Re: [2.6] The List, pass #2

[H. Peter Anvin]

Followup to:  <[e-mail]>
By author:    Helge Hafting <[e-mail]>
In newsgroup: linux.dev.kernel
> >
> > Why *safer*? Partition (,DHCP,..) code is ran once at boot. It is hard for
> > it to harm security.
> 
> I wouldn't worry about partition detection, but network stuff
> is always risky.  A "bad guy" could listen for DHCP
> and try to fake a response or do a buffer overflow.
> 
> Userspace programs are supposedly easier to fix, and a
> messed-up userspace isn't quite as bad as a messed up kernel
> when an attacker tries to get in.  
> 

Perhaps more relevantly:

a) User-space code is easier to write; consider memory management in
   particular.

b) If the user-space process has gotten compromised or corrupted, it
   still goes away when it exits.  In the kernel, any corruption stays
   around forever.

   -hpa
-- 
<[e-mail]> at work, <[e-mail]> in private!
"Unix gives you enough rope to shoot yourself in the foot."
http://www.zytor.com/~hpa/puzzle.txt	<[e-mail]>