linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH 0/2] efi: Enhance capsule loader to support signed Quark images

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Message-ID: <1fb1a428-672b-be4b-e05b-4363c4b286dd@nexus-software.ie>
Date:   Tue, 28 Feb 2017 15:07:45 +0000
From:   Bryan O'Donoghue <pure.logic@...us-software.ie>
To:     Andy Shevchenko <andy.shevchenko@...il.com>,
        Ard Biesheuvel <ard.biesheuvel@...aro.org>
Cc:     Matt Fleming <matt@...eblueprint.co.uk>,
        Jan Kiszka <jan.kiszka@...mens.com>,
        "Kweh, Hock Leong" <hock.leong.kweh@...el.com>,
        "linux-efi@...r.kernel.org" <linux-efi@...r.kernel.org>,
        Linux Kernel Mailing List <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
        Borislav Petkov <bp@...en8.de>,
        "Ong, Boon Leong" <boon.leong.ong@...el.com>,
        "Mok, Tze Siong" <tze.siong.mok@...el.com>
Subject: Re: [PATCH 0/2] efi: Enhance capsule loader to support signed Quark
 images

On 28/02/17 13:36, Andy Shevchenko wrote:
> On Tue, Feb 28, 2017 at 3:35 PM, Andy Shevchenko
> <andy.shevchenko@...il.com> wrote:
>> On Tue, Feb 28, 2017 at 3:25 PM, Ard Biesheuvel
>> <ard.biesheuvel@...aro.org> wrote:
>>> On 28 February 2017 at 12:29, Matt Fleming <matt@...eblueprint.co.uk> wrote:
>>>> On Tue, 28 Feb, at 01:20:25PM, Jan Kiszka wrote:
>>
>>> As I said before, I'd be ok with it if we select it compile time,
>>> i.e., no runtime logic that infers whether we are running on such a
>>> system or not, and no carrying both implementations in all kernels
>>> that have capsule loading built in.
>>
>> Actually it most likely that Quark kernel (kernel compiled to be run
>> on Quark) will be ever used on the rest of (modern) x86 since it's
>> 486+ architecture (kernel has specific option for it, 586TSC).
> 
> + it's UP only!
> 
>> So, we might just be dependent or chosen by Quark.
> 

Still though the current ia32 kernel runs on Quark and all other ia32
systems. It would be a pity/shame to make this feature dependent on
compiling a Quark specific kernel, after all its only a header on a
capsule as opposed to a large hardware-level architectural divergence.

I'd still like us to try for a low-fat hook that would a big fat ia32
kernel just work without having to force a user compile up a
Quark-specific kernel.

-- 
bod