Re: [RFC][PATCH] audit: log join and part events to the read-only multicast log socket

[Eric Paris <eparis@redhat.com>]

On Wed, 2014-10-22 at 10:36 -0400, Steve Grubb wrote:
> On Wednesday, October 22, 2014 10:30:12 AM Eric Paris wrote:
> > On Wed, 2014-10-22 at 10:25 -0400, Steve Grubb wrote:
> > > 12) The struct audit_status was extended to include version and
> > > backlog_wait_time. I cannot determine at runtime if they exist, meaning
> > > that software compiled on a new kernel runs on an old kernel, it will be
> > > reading random stack or heap to make decisions. The correct solution
> > > would be to make a new struct with planned expansion capability with
> > > version as the first element so any changes can be signaled. This new
> > > struct would be sent using a new netlink command.
> > 
> > Incorrect.  The length of the message makes it perfectly clear how much
> > data the kernel sent, and thus if that data includes the version or
> > backlog_wait_time.  I thought this had been discussed before...
> > 
> > The answer is 'check how much data you got from the kernel'
> 
> Is the padding the same for all arches? :-)

completely irrelevant...

The code in audit_get_reply() seems like poor practice...  You aren't
doing any sanity checks on the data coming back.  I guess that's why
userspace has so much trouble handling things.  It's just completely
ignore the length the kernel gave you...