Re: Announcing RSX - non exec stack/heap module

From: Paul Starzetz (paulat_private)
Date: Thu Jun 07 2001 - 10:49:29 PDT

  • Next message: Crispin Cowan: "Re: Announcing RSX - non exec stack/heap module"

    Thomas Dullien wrote:
    > 
    > > It would appearat first glance  that RSX uses the same technique as PAX.
    > > Naturally, the PAX and RSX teams should confer to make a definitive
    > > statement on similarities and differences.
    > 
    > Just for the record, the technique bears no similarity. PAX provides
    > real, non-executable PAGES on x86 -- RSX remaps the heap segments
    > outside of the code segment limit.
    
    To be more precise: RSX does _not_ provide non-exec stack, heap and so
    on but the 'complement' speak executable code area. The segments which
    are remapped are _not_ the heap(s), speak data segments, but the code
    (marked as rx-p) areas.
    The basic idea while writing RSX was not to provide some heavy artillery
    but a small, very low penalty kernel module stopping not 100 but maybe
    95% of wide spread local & remote attacks towards Linux machines.
    
    There cannot be a doubt that installing the module to protect few but
    endangered applications (like sshd, rshd, rpc) improves the system
    security.
    
    sincerely,
    
    Paul Starzetz
    



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