linux-kernel - Re: super root shell/mode/api

lists.openwall.net		lists / announce owl-users owl-dev john-users john-dev passwdqc-users yescrypt popa3d-users / oss-security kernel-hardening musl sabotage tlsify passwords / crypt-dev xvendor / Bugtraq Full-Disclosure linux-kernel linux-netdev linux-ext4 linux-hardening linux-cve-announce PHC
Open Source and information security mailing list archives

Hash Suite: Windows password security audit tool. GUI, reports in PDF.

[<prev] [next>] [<thread-prev] [thread-next>] [day] [month] [year] [list]

Message-ID: <20090518103545.6603b08e@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk>
Date:	Mon, 18 May 2009 10:35:45 +0100
From:	Alan Cox <alan@...rguk.ukuu.org.uk>
To:	Andrea <andrea256it@...oo.it>
Cc:	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: super root shell/mode/api

> Some days ago I've lost some important data on a Linux
> machine, because of an out of memory and swap situation.
> 
> When I was coding on c-64 and it crashes I pressed my
> Cartridge button and could save what I wanted, execute
> code and so on. Some may remember this old school times :)
> 
> Now 20 years has passed and a web page can block my whole
> machine?!?!?!?

Your distribution failed to configure your system sensibly in that case.
Linux has supported a strict overcommit mode for some years, and in that
mode a process isn't permitted to drive the system so far out of memory
it locks up or hangs.

You can also set some limits on a given process (which with certain
versions of firefox - especially old ones or if you have the flash plugin
is a good idea).

First call  - ask your distribution why it isn't using strict overcommit.
--
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@...r.kernel.org
More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at  http://www.tux.org/lkml/