[docs] document helper installation

1 files changed, 24 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/docs/hacking/index.rst b/docs/hacking/index.rst
index 489e257a..62a11869 100644
--- a/docs/hacking/index.rst
+++ b/docs/hacking/index.rst
@@ -116,6 +116,30 @@ Debugging Bitmask
 A must-read for debugging the Bitmask Core daemon is the :ref:`manhole HowTo <manhole>`.
 
 
+Bitmask privileged runner
+----------------------------------
+
+For launching VPN and the firewall, Bitmask needs to run with administrative
+privileges.  In linux, ``bitmask_root`` is the component that runs with root
+privileges. We currently depend on ``pkexec`` and ``polkit`` to execute it as
+root. In order to do that, Bitmask needs to put some policykit helper files in a
+place that is root-writeable.
+
+If you have installed Bitmask from some distro package, these folders should be
+already in place. If you're running the Bitmask bundles, the first time you will
+be prompted to authenticate to allow these helpers to be copied over (or any
+time that these helpers change).
+
+However, if you're running bitmask in a headless environment, you will want to
+copy the helpers manually, without involving pkexec. To do that, use::
+
+  sudo `which bitmask_helpers` install 
+
+You can also uninstall them::
+
+  sudo `which bitmask_helpers` uninstall 
+
+
 How to contribute code
 ---------------------------------