Myself believes to had encountered once the opinion AnyConnect for Linux client invocation command to not need sudo.
Is that true?
Cisco Secure Mobility Client AnyConnect 4.10.latest for Linux in use here.
In the case here AnyConnect GUI starts upon following command string
sudo /opt/cisco/anyconnect/bin/vpnui
Start fails if to start without sudo.
The problem however is GUI tries to open Firefox (as MFA is in use) however Firefox does not support be operating as root in a regular user's session.
How to resolve?
Actually other web browser installed to system is the default system-wide. For some unclear reason AnyConnect and MFA start Firefox which is also installed and generally in use.
$ /opt/cisco/anyconnect/bin/vpnui
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.503: invalid (NULL) pointer instance
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.503: g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.503: invalid (NULL) pointer instance
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.503: g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.503: invalid (NULL) pointer instance
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.503: g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.503: invalid (NULL) pointer instance
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.503: g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.503: invalid (NULL) pointer instance
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.503: g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.503: invalid (NULL) pointer instance
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.503: g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.504: invalid (NULL) pointer instance
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.504: g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.504: gtk_application_add_window: assertion 'GTK_IS_WINDOW (window)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.504: g_object_ref: assertion 'G_IS_OBJECT (object)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.504: g_object_ref_sink: assertion 'G_IS_OBJECT (object)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.504: gtk_window_set_title: assertion 'GTK_IS_WINDOW (window)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: invalid (NULL) pointer instance
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: invalid (NULL) pointer instance
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: invalid (NULL) pointer instance
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: invalid (NULL) pointer instance
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: invalid (NULL) pointer instance
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: invalid (NULL) pointer instance
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: invalid (NULL) pointer instance
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: invalid (NULL) pointer instance
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: invalid (NULL) pointer instance
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: invalid (NULL) pointer instance
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: invalid (NULL) pointer instance
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.573: gtk_widget_show: assertion 'GTK_IS_WIDGET (widget)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.716: gtk_widget_destroy: assertion 'GTK_IS_WIDGET (widget)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.716: g_object_unref: assertion 'G_IS_OBJECT (object)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.716: gtk_widget_destroy: assertion 'GTK_IS_WIDGET (widget)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.716: g_object_unref: assertion 'G_IS_OBJECT (object)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.718: gtk_widget_destroy: assertion 'GTK_IS_WIDGET (widget)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.718: g_object_unref: assertion 'G_IS_OBJECT (object)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.718: gtk_widget_destroy: assertion 'GTK_IS_WIDGET (widget)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.718: g_object_unref: assertion 'G_IS_OBJECT (object)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.718: gtk_widget_destroy: assertion 'GTK_IS_WIDGET (widget)' failed
(com.cisco.anyconnect.gui:2808): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:15:38.718: g_object_unref: assertion 'G_IS_OBJECT (object)' failed
$
$ sudo /opt/cisco/anyconnect/bin/vpnui
[sudo] password for userA:
Running Firefox as root in a regular user's session is not supported. ($XAUTHORITY is /home/userA/.Xauthority which is owned by userA.)
$
https://community.cisco.com/t5/vpn/cisco-smc-anyconnect-on-linux/m-p/5014823/highlight/true#M293516
This fix doesn't resolve the Firefox-related point - AnyConnectClient plus MFA do still invoke Firefox but anyconnect GUI is started as root which Firefox doesn't support.
