Re: [PATCH v4] kptr_restrict for hiding kernel pointers

From: Dan Rosenberg
Date: Wed Dec 22 2010 - 08:13:17 EST



> Hm, why is it off by default? Is there some user-space regression that is caused by
> this?
>
> We really want good security measures to be active by default (and to work by
> default) - they are not worth much if they are not.
>

I agree entirely, but I've received a lot of resistance to these types
of changes in net. I'm afraid that if it's enabled by default, no one
will actually allow use of the %pK specifier where it should be used.

As far as I know, there's no actual breakage of anything in userspace,
but there's a general "it might make it harder to debug things in
certain limited circumstances" sentiment among some. I never understood
why it is necessary for unprivileged users to be able to debug the
kernel.

Does anyone else have thoughts on this?

> Thanks,
>
> Ingo


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