linux-kernel - Re: [capabilities] Allow normal inheritance for a configurable set of capabilities

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Date:	Mon, 2 Feb 2015 12:37:54 -0800
From:	Andy Lutomirski <luto@...capital.net>
To:	Serge Hallyn <serge.hallyn@...ntu.com>
Cc:	Casey Schaufler <casey@...aufler-ca.com>,
	Christoph Lameter <cl@...ux.com>,
	Serge Hallyn <serge.hallyn@...onical.com>,
	Jonathan Corbet <corbet@....net>,
	Aaron Jones <aaronmdjones@...il.com>,
	"Ted Ts'o" <tytso@....edu>,
	LSM List <linux-security-module@...r.kernel.org>,
	"linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org" <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
	Andrew Morton <akpm@...uxfoundation.org>
Subject: Re: [capabilities] Allow normal inheritance for a configurable set of capabilities

On Mon, Feb 2, 2015 at 10:08 AM, Serge Hallyn <serge.hallyn@...ntu.com> wrote:
> Quoting Casey Schaufler (casey@...aufler-ca.com):
>> I'm game to participate in such an effort. The POSIX scheme
>> is workable, but given that it's 20 years old and hasn't
>> developed real traction it's hard to call it successful.
>
> Over the years we've several times discussed possible reasons for this
> and how to help.  I personally think it's two things:  1. lack of
> toolchain and fs support.  The fact that we cannot to this day enable
> ping using capabilities by default because of cpio, tar and non-xattr
> filesystems is disheartening.  2. It's hard for users and applications
> to know what caps they need.  yes the API is a bear to use, but we can
> hide that behind fancier libraries.  But using capabilities requires too
> much in-depth knowledge of precisely what caps you might need for
> whatever operations library may now do when you asked for something.

None of this could address the problem here, though: if I hold a
capability and I want to pass that capability to an exec'd helper, I
shouldn't need the fs's help to do this.

--Andy
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