Russell King - ARM Linux [off-list ref] writes:
On Tue, Jul 12, 2016 at 10:58:05PM +0200, Petr Tesarik wrote:
quoted
I'm not an expert on DTB, so I can't provide an example of code
execution, but you have already mentioned the /chosen/linux,stdout-path
property. If an attacker redirects the bootloader to an insecure
console, they may get access to the system that would otherwise be
impossible.
I fail to see how kexec connects with the boot loader - the DTB image
that's being talked about is one which is passed from the currently
running kernel to the to-be-kexec'd kernel. For ARM (and I suspect
also ARM64) that's a direct call chain which doesn't involve any
boot loader or firmware, and certainly none that would involve the
passed DTB image.
For OpenPOWER machines, kexec is the bootloader. Our bootloader is a
linux kernel and initramfs with a UI (petitboot) - this means we never
have to write a device driver twice: write a kernel one and you're done
(for booting from the device and using it in your OS).
--
Stewart Smith
OPAL Architect, IBM.