ("en_US.UTF-8").

Message #10 received at 1110355@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Gabriel Filion <gabster@lelutin.ca>

To: 1110355@bugs.debian.org

Cc: "control@bugs.debian.org" <control@bugs.debian.org>

Subject: Re: smokeping: Smokeping fails to start due to ssh-keyscan issue

Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2025 15:20:08 -0400

severity 1110355 important
tags 1110355 + upstream confirmed
found 1110355 2.8.2+ds-1
thanks


Hi Matthijs,

Thanks for reporting this issue. I can confirm that this is happening on 
debian trixie.

I'm lowering the severity to important since it only affects the SSH 
probe and there are many other probes available.


I've checked upstream and the problem is still present. I'll open a bug 
report upstream and prepare a patch for the debian package soon.

Cheers!

Message #19 received at 1110355@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: StalkR <stalkr@stalkr.net>

To: 1110355@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Re: smokeping: Smokeping fails to start due to ssh-keyscan issue

Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2025 02:16:21 +0200

Hi, I just upgraded to Trixie and got broken by this too.
There was an issue upstream but autoclosed:
https://github.com/oetiker/SmokePing/issues/410
It's a simple patch, I sent a pull request:
https://github.com/oetiker/SmokePing/pull/446
Thanks for maintaining the package!

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