How to create unprivileged LXC container on Ubuntu Linux 14.04 LTS

Say hello to LXC

Fig.01: Linux containers

Traditional virtualization such as KVM/XEN/VMWARE and paravirtualization need a full operating system image for each instance. You can run any operating system using traditional virtualization.

Install the lxc on Ubuntu

Type the following apt-get command to install :
$ sudo apt-get install lxc
Sample outputs:

Fig.02: Installing LXC on Ubuntu

LXC and networking

LXC creates a NATed bridge called lxcbr0 for you. Each container will have one veth NIC and all traffic routed using the lxcbr0 bridge. To view current settings, enter:
$ sudo brctl show
Sample outputs:

bridge name	bridge id		STP enabled	interfaces
lxcbr0		8000.fe09977d9e4f	no		vethH1OXMH

To see an IP address assigned to the lxcbr0, enter:
$ sudo ifconfig lxcbr0
Sample outputs:

lxcbr0    Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr fe:09:97:7d:9e:4f  
          inet addr:10.0.3.1  Bcast:10.0.3.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          inet6 addr: fe80::4820:9fff:fe01:4d52/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:40 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:42 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:3553 (3.5 KB)  TX bytes:4383 (4.3 KB)

To see DHCP range used by containers, enter:
$ ps aux | grep lxc-dns | grep -o 'dhcp-range.[0-9].* '
Sample outputs:

dhcp-range 10.0.3.2,10.0.3.254 --dhcp-lease-max=253 --dhcp-no-override --except-interface=lo --interface=lxcbr0 --dhcp-leasefile=/var/lib/misc/dnsmasq.lxcbr0.leases

To check the current kernel for lxc support, enter:
$ lxc-checkconfig
Sample outputs:

Kernel configuration not found at /proc/config.gz; searching...
Kernel configuration found at /boot/config-3.13.0-76-generic
--- Namespaces ---
Namespaces: enabled
Utsname namespace: enabled
Ipc namespace: enabled
Pid namespace: enabled
User namespace: enabled
Network namespace: enabled
Multiple /dev/pts instances: enabled
 
--- Control groups ---
Cgroup: enabled
Cgroup clone_children flag: enabled
Cgroup device: enabled
Cgroup sched: enabled
Cgroup cpu account: enabled
Cgroup memory controller: enabled
Cgroup cpuset: enabled
 
--- Misc ---
Veth pair device: enabled
Macvlan: enabled
Vlan: enabled
Bridges: enabled
Advanced netfilter: enabled
CONFIG_NF_NAT_IPV4: enabled
CONFIG_NF_NAT_IPV6: enabled
CONFIG_IP_NF_TARGET_MASQUERADE: enabled
CONFIG_IP6_NF_TARGET_MASQUERADE: enabled
CONFIG_NETFILTER_XT_TARGET_CHECKSUM: enabled
 
--- Checkpoint/Restore ---
checkpoint restore: enabled
CONFIG_FHANDLE: enabled
CONFIG_EVENTFD: enabled
CONFIG_EPOLL: enabled
CONFIG_UNIX_DIAG: enabled
CONFIG_INET_DIAG: enabled
CONFIG_PACKET_DIAG: enabled
CONFIG_NETLINK_DIAG: enabled
File capabilities: enabled
 
Note : Before booting a new kernel, you can check its configuration
usage : CONFIG=/path/to/config /usr/bin/lxc-checkconfig

Creating unprivileged container

Unprivileged containers run the same way as privileged ones, simply without using sudo or root access. This is more secure as you can’t be root on the host even if you managed to escape container. The steps are as follows:

1. Create a new user for lxc.
2. Set password for for lxc.
3. Find out allocated subuids and subgids for the lxc user.
4. Create a default container configuration file for lxc user
5. Create a new container.
6. Start a new container.
7. Deploy apps in newly created unprivileged container.

Step – 1: Create a new user for lxc

Type the following command to add a user called mylxcusr:
$ sudo useradd -s /sbin/bash -c 'unprivileged lxc user' -m mylxcusr

Step – 2: Set password for for lxc

Set the password for mylxcusr
$ sudo passwd mylxcusr

Step -3: Find out allocated subuids and subgids for the lxc user

Type the following command
$ sudo grep mylxcusr /etc/sub{gid,uid}
Sample outputs:

/etc/subgid:mylxcusr:100000:65536
/etc/subuid:mylxcusr:100000:65536

Note down the values.

Step – 4:Create a default container configuration file for lxc user

Make sure the user “mylxcusr” is allowed up to 10 veth type devices to be created and added to the bridge called lxcbr0. In other words networking will only work if you add the following lines:
$ sudo vi /etc/lxc/lxc-usernet
Append the following line:

mylxcusr veth lxcbr0 10

Save and close the file. Now switch to new user using su or just login using the ssh client:
$ su - mylxcusr
OR
$ ssh mylxcusr@server1.cyberciti.biz
$ ssh mylxcusr@74.86.144.194
$ id
Sample outputs:

uid=1002(mylxcusr) gid=1002(mylxcusr) groups=1002(mylxcusr)

Once logged into a remote machine, type the following command to create ~/.config/lxc/ director as follows:
$ mkdir -p ~/.config/lxc
Finally, create ~/.config/lxc/default.conf file as follows:
$ cp /etc/lxc/default.conf ~/.config/lxc/default.conf
Edit the file, enter:
$ vi ~/.config/lxc/default.conf
Append the configuration as follows (use mapped user and group id ranges 100000:65536 from step #3):

lxc.id_map = u 0 100000 65536
lxc.id_map = g 0 100000 65536

Step – 5:Create a new container

Let us create a new Ubuntu container called httpd, enter:
$ lxc-create -t download -n httpd -- -d ubuntu -r trusty -a amd64
Sample outputs:

Fig.03: Create an Ubuntu container

Step – 6:Start a new container

To start httpd container type:
$ lxc -n httpd -d
$ echo $?
$ lxc-ls --fancy

NAME      STATE    IPV4       IPV6  AUTOSTART  
---------------------------------------------
httpd     RUNNING  10.0.3.61  -     NO

To start a process inside a running container or just to login, enter:
$ lxc-attach -n httpd
Sample session inside a httpd container:

root@httpd:/# id
uid=0(root) gid=0(root) groups=0(root)
root@httpd:/# ifconfig 
eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:16:3e:ea:ce:fa  
          inet addr:10.0.3.61  Bcast:10.0.3.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          inet6 addr: fe80::216:3eff:feea:cefa/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:37 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:35 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:3502 (3.5 KB)  TX bytes:3362 (3.3 KB)

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback  
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:65536  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 B)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

root@httpd:/# lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID:	Ubuntu
Description:	Ubuntu 14.04.3 LTS
Release:	14.04
Codename:	trusty

For security reason, container images ship without user accounts and without a root password. Setup a root password for httpd container:
# passwd root
To enable sshd for httpd container, run:
# apt-get install openssh-server
You can login from host to container using ssh:
$ ssh user@10.0.3.255

Step – 7:Deploy apps in newly created unprivileged container

You can now install nginx, php or any other application. Just attach to container and run commands or apps as per your need.

Important management commands

Here is a quick overview of useful commands:

How do I start a container?

$ lxc-start -n {container-name-here} -d
$ lxc-start -n mysql -d

How do I stop a container?

$ lxc-stop -n {container-name-here}
$ lxc-stop -n mysql

How do I destroy (delete) a container?

$ lxc-destroy -n {container-name-here}
$ lxc-destroy -n mysql

How do I list all containers?

$ lxc-ls
$ lxc-ls --fancy

How do I update or patch my container?

Use the lxc-attach command to update your container that is powered by Ubuntu or Debian:
$ lxc-attach -n mysql apt-get -- -qq update
$ lxc-attach -n mysql apt-get -- -qq upgrade
$ lxc-attach -n nginx yum -- -y update

How do I force DHCP to provide a persistent IP address to my container?

As a root on host run the following command:
$ sudo vi /etc/lxc/dnsmasq.conf
To give containers on lxcbr0 a persistent ip address based on domain name, you can add entries as follows:

dhcp-host=httpd,10.0.3.20
dhcp-host=mysql,10.0.3.21
dhcp-host=nginx,10.0.3.23
dhcp-host=php7,10.0.3.24

Save and close the file.

How do I create CentOS/Gentoo/Fedora or any other flavour of LXC?

$ lxc-create -t download -n {container-name-here} -- -d {DISTRONAME} -r {RELEASE} -a {ARCH}
$ lxc-create -t download -n bar -- -d centos -r 6 -a amd64
$ lxc-create -t download -n foo -- -d gentoo -r current -a amd64
$ lxc-create -t download -n db -- -d ubuntu -r precise -a i386
$ lxc-create -t download -n nginx -- -d debian -r jessie -a amd64
$ lxc-create -t download -n mysql -- -d fedora -r 22 -a amd64
$ lxc-create -t download -n maridb -- -d oracle -r 6.5 -a amd64
$ lxc-create -t download -n cahcing -- -d plamo -r 5.x -a amd64
The list of lxc flavour:

---
DIST	RELEASE	ARCH	VARIANT	BUILD
---
centos	6	amd64	default	20160203_02:16
centos	6	i386	default	20160203_02:16
centos	7	amd64	default	20160203_02:16
debian	jessie	amd64	default	20160202_22:42
debian	jessie	armel	default	20160111_22:42
debian	jessie	armhf	default	20160111_22:42
debian	jessie	i386	default	20160202_22:42
debian	sid	amd64	default	20160202_22:42
debian	sid	armel	default	20160111_22:42
debian	sid	armhf	default	20160111_22:42
debian	sid	i386	default	20160202_22:42
debian	squeeze	amd64	default	20160202_22:42
debian	squeeze	armel	default	20150826_22:42
debian	squeeze	i386	default	20160202_22:42
debian	wheezy	amd64	default	20160202_22:42
debian	wheezy	armel	default	20160111_22:42
debian	wheezy	armhf	default	20160111_22:42
debian	wheezy	i386	default	20160202_22:42
fedora	21	amd64	default	20160203_01:27
fedora	21	armhf	default	20160112_01:27
fedora	21	i386	default	20160203_01:27
fedora	22	amd64	default	20160203_01:27
fedora	22	armhf	default	20160112_01:27
fedora	22	i386	default	20160203_01:27
gentoo	current	amd64	default	20160203_14:12
gentoo	current	armhf	default	20160111_14:12
gentoo	current	i386	default	20160203_14:12
oracle	6.5	amd64	default	20160203_11:40
oracle	6.5	i386	default	20160203_11:40
plamo	5.x	amd64	default	20160202_21:36
plamo	5.x	i386	default	20160202_21:36
ubuntu	precise	amd64	default	20160203_03:49
ubuntu	precise	armel	default	20160112_03:49
ubuntu	precise	armhf	default	20160203_03:49
ubuntu	precise	i386	default	20160203_03:49
ubuntu	trusty	amd64	default	20160203_03:49
ubuntu	trusty	arm64	default	20150604_03:49
ubuntu	trusty	armhf	default	20160203_03:49
ubuntu	trusty	i386	default	20160203_03:49
ubuntu	trusty	ppc64el	default	20160201_03:49
ubuntu	vivid	amd64	default	20160203_03:49
ubuntu	vivid	arm64	default	20150604_03:49
ubuntu	vivid	armhf	default	20160203_03:49
ubuntu	vivid	i386	default	20160203_03:49
ubuntu	vivid	ppc64el	default	20160201_03:49
ubuntu	wily	amd64	default	20160203_03:49
ubuntu	wily	arm64	default	20150604_03:49
ubuntu	wily	armhf	default	20160203_03:49
ubuntu	wily	i386	default	20160203_03:49
ubuntu	wily	ppc64el	default	20160201_03:49
ubuntu	xenial	amd64	default	20160203_03:49
ubuntu	xenial	armhf	default	20160203_03:49
ubuntu	xenial	i386	default	20160203_03:49
---

Conclusion

And, there you have it, a container running on Ubuntu Linux 14.04 LTS in unprivileged mode. I suggest you visit the official project home page and Ubuntu lxc wiki page for more information.