Message-ID: <CACYkzJ7oxFA3u9eKDpKgCsZsYsBojVJPHVeHZnVaYQ5e9DavmQ@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 20 May 2025 00:20:12 +0200
From: KP Singh <kpsingh@...nel.org>
To: Paul Moore <paul@...l-moore.com>
Cc: Alexei Starovoitov <alexei.starovoitov@...il.com>, 
	Blaise Boscaccy <bboscaccy@...ux.microsoft.com>, 
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	Linus Torvalds <torvalds@...ux-foundation.org>
Subject: Re: [PATCH v3 0/4] Introducing Hornet LSM

On Sun, May 18, 2025 at 11:34 PM Paul Moore <paul@...l-moore.com> wrote:
>
> On Sun, May 18, 2025 at 11:52 AM Alexei Starovoitov
> <alexei.starovoitov@...il.com> wrote:
> > On Sat, May 17, 2025 at 10:49 PM Paul Moore <paul@...l-moore.com> wrote:
> > > On May 17, 2025 12:13:50 PM Alexei Starovoitov
> > > <alexei.starovoitov@...il.com> wrote:
> > > > On Sat, May 17, 2025 at 8:03 AM Paul Moore <paul@...l-moore.com> wrote:
> > > >> On Fri, May 16, 2025 at 7:49 PM Alexei Starovoitov
> > > >> <alexei.starovoitov@...il.com> wrote:
> > > >>> On Fri, May 16, 2025 at 12:49 PM Paul Moore <paul@...l-moore.com> wrote:
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> I think we need some clarification on a few of these details, it would
> > > >>>> be good if you could answer the questions below about the
> > > >>>> authorization aspects of your design?
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> * Is the signature validation code in the BPF verifier *always* going
> > > >>>> to be enforced when a signature is passed in from userspace?  In other
> > > >>>> words, in your design is there going to be either a kernel build time
> > > >>>> or runtime configuration knob that could selectively enable (or
> > > >>>> disable) signature verification in the BPF verifier?
> > > >>>
> > > >>> If there is a signature in union bpf_attr and it's incorrect
> > > >>> the prog_load command will be rejected.
> > > >>> No point in adding a knob to control that.
> > > >>
> > > >> I agree that when a signature is provided and that signature check
> > > >> fails, the BPF load should be rejected.  I'm simply trying to
> > > >> understand how you envision your design handling all of the cases, not
> > > >> just this one, as well as what build and runtime options you expect
> > > >> for controlling various aspects of this behavior.
> > > >>
> > > >>>> * In the case where the signature validation code in the BPF verifier
> > > >>>> is active, what happens when a signature is *not* passed in from
> > > >>>> userspace?  Will the BPF verifier allow the program load to take
> > > >>>> place?  Will the load operation be blocked?  Will the load operation
> > > >>>> be subject to a more granular policy, and if so, how do you plan to
> > > >>>> incorporate that policy decision into the BPF program load path?
> > > >>>
> > > >>> If there is no signature the existing loading semantics will remain intact.
> > > >>> We can discuss whether to add a sysctl or cgroup knob to disallow
> > > >>> loading when signature is not present ...
> > > >>
> > > >> As mentioned earlier this week, if the BPF verifier is performing the
> > > >> signature verification as KP described, we will need a LSM hook after
> > > >> the verifier to serve as an access control point.  Of course that
> > > >> doesn't preclude the addition of some type of sysctl/cgroup/whatever
> > > >> based access control, but the LSM hook would be needed regardless.
> > > >
> > > > No. New hook is not needed.
> > >
> > > It would be good for you to explain how the existing LSM hook is sufficient
> > > to authorize the loading of a BPF program using the signature validation
> > > state determined in the BPF verifier.
> >
> > I already explained:
> > .. a job of trivial LSM:
> > if (prog_attr doesn't have signature &&
> >    (task == .. || task is under certain cgroup || whatever))
> >   disallow.
>
> I read that earlier reply as an example that covers a sample use case,
> I didn't realize you were asserting that was the only approach you
> were considering.  Perhaps that was the source of confusion earlier,
> we may disagree, but I don't intentionally "twist" words; not only is
> that rude, it's just stupid in public, archived discussions.
>
> As I mentioned previously, we really need to see an explicit yes/no
> flag from the BPF verifier to indicate that the signature on the BPF
> program has been validated.  It really should be as simple as adding a
> bool to bpf_prog_aux which the BPF verifier sets to true upon
> successful signature validation, and then an LSM can use this flag as
> input to an access control decision in a hook placed after the
> verifier.  Are you objecting to the addition of a flag in the
> bpf_prog_aux struct (or some other struct tightly coupled to the BPF
> program), the LSM hook after the verifier, or both?  It would also be
> helpful if you can elaborate on the technical reasons behind these
> objections.

Neither the aux field, nor the hook are required because:

* If the signature is passed, it will be enforced, there are no
"runtime aspects" that need to be configurable here.
* What the LSM can specify a policy for is when a signature is not
passed, for this, it does not need an aux field or a signature or the
new hook, existing hooks are sufficient.

- KP

>
> --
> paul-moore.com

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