Re: [GIT PULL] sysctl changes for v6.11-rc1

From: Kees Cook
Date: Wed Jul 17 2024 - 18:15:41 EST


On Wed, Jul 17, 2024 at 09:46:20PM +0200, Joel Granados wrote:
> On Tue, Jul 16, 2024 at 11:13:24AM -0700, Kees Cook wrote:
> > On Tue, Jul 16, 2024 at 04:16:56PM +0200, Joel Granados wrote:
> > > * Preparation patches for sysctl constification
> > >
> > > Constifying ctl_table structs prevents the modification of proc_handler
> > > function pointers as they would reside in .rodata. The ctl_table arguments
> > > in sysctl utility functions are const qualified in preparation for a future
> > > treewide proc_handler argument constification commit.
> >
> > And to add some additional context and expectation setting, the mechanical
> > treewide constification pull request is planned to be sent during this
> > merge window once the sysctl and net trees land. Thomas Wei?schuh has
> > it at the ready. :)
>
> Big fan of setting expectations :). thx for the comment.
> Do you (@kees/ @thomas) have any preference on how to send the treewide
> const patch? I have prepared wording for the pull request for when the
> time comes next week, but if any of you prefer to send it through
> another path different than sysctl, please let me know.

I don't have any preference. I can only speak to historical context for
other treewide changes: Linus has taken a PR, a raw patch, or just run a
script directly in the past, so any should work. I would guess that a
PR created from a script (that is reproduced in the commit log) is the
easiest, as Linus can either just take the PR or choose to run the
script himself.

--
Kees Cook