Re: Extending a Security Module

From: jmjonesat_private
Date: Tue May 22 2001 - 12:01:58 PDT

  • Next message: jmjonesat_private: "Re: Extending a Security Module"

    Unless I'm missing something,
    
    create security_ops->register()
    create security_ops->unregister()
    
    If register_security() detects an existing module registration,
    instead of failure, pass the new ops pointer to the 
    security_ops->register() function.
    
    If the module can't provide "chaining" or replacement functions,
    it could just fail, if it CAN, it returns success and can worry 
    itself if it calls the new hook before or after or never,
    and possibly unregister and register a new structure since it 
    holds "the magic address".
    
    During the module exit, it can just pass an unregister down the 
    line.
    
    Perhaps this is too simplistic, but it has the advantage
    of allowing multiple security modules to register and chain, if
    they're so designed, and keeps the "magic structure address"
    safely hidden by the module chain, and all modules that are 
    "the bottom line" can just be the last loaded and fail any 
    requests to think differently.  Only ONE module ACTUALLY has 
    the pointer to security_ops registered in the kernel, and it 
    need never tell.
    
    [[ IDEA TOO SIMPLE / REPEAT ]]
    
    To use my LSMEXAMPLE.C program as an example
    
    LSMEXAMPLE is loaded first,
    CAPABILTY_PLUG is loaded second...
      the security_ops structure in the kernel is already not-dummy, 
      so it passes the request to LSMEXAMPLE via security_ops->register, 
    which picks up that structure, and chains to it, returns success.
    
    System runs, is safe(ish) because the chain ultimately passes down
    to CAPABILITY_PLUG, and the lsmstats counters are there for the plucking.
     
    The unregister reverses the process.
    
    The overhead on a "last link" is simply to return an error, and 
    module registration isn't likely to happen 30 times a second so 
    the overhead is rather trivial (except for that of hooking down 
    the chain, which is a cost/benefit decision when the admin builds
    the chain.)
    
    Adding it to the "spec" now saves modules that want this from 
    coming up with incompatible solutions.
    
    What Am I Missing?
    J. Melvin Jones
    
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