Thread (45 messages) 45 messages, 7 authors, 2020-02-27

Re: [PATCH bpf-next v4 3/8] bpf: lsm: provide attachment points for BPF LSM programs

From: Alexei Starovoitov <hidden>
Date: 2020-02-25 05:41:35
Also in: bpf, lkml, netdev
Subsystem: security subsystem, the rest · Maintainers: Paul Moore, James Morris, "Serge E. Hallyn", Linus Torvalds

On Mon, Feb 24, 2020 at 01:41:19PM -0800, Kees Cook wrote:
But the LSM subsystem doesn't want special cases (Casey has worked very
hard to generalize everything there for stacking). It is really hard to
accept adding a new special case when there are still special cases yet
to be worked out even in the LSM code itself[2].
[2] Casey's work to generalize the LSM interfaces continues and it quite
complex:
https://lore.kernel.org/linux-security-module/20200214234203.7086-1-casey@schaufler-ca.com/ (local)
I think the key mistake we made is that we classified KRSI as LSM.
LSM stacking, lsmblobs that the above set is trying to do are not necessary for KRSI.
I don't see anything in LSM infra that KRSI can reuse.
The only thing BPF needs is a function to attach to.
It can be a nop function or any other.
security_*() functions are interesting from that angle only.
Hence I propose to reconsider what I was suggesting earlier.
No changes to secruity/ directory.
Attach to security_*() funcs via bpf trampoline.
The key observation vs what I was saying earlier is KRSI and LSM are wrong names.
I think "security" is also loaded word that should be avoided.
I'm proposing to rename BPF_PROG_TYPE_LSM into BPF_PROG_TYPE_OVERRIDE_RETURN.
So, unless James is going to take this over Casey's objections, the path
forward I see here is:

- land a "slow" KRSI (i.e. one that hooks every hook with a stub).
- optimize calling for all LSMs
I'm very much surprised how 'slow' KRSI is an option at all.
'slow' KRSI means that CONFIG_SECURITY_KRSI=y adds indirect calls to nop
functions for every place in the kernel that calls security_*().
This is not an acceptable overhead. Even w/o retpoline
this is not something datacenter servers can use.

Another option is to do this:
diff --git a/include/linux/security.h b/include/linux/security.h
index 64b19f050343..7887ce636fb1 100644
--- a/include/linux/security.h
+++ b/include/linux/security.h
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ static inline const char *kernel_load_data_id_str(enum kernel_load_data_id id)
        return kernel_load_data_str[id];
 }

-#ifdef CONFIG_SECURITY
+#if defined(CONFIG_SECURITY) || defined(CONFIG_BPF_OVERRIDE_RETURN)
Single line change to security.h and new file kernel/bpf/override_security.c
that will look like:
int security_binder_set_context_mgr(struct task_struct *mgr)
{
        return 0;
}

int security_binder_transaction(struct task_struct *from,
                                struct task_struct *to)
{
        return 0;
}
Essentially it will provide BPF side with a set of nop functions.
CONFIG_SECURITY is off. It may seem as a downside that it will force a choice
on kernel users. Either they build the kernel with CONFIG_SECURITY and their
choice of LSMs or build the kernel with CONFIG_BPF_OVERRIDE_RETURN and use
BPF_PROG_TYPE_OVERRIDE_RETURN programs to enforce any kind of policy. I think
it's a pro not a con.
Keyboard shortcuts
hback out one level
jnext message in thread
kprevious message in thread
ldrill in
Escclose help / fold thread tree
?toggle this help