Re: Building domains as a lesser user (was Re: boot loaders for domain != 0)

[Jacob Gorm Hansen <jacobg@diku.dk>]

Anthony Liguori wrote:
> Jacob Gorm Hansen wrote:
> 
>> Anthony Liguori wrote:
>>
>> If we trust Linux to enforce security, we do not need Xen at all ;-)
>>
> The current architecture of Xen requires that we trust whatever is 
> running in Domain-0.  The problems being cited wouldn't be a problem if 
> you could create domains from unpriviledged Domains because you could 
> have creator Domains who could be created from a trusted source and used 
> as a buffer against attack.

If you start having domains that can create other domains, IPC, shared 
memory between domains, all that, you have essentially turned Xen into a 
microkernel, and you start having all sorts of funny issues like access 
control, domain ownership, QoS crosstalk and whatnot. And in ten years 
from now someone will have to invent a new VMM layer to put below Xen 
only to get another fresh start. I am sure the original UNIX also seemed 
elegant at first, in the days when it didn't have 250+ different syscalls...

Jacob


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