This bites me as well. I tried symlinking /usr/bin/apt-key to /bin/true but that also fails.
Strace shows: 24419 execve("/usr/bin/apt-key", ["/usr/bin/apt-key", "--quiet", "--readonly", "verify", "--status-fd", "3", "/tmp/apt.sig.masxvS", "/tmp/apt.data.Orpf94"], [/* 25 vars */]) = -1 EPERM (Operation not permitted) 24419 write(2, "Couldn't execute /usr/bin/apt-key to check /var/lib/apt/lists/no.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_xenial_InRelease", 113) = 113 ... 24418 write(2, "Sub-process apt-key returned an error code (111)", 48) = 48 24418 exit_group(111) = ? ... 24417 write(2, "gpgv exited with status 111\n", 28) = 28 So the finger pointing at gpgv seems to be in error. Though running it with strace might change things as well. Apparmor is running on the machine and is enforcing (as a default setting, I did nothing specific to either enable or disable anything in it, or even initiate installation or enforcement), but nothing is logged about apt-key. ** Attachment added: "ubuntu-bug apt report" https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apt/+bug/1577926/+attachment/4710581/+files/apport.apt.l5bhmhue.apport -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Touch seeded packages, which is subscribed to apt in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1577926 Title: apt-key works fine, yet apt fails with "Could not execute 'apt-key'" Status in apt package in Ubuntu: New Bug description: Apt can fail to verify a Release file which verifies just fine when calling apt-key directly. Please advise how i can supply further debug information to help fix the underlying bug. Expected: apt-get should only report that a repository is not signed when no such signature was found. If a signature was in fact successfully acquired but not verified, apt-get should report failure to verify instead. apt-get should have a meaningful error message when calling apt-key fails. Bonus: Calling apt-key should not fail when the same thing works fine on command line. A reference to "Debug::Acquire::gpgv" should be in apt-secure(8) documentation. Observed: # uname -a Linux hostname 4.4.0-21-generic #37-Ubuntu SMP Mon Apr 18 18:34:49 UTC 2016 i686 i686 i686 GNU/Linux # chroot reproducable $ uname -a Linux hostname 4.4.0-21-generic #37-Ubuntu SMP Mon Apr 18 18:34:49 UTC 2016 armv7l armv7l armv7l GNU/Linux $ lsb_release -a 2>/dev/null Distributor ID: Ubuntu Description: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS Release: 16.04 Codename: xenial $ apt-get -o "Debug::Acquire::gpgv=true" update Get:1 http://ports.ubuntu.com xenial-security InRelease [92.2 kB] 0% [1 InRelease gpgv 92.2 kB]igners Preparing to exec: /usr/bin/apt-key --quiet --readonly verify --status-fd 3 /tmp/apt.sig.jYGUCG /tmp/apt.data.uTkX1c gpgv exited with status 111 Summary: Good: Bad: Worthless: SoonWorthless: NoPubKey: Ign:1 http://ports.ubuntu.com xenial-security InRelease Fetched 92.2 kB in 1s (79.5 kB/s) Reading package lists... Done W: GPG error: http://ports.ubuntu.com xenial-security InRelease: Could not execute 'apt-key' to verify signature (is gnupg installed?) W: The repository 'http://ports.ubuntu.com xenial-security InRelease' is not signed. N: Data from such a repository can't be authenticated and is therefore potentially dangerous to use. N: See apt-secure(8) manpage for repository creation and user configuration details. $ /usr/bin/apt-key --quiet --readonly verify --status-fd /dev/stderr /tmp/apt.sig.jYGUCG /tmp/apt.data.uTkX1c gpgv: Signature made Tue May 3 19:02:17 2016 UTC using DSA key ID 437D05B5 [GNUPG:] SIG_ID e53PXRjA/EMb7CuZJtAicvvUm60 2016-05-03 1462302137 [GNUPG:] GOODSIG 40976EAF437D05B5 Ubuntu Archive Automatic Signing Key <ftpmas...@ubuntu.com> gpgv: Good signature from "Ubuntu Archive Automatic Signing Key <ftpmas...@ubuntu.com>" [GNUPG:] VALIDSIG 630239CC130E1A7FD81A27B140976EAF437D05B5 2016-05-03 1462302137 0 4 0 17 10 01 630239CC130E1A7FD81A27B140976EAF437D05B5 gpgv: Signature made Tue May 3 19:02:17 2016 UTC using RSA key ID C0B21F32 [GNUPG:] SIG_ID kCsrLo9VUm7YcYhhqQUw2fbWoY4 2016-05-03 1462302137 [GNUPG:] GOODSIG 3B4FE6ACC0B21F32 Ubuntu Archive Automatic Signing Key (2012) <ftpmas...@ubuntu.com> gpgv: Good signature from "Ubuntu Archive Automatic Signing Key (2012) <ftpmas...@ubuntu.com>" [GNUPG:] VALIDSIG 790BC7277767219C42C86F933B4FE6ACC0B21F32 2016-05-03 1462302137 0 4 0 1 10 01 790BC7277767219C42C86F933B4FE6ACC0B21F32 To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apt/+bug/1577926/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages Post to : touch-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp