Remote execution in Satellite 6 fails with "su: Authentication failure"

Environment

• Red Hat Satellite 6.12

Issue

• Remote execution job fails with the following output:

  su: Authentication failure
  cat: /var/tmp/foreman-ssh-cmd-8d6a1c64-3c66-4b47-bc07-ffebb6009c2f/exit_code: No such file or directory
  

Resolution

• The remote execution job is using the example-user user to establish an SSH connection to the target host, then switching to the root user to perform the action (for example, errata install).

• Check and confirm that the correct password for the example-user user is used in the remote execution job configuration.

Root Cause

• The remote execution job is using the example-user user to establish an SSH connection to the target host, then switching to the root user to perform the action (for example, errata install).

• Authentication is failing on su due to incorrect password for the example-user user being used in the remote job configuration.

Diagnostic Steps

1. Log in to Satellite's web UI.

2. Find and click on the failed remote execution Actions::RemoteExecution::RunHostJob task under Monitor -> Tasks.

3. Click on the Dynflow console button to launch the Dynflow Console of the task.

4. Under the Run tab, click on the 3: Actions::ProxyAction (success) [ 8.92s / 0.02s ] step to expand it.

5. Check the Output: section of the step for an output like:

- output_type: stdout
  output: |
    su: Authentication failure
    cat: /var/tmp/foreman-ssh-cmd-8d6a1c64-3c66-4b47-bc07-ffebb6009c2f/exit_code: No such file or directory
  timestamp: 1695245057.8506823
runner_id: 8d6a1c64-3c66-4b47-bc07-ffebb6009c2f
exit_status: 1

6. Check the Input: section of the step for:

proxy_operation_name: ssh
ssh_user: example-user
effective_user: root
effective_user_method: su

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