linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH -repost 05/21] kgr: update Kconfig documentation

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Date:	Fri, 04 Jul 2014 11:14:54 +0200
From:	Jiri Slaby <jslaby@...e.cz>
To:	Pavel Machek <pavel@....cz>, Jiri Kosina <jkosina@...e.cz>
CC:	One Thousand Gnomes <gnomes@...rguk.ukuu.org.uk>,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, tj@...nel.org, rostedt@...dmis.org,
	mingo@...hat.com, akpm@...ux-foundation.org, andi@...stfloor.org,
	paulmck@...ux.vnet.ibm.com, jirislaby@...il.com,
	Vojtech Pavlik <vojtech@...e.cz>, Michael Matz <matz@...e.de>,
	Udo Seidel <udoseidel@....de>
Subject: Re: [PATCH -repost 05/21] kgr: update Kconfig documentation

On 06/27/2014 09:18 PM, Pavel Machek wrote:
>>> This now writes:
>>> +       help
>>> +         Select this to enable kGraft online kernel patching. The
>>> +         runtime price is nearly zero, so it is safe to say Y here
>>> +         provided you are aware of all the consequences (e.g. in
>>> +         security).
>>>
>>> Is it OK with you?
>>
>> This might cause a false impression that we are actually opening a 
>> security hole into a system, which is not true at all.
>>
>> Yes, backdoor writeres might (or might not) make use of kGraft API, but 
>> they have gazillion of other comparable options (*probes, ftrace, 
>> text_poke(), ...).
>>
>> I'd perhaps propose something like
>>
>> "Select this to enable kGraft live kernel patching. The runtime penalty is 
>> nearly zero, so it is safe to say Y here if you want the kernel to expose 
>> API for live patching to modules".
> 
> Well. People that are not distro vendors will not prepare patches for
> themselves, right?

Hi, why do you believe so? But it is not so important, see below.

> And patches prepared for suse will not work on
> self-configured kernels.
> 
> So probably everyone should say "N" here...

The text is formulated correctly and satisfies your concerns, I think.
Say Y, if you want the API...

thanks,
-- 
js
suse labs
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