linux-kernel - Re: [capabilities] Allow normal inheritance for a configurable set of capabilities

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Date:	Mon, 2 Feb 2015 18:08:06 +0000
From:	Serge Hallyn <serge.hallyn@...ntu.com>
To:	Casey Schaufler <casey@...aufler-ca.com>
Cc:	Christoph Lameter <cl@...ux.com>,
	Serge Hallyn <serge.hallyn@...onical.com>,
	Andy Lutomirski <luto@...capital.net>,
	Jonathan Corbet <corbet@....net>,
	Aaron Jones <aaronmdjones@...il.com>, Ted Ts'o <tytso@....edu>,
	linux-security-module@...r.kernel.org,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, akpm@...uxfoundation.org
Subject: Re: [capabilities] Allow normal inheritance for a configurable set
 of capabilities

Quoting Casey Schaufler (casey@...aufler-ca.com):
> I'm game to participate in such an effort. The POSIX scheme
> is workable, but given that it's 20 years old and hasn't
> developed real traction it's hard to call it successful.

Over the years we've several times discussed possible reasons for this
and how to help.  I personally think it's two things:  1. lack of
toolchain and fs support.  The fact that we cannot to this day enable
ping using capabilities by default because of cpio, tar and non-xattr
filesystems is disheartening.  2. It's hard for users and applications
to know what caps they need.  yes the API is a bear to use, but we can
hide that behind fancier libraries.  But using capabilities requires too
much in-depth knowledge of precisely what caps you might need for
whatever operations library may now do when you asked for something. 
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