linux-kernel - Re: [AppArmor 39/45] AppArmor: Profile loading and manipulation, pathname matching

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Date:	Fri, 22 Jun 2007 12:49:31 +0200
From:	Lars Marowsky-Bree <lmb@...e.de>
To:	Joshua Brindle <method@...icmethod.com>, david@...g.hm
Cc:	Stephen Smalley <sds@...ho.nsa.gov>,
	James Morris <jmorris@...ei.org>, Pavel Machek <pavel@....cz>,
	Crispin Cowan <crispin@...ell.com>, Greg KH <greg@...ah.com>,
	Andreas Gruenbacher <agruen@...e.de>, jjohansen@...e.de,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
	linux-security-module@...r.kernel.org,
	linux-fsdevel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [AppArmor 39/45] AppArmor: Profile loading and manipulation, pathname matching

On 2007-06-21T23:45:36, Joshua Brindle <method@...icmethod.com> wrote:

> >remember, the policies define a white-list
> 
> Except for unconfined processes.

The argument that AA doesn't mediate what it is not configured to
mediate is correct, yes, but I don't think that's a valid _design_ issue
with AA.

> Or through IPC or the network, that is the point, filesystem only 
> coverage doesn't cut it; there is no way to say the browser can't access 
> the users mail in AA, and there never will be.

We have a variety of filtering mechanisms which are specific to a
domain. iptables filters networking only; file permissions filter file
access only. This argument is not really strong.

<tangent>
If you're now arguing the "spirit of Unix", I can turn your argument
around too: the Unix spirit is to have smallish dedicated tools. If AA
is dedicated to mediating file access, isn't that nice!

AA _could_ be extended to mediate network access and IPC (and this is
WIP). If we had tcpfs and ipcfs - you know, everything is a filesystem,
the Linux spirit! ;-) - AA could mediate them as well.
</tangent>

However, we're discussing the way it mediates file accesses here,
for which it appears useful and capable of functionality which SELinux's
approach cannot provide.

Regards,
    Lars

-- 
Teamlead Kernel, SuSE Labs, Research and Development
SUSE LINUX Products GmbH, GF: Markus Rex, HRB 16746 (AG Nürnberg)
"Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes." -- Oscar Wilde

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