Follow @Openwall on Twitter for new release announcements and other news
[<prev] [next>] [<thread-prev] [thread-next>] [day] [month] [year] [list]
Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2012 13:01:17 -0700
From: Andrew Lutomirski <luto@....edu>
To: Andrew Morton <akpm@...ux-foundation.org>
Cc: Will Drewry <wad@...omium.org>, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, 
	linux-security-module@...r.kernel.org, linux-arch@...r.kernel.org, 
	linux-doc@...r.kernel.org, kernel-hardening@...ts.openwall.com, 
	netdev@...r.kernel.org, x86@...nel.org, arnd@...db.de, davem@...emloft.net, 
	hpa@...or.com, mingo@...hat.com, oleg@...hat.com, peterz@...radead.org, 
	rdunlap@...otime.net, mcgrathr@...omium.org, tglx@...utronix.de, 
	eparis@...hat.com, serge.hallyn@...onical.com, djm@...drot.org, 
	scarybeasts@...il.com, indan@....nu, pmoore@...hat.com, corbet@....net, 
	eric.dumazet@...il.com, markus@...omium.org, coreyb@...ux.vnet.ibm.com, 
	keescook@...omium.org, jmorris@...ei.org, 
	Andy Lutomirski <luto@...capital.net>, linux-man@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH v17 01/15] Add PR_{GET,SET}_NO_NEW_PRIVS to prevent execve
 from granting privs

On Fri, Apr 6, 2012 at 12:55 PM, Andrew Morton
<akpm@...ux-foundation.org> wrote:
> On Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:01:46 -0500
> Will Drewry <wad@...omium.org> wrote:
>
>> From: Andy Lutomirski <luto@...capital.net>
>>
>> With this set, a lot of dangerous operations (chroot, unshare, etc)
>> become a lot less dangerous because there is no possibility of
>> subverting privileged binaries.
>
> The changelog doesn't explain the semantics of the new syscall.
> There's a comment way-down-there which I guess suffices, if you hunt
> for it.
>
> And the changelog doesn't explain why this is being added.  Presumably
> seccomp_filter wants/needs this feature but whowhatwherewhenwhy?  Spell
> it all out, please.
>
> The new syscall mode will be documented in the prctl manpage.  Please
> cc linux-man@...r.kernel.org and work with Michael on getting this
> done?

This has been bugging me for awhile.  Is there any interest in moving
the manpages into the kernel source tree?  Then there could be a
general requirement that new APIs get documented when they're written.

(There are plenty of barely- or incompletely-documented syscalls.
futex and relatives come to mind.)

--Andy

Powered by blists - more mailing lists

Confused about mailing lists and their use? Read about mailing lists on Wikipedia and check out these guidelines on proper formatting of your messages.