linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH v2 0/3] initramfs: add support for xattrs in the initial ram disk

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Message-Id: <1557488971.10635.102.camel@linux.ibm.com>
Date:   Fri, 10 May 2019 07:49:31 -0400
From:   Mimi Zohar <zohar@...ux.ibm.com>
To:     Roberto Sassu <roberto.sassu@...wei.com>,
        Rob Landley <rob@...dley.net>, viro@...iv.linux.org.uk
Cc:     linux-security-module@...r.kernel.org,
        linux-integrity@...r.kernel.org, initramfs@...r.kernel.org,
        linux-api@...r.kernel.org, linux-fsdevel@...r.kernel.org,
        linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, zohar@...ux.vnet.ibm.com,
        silviu.vlasceanu@...wei.com, dmitry.kasatkin@...wei.com,
        takondra@...co.com, kamensky@...co.com, hpa@...or.com,
        arnd@...db.de, james.w.mcmechan@...il.com
Subject: Re: [PATCH v2 0/3] initramfs: add support for xattrs in the initial
 ram disk

On Fri, 2019-05-10 at 08:56 +0200, Roberto Sassu wrote:
> On 5/9/2019 8:34 PM, Rob Landley wrote:
> > On 5/9/19 6:24 AM, Roberto Sassu wrote:

> >> The difference with another proposal
> >> (https://lore.kernel.org/patchwork/cover/888071/) is that xattrs can be
> >> included in an image without changing the image format, as opposed to
> >> defining a new one. As seen from the discussion, if a new format has to be
> >> defined, it should fix the issues of the existing format, which requires
> >> more time.
> > 
> > So you've explicitly chosen _not_ to address Y2038 while you're there.
> 
> Can you be more specific?

Right, this patch set avoids incrementing the CPIO magic number and
the resulting changes required (eg. increasing the timestamp field
size), by including a file with the security xattrs in the CPIO.  In
either case, including the security xattrs in the initramfs header or
as a separate file, the initramfs, itself, needs to be signed.

Mimi