Thread (80 messages) 80 messages, 12 authors, 2024-08-09

Re: [RFC PATCH v19 1/5] exec: Add a new AT_CHECK flag to execveat(2)

From: Jeff Xu <hidden>
Date: 2024-07-19 14:17:37
Also in: linux-fsdevel, linux-integrity, linux-security-module, lkml

On Fri, Jul 19, 2024 at 1:45 AM Mickaël Salaün [off-list ref] wrote:
On Thu, Jul 18, 2024 at 06:29:54PM -0700, Jeff Xu wrote:
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On Thu, Jul 18, 2024 at 5:24 AM Mickaël Salaün [off-list ref] wrote:
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On Wed, Jul 17, 2024 at 07:08:17PM -0700, Jeff Xu wrote:
quoted
On Wed, Jul 17, 2024 at 3:01 AM Mickaël Salaün [off-list ref] wrote:
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On Tue, Jul 16, 2024 at 11:33:55PM -0700, Jeff Xu wrote:
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On Thu, Jul 4, 2024 at 12:02 PM Mickaël Salaün [off-list ref] wrote:
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Add a new AT_CHECK flag to execveat(2) to check if a file would be
allowed for execution.  The main use case is for script interpreters and
dynamic linkers to check execution permission according to the kernel's
security policy. Another use case is to add context to access logs e.g.,
which script (instead of interpreter) accessed a file.  As any
executable code, scripts could also use this check [1].

This is different than faccessat(2) which only checks file access
rights, but not the full context e.g. mount point's noexec, stack limit,
and all potential LSM extra checks (e.g. argv, envp, credentials).
Since the use of AT_CHECK follows the exact kernel semantic as for a
real execution, user space gets the same error codes.
So we concluded that execveat(AT_CHECK) will be used to check the
exec, shared object, script and config file (such as seccomp config),
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I think binfmt_elf.c in the kernel needs to check the ld.so to make
sure it passes AT_CHECK, before loading it into memory.
All ELF dependencies are opened and checked with open_exec(), which
perform the main executability checks (with the __FMODE_EXEC flag).
Did I miss something?
I mean the ld-linux-x86-64.so.2 which is loaded by binfmt in the kernel.
The app can choose its own dynamic linker path during build, (maybe
even statically link one ?)  This is another reason that relying on a
userspace only is not enough.
The kernel calls open_exec() on all dependencies, including
ld-linux-x86-64.so.2, so these files are checked for executability too.
This might not be entirely true. iiuc, kernel  calls open_exec for
open_exec for interpreter, but not all its dependency (e.g. libc.so.6)
Correct, the dynamic linker is in charge of that, which is why it must
be enlighten with execveat+AT_CHECK and securebits checks.
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load_elf_binary() {
   interpreter = open_exec(elf_interpreter);
}

libc.so.6 is opened and mapped by dynamic linker.
so the call sequence is:
 execve(a.out)
  - open exec(a.out)
  - security_bprm_creds(a.out)
  - open the exec(ld.so)
  - call open_exec() for interruptor (ld.so)
  - call execveat(AT_CHECK, ld.so) <-- do we want ld.so going through
the same check and code path as libc.so below ?
open_exec() checks are enough.  LSMs can use this information (open +
__FMODE_EXEC) if needed.  execveat+AT_CHECK is only a user space
request.
Then the ld.so doesn't go through the same security_bprm_creds() check
as other .so.

As my previous email, the ChromeOS LSM restricts executable mfd
through security_bprm_creds(), the end result is that ld.so can still
be executable memfd, but not other .so.

One way to address this is to refactor the necessary code from
execveat() code patch, and make it available to call from both kernel
and execveat() code paths., but if we do that, we might as well use
faccessat2(AT_CHECK)

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  - transfer the control to ld.so)
  - ld.so open (libc.so)
  - ld.so call execveat(AT_CHECK,libc.so) <-- proposed by this patch,
require dynamic linker change.
  - ld.so mmap(libc.so,rx)
Explaining these steps is useful. I'll include that in the next patch
series.
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A detailed user case will help demonstrate the use case for dynamic
linker, e.g. what kind of app will benefit from
SECBIT_EXEC_RESTRICT_FILE = 1, what kind of threat model are we
dealing with , what kind of attack chain we blocked as a result.
I explained that in the patches and in the description of these new
securebits.  Please point which part is not clear.  The full threat
model is simple: the TCB includes the kernel and system's files, which
are integrity-protected, but we don't trust arbitrary data/scripts that
can be written to user-owned files or directly provided to script
interpreters.  As for the ptrace restrictions, the dynamic linker
restrictions helps to avoid trivial bypasses (e.g. with LD_PRELOAD)
with consistent executability checks.
On elf loading case, I'm clear after your last email. However, I'm not
sure if everyone else follows,  I will try to summarize here:
- Problem:  ld.so /tmp/a.out will happily pass, even /tmp/a.out is
mounted as non-exec.
  Solution: ld.so call execveat(AT_CHECK) for a.out before mmap a.out
into memory.

- Problem: a poorly built application (a.out) can have a dependency on
/tmp/a.o, when /tmp/a.o is on non-exec mount,
  Solution: ld.so call execveat(AT_CHECK) for a.o, before mmap a.o into memory.

- Problem: application can call mmap (/tmp/a.out, rx), where /tmp is
on non-exec mount
I'd say "malicious or non-enlightened processes" can call mmap without
execveat+AT_CHECK...
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  This is out of scope, i.e. will require enforcement on mmap(), maybe
through LSM
Cool, I'll include that as well. Thanks.
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