The bootstrap process

From: Greg KH (gregat_private)
Date: Wed Apr 11 2001 - 22:13:18 PDT

  • Next message: Andrew Morgan: "The bootstrap process"

    On Wed, Apr 11, 2001 at 09:00:07PM -0700, Andrew Morgan wrote:
    > 
    > I could imagine some run-time method for dynamically replacing
    > security.bz2 with some obscurity.bz2 or something, but again, this would
    > be a method consistent with the initial security policy and would
    > require some careful impedence matching between the data-structures of
    > the old and new policies.
    
    I was thinking simple modules, not compressed kernel images :)
    So if a user wants the current POSIX capability model, they choose that
    one to be compiled in, or built as a module, so they can at a later
    date, pick that one to be loaded, or load up LIDS or RSBAC if they want
    to at a later date (like after init has started up).
    
    But the perprocess security model does sound _very_ flexible, who
    controls which process gets which security model assigned to it?  Will
    we have pluggable security managers too?
    
    > For what its worth, the full POSIX(sic) capability model which includes
    > inode attributes, requires that 'capable(X)' be implemented, and that
    > the sys_exec() be able to query a file for its capabilities prior to
    > executing it. It also requires a system call interface for
    > getting/setting capabilities on inodes and processes. If one, indeed,
    > wants to use this as a prototype for a plug in security model we'll have
    > to support at least these hooks.
    
    I agree, the current capability model has to be supported is a given.  A
    few of us here have a very rough cut that moves the capability model out
    into a loadable module, with a "generic" security interface.  Give us a
    few days of fleshing it out some more and we'll post it to the list for
    comments.
    
    A question, does the kernel's current capability code meet the POSIX
    model?  I was under the impression that POSIX never released a final
    recommendation for capabilities.  Any pointers would be appreciated.
    
    thanks,
    
    greg k-h
    
    -- 
    greg@(kroah|wirex).com
    http://immunix.org/~greg
    



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