Messages in this thread | | | Date | Mon, 10 Jan 2000 02:04:11 +0100 | From | Hans de Goede <> | Subject | Re: Announce: initrd-tftp 0.1 |
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Alan Cox wrote:
<lots of stuff>
Okay, I thought this over, and I might have jumped into this discussion to fast, the initrd way might be better, since it offers more flexibility to use scp for the ramdisk for example etc.
And a few people rightfully asked me wether or not I have ever tried it (the initrd way) and I didn't, so I stand corrected untill I try it ;)
I have however used the root-over-nfs support (with bootp) a lott, and I don't think I would like to loose that, although one could argue that it is the task of the loader to pass an ip / netmask /default gateway/ server to the kernel, since it needs it anyways to get the kernel (assuming the kernel is loaded from the net too, which it is in all cases where I use it)
So one request of mine is, if the bootp and nfsroot code gets removed, please allow the ability to pass an ip/netmask/defaultgateway as param to the kernel, and allow the root to be nfs by specifying root=hostname:/bla.
> Second thing; tftp is almost away done wrongly for an embedded system. Unless > you are protecting your data stream with a shared secret between your boot > loader and your main system it requires you only deploy such devices on a > trusted lan segment firewalled from the main network as tftp has no credible > security - its meant to be a trivial protocol. >
Actually that's a very actual problem of mine, so since I'm poluting linux-kernel anyways, any smart suggestions would be welcome.
Here's a short description of what I have / want
I have: -an access control system for doors and the likes based upon an embedded-linux box with the os +root in flash, this is connected to the public internet
I want: -the same system, but with the kernel + root loaded over the net, boot sequence: -discover ip with bootp -tftp bootp-filename field from bootp-server as kernel image -kernel image mounts bootp-root field from bootp-server
Now I can do this, my problem is however that it all needs to be reasonable secure. That is, the bootp server may not be spoofed, I don't want some one with a linux ws also play bootp and take over the acces control system.
Problems: -bootp, how do I know the server is THE server -tftp, can easily be spoofed, how do I know the kernel is valid/real -nfs, again not secure
As said any smart suggestions welcome, if possible I would like to keep the bootrom used to get the kernel intact ;|
Regards,
Hans
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