Contributing to KSPP newbie

Contributing to KSPP newbie

[Kassad]

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Hey Kees,

I'm 3rd university student interested in learning more about the linux
kernel. I'm came across this subsystem, since it aligns with my interest in
security. Do you think as a newbie this task
https://github.com/KSPP/linux/issues/11 will be a good starting point?

Thanks

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Re: Contributing to KSPP newbie

[Mark Rutland]

On Thu, Nov 28, 2019 at 11:39:11PM -0500, Kassad wrote:
> Hey Kees,
> 
> I'm 3rd university student interested in learning more about the linux kernel.
> I'm came across this subsystem, since it aligns with my interest in security.
> Do you think as a newbie this task https://github.com/KSPP/linux/issues/11 will
> be a good starting point?

I think this specific task (Disable arm32 kuser helpers) has already
been done, and the ticket is stale.

On arm CONFIG_KUSER_HELPERS can be disabled on kernels that don't need
to run on HW prior to ARMv6. See commit:

  f6f91b0d9fd971c6 ("ARM: allow kuser helpers to be removed from the vector page")

On arm64, CONFIG_KUSER_HELPERS can be disabled on any kernel. See
commit:

  1b3cf2c2a3f42b ("arm64: compat: Add KUSER_HELPERS config option")

Thanks,
Mark.

Re: Contributing to KSPP newbie

[Kassad]

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This might be a bit to vague but is there any task that is beginner
friendly? I did have a look at todo list and most of them look quite
daunting.


On Fri, Nov 29, 2019 at 6:29 AM Mark Rutland <mark.rutland@arm.com> wrote:

> On Thu, Nov 28, 2019 at 11:39:11PM -0500, Kassad wrote:
> > Hey Kees,
> >
> > I'm 3rd university student interested in learning more about the linux
> kernel.
> > I'm came across this subsystem, since it aligns with my interest in
> security.
> > Do you think as a newbie this task
> https://github.com/KSPP/linux/issues/11 will
> > be a good starting point?
>
> I think this specific task (Disable arm32 kuser helpers) has already
> been done, and the ticket is stale.
>
> On arm CONFIG_KUSER_HELPERS can be disabled on kernels that don't need
> to run on HW prior to ARMv6. See commit:
>
>   f6f91b0d9fd971c6 ("ARM: allow kuser helpers to be removed from the
> vector page")
>
> On arm64, CONFIG_KUSER_HELPERS can be disabled on any kernel. See
> commit:
>
>   1b3cf2c2a3f42b ("arm64: compat: Add KUSER_HELPERS config option")
>
> Thanks,
> Mark.
>

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Re: Contributing to KSPP newbie

[Kees Cook]

On Fri, Nov 29, 2019 at 12:32:17PM -0500, Kassad wrote:
> On Fri, Nov 29, 2019 at 6:29 AM Mark Rutland <mark.rutland@arm.com> wrote:
> > On Thu, Nov 28, 2019 at 11:39:11PM -0500, Kassad wrote:
> > > Hey Kees,
> > >
> > > I'm 3rd university student interested in learning more about the linux kernel.
> > > I'm came across this subsystem, since it aligns with my interest in security.

Hi! Welcome to the list. :)

> > > Do you think as a newbie this task
> > https://github.com/KSPP/linux/issues/11 will
> > > be a good starting point?
> >
> > I think this specific task (Disable arm32 kuser helpers) has already
> > been done, and the ticket is stale.
>
> This might be a bit to vague but is there any task that is beginner
> friendly? I did have a look at todo list and most of them look quite
> daunting.

I tried marking some bugs with "good first issue", but it looks like
people are already chipping away at things:
https://github.com/KSPP/linux/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3A%22good+first+issue%22

I haven't checked on this thread of discussion recently:
https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/CANhBUQ3V2A-TBVizVh+eMLSi5Gzw5sMBY7C-0a8=-z15qyQ75w@mail.gmail.com/
There might be some work in there still to replace odd uses of
strncmp()?

-- 
Kees Cook

Re: Contributing to KSPP newbie

[Kees Cook]

On Fri, Nov 29, 2019 at 11:29:13AM +0000, Mark Rutland wrote:
> On Thu, Nov 28, 2019 at 11:39:11PM -0500, Kassad wrote:
> > Hey Kees,
> > 
> > I'm 3rd university student interested in learning more about the linux kernel.
> > I'm came across this subsystem, since it aligns with my interest in security.
> > Do you think as a newbie this task https://github.com/KSPP/linux/issues/11 will
> > be a good starting point?
> 
> I think this specific task (Disable arm32 kuser helpers) has already
> been done, and the ticket is stale.

Oh, thank you! I entirely missed both of these commits. I've added
notes to the bug and closed it.

> 
> On arm CONFIG_KUSER_HELPERS can be disabled on kernels that don't need
> to run on HW prior to ARMv6. See commit:
> 
>   f6f91b0d9fd971c6 ("ARM: allow kuser helpers to be removed from the vector page")
> 
> On arm64, CONFIG_KUSER_HELPERS can be disabled on any kernel. See
> commit:
> 
>   1b3cf2c2a3f42b ("arm64: compat: Add KUSER_HELPERS config option")

(Typo: a1b3cf2c2a3f42b)

-Kees

> 
> Thanks,
> Mark.

-- 
Kees Cook

Re: Contributing to KSPP newbie

[Kees Cook]

On Sat, Nov 30, 2019 at 08:48:23AM -0800, Kees Cook wrote:
> On Fri, Nov 29, 2019 at 11:29:13AM +0000, Mark Rutland wrote:
> > On Thu, Nov 28, 2019 at 11:39:11PM -0500, Kassad wrote:
> > > Hey Kees,
> > > 
> > > I'm 3rd university student interested in learning more about the linux kernel.
> > > I'm came across this subsystem, since it aligns with my interest in security.
> > > Do you think as a newbie this task https://github.com/KSPP/linux/issues/11 will
> > > be a good starting point?
> > 
> > I think this specific task (Disable arm32 kuser helpers) has already
> > been done, and the ticket is stale.
> 
> Oh, thank you! I entirely missed both of these commits. I've added
> notes to the bug and closed it.
> 
> > 
> > On arm CONFIG_KUSER_HELPERS can be disabled on kernels that don't need
> > to run on HW prior to ARMv6. See commit:
> > 
> >   f6f91b0d9fd971c6 ("ARM: allow kuser helpers to be removed from the vector page")
> > 
> > On arm64, CONFIG_KUSER_HELPERS can be disabled on any kernel. See
> > commit:
> > 
> >   1b3cf2c2a3f42b ("arm64: compat: Add KUSER_HELPERS config option")
> 
> (Typo: a1b3cf2c2a3f42b)

Typo typo: af1b3cf2c2a3f42bbb680812ff1bbd715ac8af69

> 
> -Kees
> 
> > 
> > Thanks,
> > Mark.
> 
> -- 
> Kees Cook

-- 
Kees Cook

Re: Contributing to KSPP newbie

[Mark Rutland]

On Sat, Nov 30, 2019 at 08:48:23AM -0800, Kees Cook wrote:
> On Fri, Nov 29, 2019 at 11:29:13AM +0000, Mark Rutland wrote:
> > On Thu, Nov 28, 2019 at 11:39:11PM -0500, Kassad wrote:
> > > Hey Kees,
> > > 
> > > I'm 3rd university student interested in learning more about the linux kernel.
> > > I'm came across this subsystem, since it aligns with my interest in security.
> > > Do you think as a newbie this task https://github.com/KSPP/linux/issues/11 will
> > > be a good starting point?
> > 
> > I think this specific task (Disable arm32 kuser helpers) has already
> > been done, and the ticket is stale.
> 
> Oh, thank you! I entirely missed both of these commits. I've added
> notes to the bug and closed it.

Great!

> > On arm CONFIG_KUSER_HELPERS can be disabled on kernels that don't need
> > to run on HW prior to ARMv6. See commit:
> > 
> >   f6f91b0d9fd971c6 ("ARM: allow kuser helpers to be removed from the vector page")
> > 
> > On arm64, CONFIG_KUSER_HELPERS can be disabled on any kernel. See
> > commit:
> > 
> >   1b3cf2c2a3f42b ("arm64: compat: Add KUSER_HELPERS config option")
> 
> (Typo: a1b3cf2c2a3f42b)

I see you use vim. ;)

Mark.