Re: Tiny version of SE-PostgreSQL got merged

["cto@itechfrontiers.com" <cto@itechfrontiers.com>]

On 1/31/2011 8:40 AM, Stephen Smalley wrote:
> On Mon, 2011-01-31 at 06:03 -0500, cto@itechfrontiers.com wrote:
>> Hello,
>>
>> It's a great job,  but I got a licensing issue: (Due to my job I have to
>> scrutinize Legal implications of source codes first)
>>
>> SE-Postgresql uses libselinux,
>>
>> libselinux tends to be in Public domain, serving as an interface for
>> selinux modules in kernel (which is GPL)
>>
>> the problem is in libselinux/src/avc.c
>>
>> http://userspace.selinuxproject.org/trac/browser/libselinux/src/avc.c
>>
>> the author: Eamon Walsh
>> with the National Computer Security Center (the NSA)
>> indicated this file is "Derived" from kernel AVC (which is GPL v 2.1)
>> _____________________________________________________________
>> /*
>>    * Implementation of the userspace access vector cache (AVC).
>>    *
>>    * Author : Eamon Walsh<ewalsh@epoch.ncsc.mil>
>>    *
>>    * Derived from the kernel AVC implementation by
>>    * Stephen Smalley<sds@epoch.ncsc.mil>  and
>>    * James Morris<jmorris@redhat.com>.
>>    */
>> _____________________________________________________________
>>
>> The term "Derived" has legal implication, any derivative works of GPL
>> code should be GPL   (the kernel avc is licensed under GPL v 2.1)
>>
>> To me that file is much like a re-implementation of AVC for libselinux,
>> it is obvious for interfacing userspace with kernel module you need to
>> follow the structures of what you actually interface with (in this case
>> it could be interpreted as original work)
>>
>> Although due to Legal requirements I have to consider author claims as
>> well, and the Author clearly indicated it is a derivative work,
>>
>> If we consider the author claim then libselinux falls into GPL license
>> category anything dynamically or statically linked to it should be
>> released under GPL license then,  That would make se-postgresql license
>> inappropriate  which is using postgresql license (actually is a BSD-like
>> license and is less restrictive license than GPL).
>>
>>
>>
>> Please shed some light on this issue,
>
> libselinux is entirely public domain, with the agreement of all
> contributors.
>
> The original kernel AVC code was developed by the NSA and was public
> domain by itself, and only fell under the GPL when included as part of
> the Linux kernel.  There have been some subsequent enhancements to the
> kernel AVC, particularly the use of RCU for locking, that are not
> present in the libselinux AVC.
>

Mr. Smalley,

Thanks for clarification,


Best,

Patrick K.

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