linux-kernel - Re: [oss-security] [patch] proc.5: tell how to parse /proc/*/stat correctly

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Date:   Wed, 28 Dec 2022 13:02:35 -0500
From:   Demi Marie Obenour <demi@...isiblethingslab.com>
To:     oss-security@...ts.openwall.com
Cc:     Alejandro Colomar <alx.manpages@...il.com>,
        Michael Kerrisk <mtk.manpages@...il.com>,
        linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, linux-man@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [oss-security] [patch] proc.5: tell how to parse /proc/*/stat
 correctly

On Wed, Dec 28, 2022 at 12:25:17PM -0500, Shawn Webb wrote:
> On Wed, Dec 28, 2022 at 11:47:25AM -0500, Demi Marie Obenour wrote:
> > On Wed, Dec 28, 2022 at 10:24:58AM -0500, Shawn Webb wrote:
> > > On Tue, Dec 27, 2022 at 04:44:49PM -0800, Lyndon Nerenberg (VE7TFX/VE6BBM) wrote:
> > > > Dominique Martinet writes:
> > > > 
> > > > > But, really, I just don't see how this can practically be said to be parsable...
> > > > 
> > > > In its current form it never will be.  The solution is to place
> > > > this variable-length field last.  Then you can "cut -d ' ' -f 51-"
> > > > to get the command+args part (assuming I counted all those fields
> > > > correctly ...)
> > > > 
> > > > Of course, this breaks backwards compatability.
> > > 
> > > It would also break forwards compatibility in the case new fields
> > > needed to be added.
> > > 
> > > The only solution would be a libxo-style feature wherein a
> > > machine-parseable format is exposed by virtue of a file extension.
> > > 
> > > Examples:
> > > 
> > > 1. /proc/pid/stats.json
> > > 2. /proc/pid/stats.xml
> > > 3. /proc/pid/stats.yaml_shouldnt_be_a_thing
> > 
> > A binary format would be even better.  No risk of ambiguity.
> 
> I think the argument I'm trying to make is to be flexible in
> implementation, allowing for future needs and wants--that is "future
> proofing".

Linux should not have an XML, JSON, or YAML serializer.  Linux already
does way too much; let’s not add one more thing to the list.
-- 
Sincerely,
Demi Marie Obenour (she/her/hers)
Invisible Things Lab

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