Re: Linux Security *Module* Framework (Was: LSM conversion to static interface)

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To: <rmeijer@...>
Cc: <casey@...>, Chris Wright <chrisw@...>, Adrian Bunk <bunk@...>, Simon Arlott <simon@...>, <linux-kernel@...>, <linux-security-module@...>, Jan Engelhardt <jengelh@...>, Linus Torvalds <torvalds@...>, Andreas Gruenbacher <agruen@...>, Thomas Fricaccia <thomas_fricacci@...>, Jeremy Fitzhardinge <jeremy@...>, James Morris <jmorris@...>, Giacomo Catenazzi <cate@...>, Alan Cox <alan@...>
Date: Monday, October 29, 2007 - 6:24 am

Rob Meijer wrote:
Clearly what is needed here is for someone to actually implement an
object capability LSM module. None of SELinux, SMACK, LIDS, AppArmor,
MultiADM, or TOMOYO can implement object capabilities, so there is clear
justification for building such a module. I would argue strongly to
include it.

I *really* dislike this idea. It seems to set up the situation that the
only acceptable modules are those that follow some "formal" model. Problems:

    * What qualifies as a formal model? This becomes an arbitrary litmus
      test, depending on whether the model was originally published in a
      sufficiently snooty forum.
    * What if someone invents a new model that has not been "formalized"
      yet? Should Linux be forced to wait until the idea has been
      through the academic mill before we allow someone to try
      implementing a module for the idea?
    * The proposal only allows a single implementation of each formal
      model. In theory, theory is just like practice, but in practice it
      is not. SMACK and SELinux follow substantially similar formal
      models (not exactly the same) so should we exclude one and keep
      the other? No, of course not, because in practice they are very
      different.

Crispin

-- 
Crispin Cowan, Ph.D.               http://crispincowan.com/~crispin
CEO, Mercenary Linux		   http://mercenarylinux.com/
	       Itanium. Vista. GPLv3. Complexity at work

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Re: Linux Security *Module* Framework (Was: LSM conversion t..., Crispin Cowan, (Mon Oct 29, 6:24 am)