Messages in this thread |  | | | Date | Fri, 27 May 2011 11:48:14 -0700 (PDT) | | From | david@lang ... | | Subject | Re: [RFC][PATCH] Randomize kernel base address on boot |
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On Fri, 27 May 2011, Ingo Molnar wrote:
I don't think these two new images are as important as you are tagging them. I would put them down with the 'protect the system from root' type of issues.
> - Boot time dynamic randomization allows randomization of 'mass > install' systems, where the same image is used, to still be > randomized: for example a million phones all with the same Flash > ROM image and no 'install' performed at all on them. > > With static randomization these systems will all have the same > kernel addresses.
there is already a need to be able to customize these systems on an individual system basis (think SSL certs or ssh keys for example)
yes, this makes it a little more difficult than just 'drop this image bit for bit on the system', but it's not that hard to setup a 'the first time you boot do this stuff then reboot' step, and that step can do the 'install time' stuff.
> - Boot time dynamic randomization allows read-only systems to still > be randomized: for example internet cafes that use some popular > pre-packaged kiosk-mode live-DVD. They probably wont bother > randomizing and relinking the ISOs per machine and burning per > machine DVDs ...
this matters a little bit more because a script to create a custom DVD image on the fly is more difficult.
however, I think this is a significantly less important target, specifically because these are read-only system images.
but if someone really cares about this, they just need to create a stack of slightly different DVDs. if this can be batched up and automated it's not that big a deal. the DVDs don't really need to be per-machine, just a variety of them.
David Lang
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