linux-kernel - Re: [patch] Add basic sanity checks to the syscall execution patch

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Date:	Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:14:07 +1000
From:	Benjamin Herrenschmidt <benh@...nel.crashing.org>
To:	pageexec@...email.hu
Cc:	Andi Kleen <andi@...stfloor.org>,
	Arjan van de Ven <arjan@...radead.org>,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, mingo@...e.hu, tglx@...x.de,
	hpa@...or.org
Subject: Re: [patch] Add basic sanity checks to the syscall execution patch

On Fri, 2008-09-05 at 11:43 +0200, pageexec@...email.hu wrote:
> > I'd have considered taking your email serious if you had left out the
> > uncalled and unneeded sarcasm line at the end.
> 
> consider how your whole patch is based on one big self-contradiction.
> you already assume that the attacker *can* modify arbitrary kernel memory
> (even the otherwise *read-only* syscall table at that), but at the very
> same time you're saying he *can't* use the same powers to patch out your
> 'protection' or do many other things to evade it. as it is, it's cargo cult
> security at its best, reminding one on the Vista kernel's similar 'protection' 
> mechanism for the service descriptor tables...

Well, I see it a different way ... it will once for all screw up
binary modules that try to add syscalls :-)

Ben.

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