From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Message-ID: <4D46F6FE.1020805@itechfrontiers.com> Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2011 12:53:02 -0500 From: "cto@itechfrontiers.com" MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Stephen Smalley CC: KaiGai Kohei , selinux@tycho.nsa.gov, Eamon Walsh Subject: Re: Tiny version of SE-PostgreSQL got merged References: <4D466F3B.6090906@ak.jp.nec.com> <4D4696F9.90303@itechfrontiers.com> <1296481204.26427.10.camel@moss-pluto> In-Reply-To: <1296481204.26427.10.camel@moss-pluto> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed Sender: owner-selinux@tycho.nsa.gov List-Id: selinux@tycho.nsa.gov 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 >> * >> * Derived from the kernel AVC implementation by >> * Stephen Smalley and >> * James Morris. >> */ >> _____________________________________________________________ >> >> 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. -- This message was distributed to subscribers of the selinux mailing list. If you no longer wish to subscribe, send mail to majordomo@tycho.nsa.gov with the words "unsubscribe selinux" without quotes as the message.