linux-kernel - Re: [malware-list] TALPA - a threat model? well sorta.

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Message-Id: <20080818102552.C71C42FE81F@pmx1.sophos.com>
Date:	Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:24:44 +0100
From:	tvrtko.ursulin@...hos.com
To:	Peter Zijlstra <peterz@...radead.org>
Cc:	alan@...rguk.ukuu.org.uk, andi@...stfloor.org,
	Arjan van de Ven <arjan@...radead.org>,
	douglas.leeder@...hos.com, hch@...radead.org,
	Helge Hafting <helge.hafting@...el.hist.no>,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, malware-list@...ts.printk.net,
	malware-list-bounces@...sg.printk.net, viro@...IV.linux.org.uk
Subject: Re: [malware-list] TALPA - a threat model?  well sorta.

Peter Zijlstra wrote on 18/08/2008 11:14:00:

> On Mon, 2008-08-18 at 12:09 +0200, Helge Hafting wrote:
> > 
> > Scanning on open should be a last resort. Scan in advance when you 
can.
> > Of course, removable media cannot be scanned until it is inserted and 
> > mounted,
> > that is obvious. The scanning can start as soon as the filesystem is 
> > mounted though,
> > there is no reason to wait until users try to access something.
> > 
> > A CD inserted into a CD-server may not necessarily be needed 
immediately, so
> > scanning in advance will help here too. The user inserting a CD in a 
home
> > computer may start to use stuff right away, or perhaps he spends
> > some time reading the docs before a complicated install. Sill room for 
some
> > scanning in advance, which also may end up with the nice effect of 
> > caching the CD.
> 
> Hmm, then there is the issue that an active scanner will avoid me from
> removing the media again. Most annoysome when the machine won't promptly
> give back the disk.
> 
> Imagine me browsing through a stack of unmarked dvd-rw media trying to
> find the one with the right file on it, but having to wait every time
> for the whole media to get scanned..
> 
> Not a nice picture.

I agree. And not only that but also the fact that most of the time I would 
not want mount to trigger a background scan of everything because not all 
might be accessed later. Therefore it would be just wasting resources and 
ruining user experience. This argument is flawed in a way that is 
unsolvable in the same way normal preload to page cache is unsolvable 
because it is impossible to predict the usage pattern.

--
Tvrtko A. Ursulin
Senior Software Engineer, Sophos

"Views and opinions expressed in this email are strictly those of the 
author.
 The contents has not been reviewed or approved by Sophos."
 

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