Messages in this thread | | | From | (David A. Wagner) | Subject | Re: disk-destroyer.c | Date | 21 Jul 2000 17:39:42 -0700 |
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Andrew McNabb <amcnabb@argus-systems.com> wrote: > Let me try to understand what you're saying... > It is established that a system's interface allows programs to > physically destroy a disk drive, without providing any benefit > whatsoever. However, since it's possible to fry other hardware, > too, why bother with this problem??? > > The fact of the matter is, that it is wrong for a program to > destroy hardware. It is the kernel's job to ensure that it > can't.
Ahh, but you've set up an impossible burden. It is _impossible_ for the kernel to ensure that a malicious hacker who has obtained root on your machine does not destroy your hardware. After all, that hacker can always re-install an old, unsafe kernel version and ioctl() away, or even bit-bang directly to the raw device!
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