linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH 1/1] kernel/sysctl.c: Add cap_last

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Message-Id: <20111017153936.c47a27ff.akpm@linux-foundation.org>
Date:	Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:39:36 -0700
From:	Andrew Morton <akpm@...ux-foundation.org>
To:	Dan Ballard <dan@...dstab.net>
Cc:	Randy Dunlap <rdunlap@...otime.net>, Ingo Molnar <mingo@...e.hu>,
	Lennart Poettering <lennart@...ttering.net>,
	Kay Sievers <kay.sievers@...y.org>,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH 1/1] kernel/sysctl.c: Add cap_last_cap to
 /proc/sys/kernel

On Sat, 15 Oct 2011 07:50:05 -0700
Dan Ballard <dan@...dstab.net> wrote:

> Userspace needs to know the highest valid capability of the running
> kernel, which right now cannot reliably be retrieved from the header
> files only.  The fact that this value cannot be determined properly
> right now creates various problems for libraries compiled on newer
> header files which are run on older kernels. They assume
> capabilities are available which actually aren't.

Specfically, what libraries are we talking about here?

> Now the capability is exported in /proc/sys/kernel/cap_last_cap.

Ever the optimist: is there any way in which we can avoid 0444
permissions on this?
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