Re: kernel ring buffer accessible by users

From: Werner Almesberger (wa@almesberger.net)
Date: Wed Apr 23 2003 - 11:23:59 EST


Robert Love wrote:
> Why on earth would the user give the kernel a password?

That's just an example. It could be any other sensitive information,
including kernel state that you don't want to reveal to users.

I think it's a reasonable assumption that one can speak freely in a
printk message. Avoiding to print anything that may possibly contain
sensitive information is likely to make messages less useful, just
think of all the data revealed in an oops.

> The point is user input like telephone numbers or passwords should never
> be fed into the kernel anyhow.

Yes, a bit odd. Maybe because of "intelligent" cards that implement
the signalling in firmware. Anyway, this is an entirely different
issue.
 
- Werner

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 / Werner Almesberger, Buenos Aires, Argentina         wa@almesberger.net /
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