pkg(8): "An error occured while fetching package: No error"

Jim L. · Monday at 2:27 PM

Is this another growing pain of the new pkg(8) program? I can live with it for now, just wondering if anyone else has seen this. I'm not getting any hits from Google on that error message. As the testing shows, the error is intermittent, with no pattern identified as yet.

Code:

jimsdesk : 06:18:23 /root# pkg-static -v; pkg-static audit -Fq
2.0.5
mariadb1011-server-10.11.10_1
firefox-134.0.2,2
jimsdesk : 06:25:16 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
pkg-static: An error occured while fetching package: No error
pkg-static: cannot fetch vulnxml file
jimsdesk : 06:25:18 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
mariadb1011-server-10.11.10_1
firefox-134.0.2,2
jimsdesk : 06:25:19 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
pkg-static: An error occured while fetching package: No error
pkg-static: cannot fetch vulnxml file
jimsdesk : 06:25:20 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
mariadb1011-server-10.11.10_1
firefox-134.0.2,2
jimsdesk : 06:25:21 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
mariadb1011-server-10.11.10_1
firefox-134.0.2,2
jimsdesk : 06:25:22 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
pkg-static: An error occured while fetching package: No error
pkg-static: cannot fetch vulnxml file
jimsdesk : 06:25:23 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
mariadb1011-server-10.11.10_1
firefox-134.0.2,2
jimsdesk : 06:25:25 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
pkg-static: An error occured while fetching package: No error
pkg-static: cannot fetch vulnxml file
jimsdesk : 06:25:26 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
pkg-static: An error occured while fetching package: No error
pkg-static: cannot fetch vulnxml file
jimsdesk : 06:25:27 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
mariadb1011-server-10.11.10_1
firefox-134.0.2,2

OS is FreeBSD 14.2-STABLE #0 stable/14-n270227-b40ca26721d7.

SirDice · Monday at 2:47 PM

Can you post the output of pkg -vv | grep VULNXML_SITE?

Don't seem to have a problem on my test server:

Code:

root@fbsd-test:~ # rm /var/db/pkg/vuln.xml
root@fbsd-test:~ # pkg audit -F
Fetching vuln.xml.xz: 100%    1 MiB   1.1MB/s    00:01
0 problem(s) in 0 package(s) found.
root@fbsd-test:~ # pkg -v
2.0.5

Jim L. · Monday at 3:15 PM

SirDice said:
Can you post the output of pkg -vv | grep VULNXML_SITE?

Don't seem to have a problem on my test server:

Code:

root@fbsd-test:~ # rm /var/db/pkg/vuln.xml root@fbsd-test:~ # pkg audit -F Fetching vuln.xml.xz: 100% 1 MiB 1.1MB/s 00:01 0 problem(s) in 0 package(s) found. root@fbsd-test:~ # pkg -v 2.0.5

Hmmm. Learning things.

1) The error message at reference appears to be the same error pkg(8) gives on a failed DNS lookup:

Code:

jimsdesk : 07:24:00 /root# grep '^[^#]' /etc/resolv.conf
jimsdesk : 07:24:02 /root# time host vuxml.freebsd.org
;; connection timed out; no servers could be reached

real    0m20.043s
user    0m0.012s
sys 0m0.001s
jimsdesk : 07:24:23 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
pkg-static: An error occured while fetching package: No error
pkg-static: cannot fetch vulnxml file

2) Next piece of learning, host(1) will use a resolver on localhost even when /etc/resolv.conf says not to. I was not aware of that.

Code:

jimsdesk : 07:26:10 /root# service named stop
Stopping named.
Waiting for PIDS: 79543.
jimsdesk : 07:26:13 /root# time host vuxml.freebsd.org
;; connection timed out; no servers could be reached

real    0m20.106s
user    0m0.004s
sys 0m0.009s
jimsdesk : 07:26:38 /root# service named start
Starting named.
jimsdesk : 07:26:44 /root# grep '^[^#]' /etc/resolv.conf
jimsdesk : 07:26:47 /root# time host vuxml.freebsd.org
vuxml.freebsd.org is an alias for web.geo.freebsd.org.
web.geo.freebsd.org has address 204.15.11.70
web.geo.freebsd.org has IPv6 address 2620:11c:5001:1099:1337::20
web.geo.freebsd.org mail is handled by 0 .

real    0m1.319s
user    0m0.009s
sys 0m0.001s

dig(1) also does this:

Code:

jimsdesk : 07:31:27 /root# time /usr/local/bin/dig vuxml.freebsd.org

; <<>> DiG 9.20.4 <<>> vuxml.freebsd.org
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 56723
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 2, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 1

;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags:; udp: 1232
; COOKIE: fc6774e924b440d00100000067aa1bd5785a5709ca67fcd5 (good)
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;vuxml.freebsd.org.     IN  A

;; ANSWER SECTION:
vuxml.freebsd.org.  280 IN  CNAME   web.geo.freebsd.org.
web.geo.freebsd.org.    130 IN  A   204.15.11.70

;; Query time: 0 msec
;; SERVER: ::1#53(::1) (UDP)
;; WHEN: Mon Feb 10 07:31:33 PST 2025
;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 112


real    0m0.031s
user    0m0.022s
sys 0m0.008s

drill(1), however, does not disregard /etc/resolv.conf:

Code:

jimsdesk : 07:31:33 /root# time /usr/bin/drill vuxml.freebsd.org
Error: error sending query: No (valid) nameservers defined in the resolver

real    0m0.007s
user    0m0.000s
sys 0m0.008s

However, tcpdump(1) doesn't appear to be showing any DNS failures when I snoop
traffic on port 53:

Code:

jimsdesk : 07:36:05 /root# service named stop
Stopping named.
Waiting for PIDS: 79970.
jimsdesk : 07:36:13 /root# grep '^[^#]' /etc/resolv.conf
search example.edu
nameserver 10.10.231.53
jimsdesk : 07:36:17 /root# tcpdump -ni public port 53 &
[3] 79988
jimsdesk : 07:36:30 /root# tcpdump: verbose output suppressed, use -v[v]... for full protocol decode
listening on public, link-type EN10MB (Ethernet), snapshot length 262144 bytes
jimsdesk : 07:36:30 /root# host vuxml.freebsd.org
07:36:42.012841 IP 10.10.161.35.13706 > 10.10.231.53.53: 21135+ A? vuxml.freebsd.org. (35)
vuxml.freebsd.org is an alias for web.geo.freebsd.org.
web.geo.freebsd.org has address 204.15.11.70
07:36:42.229419 IP 10.10.231.53.53 > 10.10.161.35.13706: 21135 2/0/0 CNAME web.geo.freebsd.org., A 204.15.11.70 (73)
07:36:42.229825 IP 10.10.161.35.61331 > 10.10.231.53.53: 13124+ AAAA? vuxml.freebsd.org. (35)
web.geo.freebsd.org has IPv6 address 2620:11c:5001:1099:1337::20
web.geo.freebsd.org mail is handled by 0 .
jimsdesk : 07:36:42 /root# 07:36:42.299775 IP 10.10.231.53.53 > 10.10.161.35.61331: 13124 2/0/0 CNAME web.geo.freebsd.org., AAAA 2620:11c:5001:1099:1337::20 (85)
07:36:42.300171 IP 10.10.161.35.61647 > 10.10.231.53.53: 45340+ MX? vuxml.freebsd.org. (35)
07:36:42.300604 IP 10.10.231.53.53 > 10.10.161.35.61647: 45340 2/0/0 CNAME web.geo.freebsd.org., MX . 0 (72)

And likewise, my eyes don't see any DNS failures during *any* of the pkg-static(8) calls, whether
they succeed or not. The only thing I *can* see is that pkg(8) is very quick to report a failure
in those cases when it *does* fail, even before tcpdump(8) has time to spit out the traffic:

Code:

jimsdesk : 07:36:44 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
07:36:49.144119 IP 10.10.161.35.14003 > 10.10.231.53.53: 18043+ A? vuxml.freebsd.org. (35)
07:36:49.144629 IP 10.10.231.53.53 > 10.10.161.35.14003: 18043 2/0/0 CNAME web.geo.freebsd.org., A 204.15.11.70 (73)
07:36:49.144727 IP 10.10.161.35.48516 > 10.10.231.53.53: 33371+ AAAA? vuxml.freebsd.org. (35)
07:36:49.145188 IP 10.10.231.53.53 > 10.10.161.35.48516: 33371 2/0/0 CNAME web.geo.freebsd.org., AAAA 2620:11c:5001:1099:1337::20 (85)
mariadb1011-server-10.11.10_1
firefox-134.0.2,2
jimsdesk : 07:36:49 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
pkg-static: An error occured while fetching package: No error
pkg-static: cannot fetch vulnxml file
jimsdesk : 07:36:52 /root# 07:36:51.964242 IP 10.10.161.35.57432 > 10.10.231.53.53: 5513+ A? vuxml.freebsd.org. (35)
07:36:51.964676 IP 10.10.231.53.53 > 10.10.161.35.57432: 5513 2/0/0 CNAME web.geo.freebsd.org., A 204.15.11.70 (73)
07:36:51.964757 IP 10.10.161.35.22880 > 10.10.231.53.53: 43499+ AAAA? vuxml.freebsd.org. (35)
07:36:51.965026 IP 10.10.231.53.53 > 10.10.161.35.22880: 43499 2/0/0 CNAME web.geo.freebsd.org., AAAA 2620:11c:5001:1099:1337::20 (85)
pkg-static audit -Fq
07:36:58.480171 IP 10.10.161.35.56508 > 10.10.231.53.53: 32471+ A? vuxml.freebsd.org. (35)
07:36:58.480687 IP 10.10.231.53.53 > 10.10.161.35.56508: 32471 2/0/0 CNAME web.geo.freebsd.org., A 204.15.11.70 (73)
07:36:58.480771 IP 10.10.161.35.29016 > 10.10.231.53.53: 3362+ AAAA? vuxml.freebsd.org. (35)
07:36:58.481181 IP 10.10.231.53.53 > 10.10.161.35.29016: 3362 2/0/0 CNAME web.geo.freebsd.org., AAAA 2620:11c:5001:1099:1337::20 (85)
mariadb1011-server-10.11.10_1
firefox-134.0.2,2
jimsdesk : 07:36:58 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
07:37:02.908410 IP 10.10.161.35.32252 > 10.10.231.53.53: 52154+ A? vuxml.freebsd.org. (35)
07:37:02.908839 IP 10.10.231.53.53 > 10.10.161.35.32252: 52154 2/0/0 CNAME web.geo.freebsd.org., A 204.15.11.70 (73)
07:37:02.908946 IP 10.10.161.35.62245 > 10.10.231.53.53: 42407+ AAAA? vuxml.freebsd.org. (35)
07:37:02.909250 IP 10.10.231.53.53 > 10.10.161.35.62245: 42407 2/0/0 CNAME web.geo.freebsd.org., AAAA 2620:11c:5001:1099:1337::20 (85)
mariadb1011-server-10.11.10_1
firefox-134.0.2,2
jimsdesk : 07:37:03 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
07:37:06.177298 IP 10.10.161.35.20902 > 10.10.231.53.53: 24583+ A? vuxml.freebsd.org. (35)
07:37:06.177724 IP 10.10.231.53.53 > 10.10.161.35.20902: 24583 2/0/0 CNAME web.geo.freebsd.org., A 204.15.11.70 (73)
07:37:06.177817 IP 10.10.161.35.59856 > 10.10.231.53.53: 55282+ AAAA? vuxml.freebsd.org. (35)
07:37:06.178110 IP 10.10.231.53.53 > 10.10.161.35.59856: 55282 2/0/0 CNAME web.geo.freebsd.org., AAAA 2620:11c:5001:1099:1337::20 (85)
mariadb1011-server-10.11.10_1
firefox-134.0.2,2
jimsdesk : 07:37:06 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
07:37:08.195197 IP 10.10.161.35.37809 > 10.10.231.53.53: 31892+ A? vuxml.freebsd.org. (35)
07:37:08.195540 IP 10.10.231.53.53 > 10.10.161.35.37809: 31892 2/0/0 CNAME web.geo.freebsd.org., A 204.15.11.70 (73)
07:37:08.195673 IP 10.10.161.35.38430 > 10.10.231.53.53: 27307+ AAAA? vuxml.freebsd.org. (35)
07:37:08.195982 IP 10.10.231.53.53 > 10.10.161.35.38430: 27307 2/0/0 CNAME web.geo.freebsd.org., AAAA 2620:11c:5001:1099:1337::20 (85)
mariadb1011-server-10.11.10_1
firefox-134.0.2,2
jimsdesk : 07:37:08 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
07:37:10.202867 IP 10.10.161.35.50356 > 10.10.231.53.53: 47946+ A? vuxml.freebsd.org. (35)
pkg-static: An error occured while fetching package: No error
pkg-static: cannot fetch vulnxml file
jimsdesk : 07:37:10 /root# 07:37:10.203206 IP 10.10.231.53.53 > 10.10.161.35.50356: 47946 2/0/0 CNAME web.geo.freebsd.org., A 204.15.11.70 (73)
07:37:10.203288 IP 10.10.161.35.38835 > 10.10.231.53.53: 2006+ AAAA? vuxml.freebsd.org. (35)
07:37:10.203591 IP 10.10.231.53.53 > 10.10.161.35.38835: 2006 2/0/0 CNAME web.geo.freebsd.org., AAAA 2620:11c:5001:1099:1337::20 (85)

Jim L. · Monday at 3:53 PM

Using a well-known public DNS server doesn't seem to change things. I'm still not getting enough info from pkg(8) to know whether this is DNS-related or not.

Code:

jimsdesk : 07:56:32 /root# service named stop
Stopping named.
Waiting for PIDS: 80796.
jimsdesk : 07:56:34 /root# grep '^[^#]' /etc/resolv.conf
nameserver 8.8.8.8
jimsdesk : 07:56:43 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
mariadb1011-server-10.11.10_1
firefox-134.0.2,2
jimsdesk : 07:56:56 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
mariadb1011-server-10.11.10_1
firefox-134.0.2,2
jimsdesk : 07:56:58 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
mariadb1011-server-10.11.10_1
firefox-134.0.2,2
jimsdesk : 07:57:00 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
pkg-static: An error occured while fetching package: No error
pkg-static: cannot fetch vulnxml file
jimsdesk : 07:57:02 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
pkg-static: An error occured while fetching package: No error
pkg-static: cannot fetch vulnxml file
jimsdesk : 07:57:05 /root# pkg-static audit -Fq
mariadb1011-server-10.11.10_1
firefox-134.0.2,2

Bottom line, it would be nice if pkg(8) could improve on the diagnostic message "An error occured ...: No error"

SirDice · Monday at 4:16 PM

Maybe it does if you remove the -q option.

Code:

     -q, --quiet
             Be “quiet”.  Prints only the requested information without
             displaying many hints.

Jim L. · Monday at 4:19 PM

SirDice said:
Maybe it does if you remove the -q option.

Sadly, no:

Code:

jimsdesk : 08:14:34 /root# pkg-static audit -F
pkg-static: An error occured while fetching package: No error
pkg-static: cannot fetch vulnxml file
jimsdesk : 08:17:37 /root# pkg-static audit -F
pkg-static: An error occured while fetching package: No error
pkg-static: cannot fetch vulnxml file
jimsdesk : 08:17:39 /root# pkg-static audit -F
pkg-static: An error occured while fetching package: No error
pkg-static: cannot fetch vulnxml file
jimsdesk : 08:17:41 /root# pkg-static audit -F
vulnxml file up-to-date
mariadb1011-server-10.11.10_1 is vulnerable:
  MariaDB -- DoS vulnerability in InnoDB
  CVE: CVE-2025-21490
  WWW: https://vuxml.FreeBSD.org/freebsd/7bcfca95-e563-11ef-873e-8447094a420f.html

firefox-134.0.2,2 is vulnerable:
  mozilla -- multiple vulnerabilities
  CVE: CVE-2025-1017
  CVE: CVE-2025-1014
  CVE: CVE-2025-1013
  CVE: CVE-2025-1011
  WWW: https://vuxml.FreeBSD.org/freebsd/20485d27-e540-11ef-a845-b42e991fc52e.html

  mozilla -- multiple vulnerabilities
  CVE: CVE-2025-1016
  CVE: CVE-2025-1012
  CVE: CVE-2025-1010
  CVE: CVE-2025-1009
  WWW: https://vuxml.FreeBSD.org/freebsd/e54a1413-e539-11ef-a845-b42e991fc52e.html

3 problem(s) in 2 package(s) found.

pkg(8): "An error occured while fetching package: No error"

Jim L.

SirDice

Administrator

Jim L.

Jim L.

SirDice

Administrator

Jim L.