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

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Date:	Sun, 7 Sep 2008 14:53:31 +0200
From:	Pavel Machek <pavel@...e.cz>
To:	Ingo Molnar <mingo@...e.hu>
Cc:	Willy Tarreau <w@....eu>,
	Benjamin Herrenschmidt <benh@...nel.crashing.org>,
	pageexec@...email.hu, Andi Kleen <andi@...stfloor.org>,
	Arjan van de Ven <arjan@...radead.org>,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, tglx@...x.de, hpa@...or.com
Subject: Re: [patch] Add basic sanity checks to the syscall execution patch

On Sat 2008-09-06 17:45:51, Ingo Molnar wrote:
> 
> * Willy Tarreau <w@....eu> wrote:
> 
> > Then they will simply proceed like this :
> >   - patch /boot/vmlinuz
> >   - sync
> >   - crash system
> > 
> > => user says "oh crap" and presses the reset button. Patched kernel boots.
> >    Game over. Patching vmlinuz for known targetted distros is even easier
> >    because the attacker just has to embed binary changes for the most
> >    common distro kernels.
> 
> a reboot often raises attention. But yes, in terms of end user boxes, 
> probably not. Anyway, my points were about transparent rootkits 
> installed on a running system without anyone noticing - obviously if the 
> attacker can modify the kernel image and the user does not mind a reboot 
> it's game over.

Well, install a rootkit in /boot/vmlinuz, sync, then wait for user to
reboot its system?

Even well-kept servers are rebooted from time to time.

I agree -- the only way to win is not to play this game.

-- 
(english) http://www.livejournal.com/~pavelmachek
(cesky, pictures) http://atrey.karlin.mff.cuni.cz/~pavel/picture/horses/blog.html
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