Bug#930428: debootstrap should ensure matching _apt uid

[Michael Schaller <misch@google.com>]

Package: debootstrap
Version: 1.0.114
Severity: normal

Dear Maintainer,

At the end of the 'apt' package installation the '_apt' user will be created without specifying a fixed uid. This typically results in a differing '_apt' uid between the host system and the bootstrapped system. The differing '_apt' uid is problematic in case the host system has firewall rules specific to the '_apt' user and that typically leads to Apt downloads failing inside a chroot.

For more details see:
* https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2019/04/msg00259.html
* https://robots.org.uk/PbuilderFirewallSetup

Unfortunately this issue isn't easy to detect/troubleshoot, particularly firewall rules on the '_apt' uid and that there is an uid mismatch inside a chroot. This could be improved a lot if debootstrap could avoid this issue if it would ensure that the '_apt' user in the bootstrapped system has the same uid as on the host system.

Thoughts? Would the debootstrap maintainers accept patches for this issue?

Best,

Michael Schaller