[kernel-hardening] BINFMT_ELF_AOUT (was: -ow features)

[Vasiliy Kulikov <segoon@openwall.com>]

Solar,

On Sat, Jul 30, 2011 at 02:42 +0400, Solar Designer wrote:
> > like STRICT_DEVMEM?
> 
> I'm not sure why you mention this one as an example.

Because it guards some doubtful feature, which is considered harmful for
the generic system.

>  I think the
> CONFIG_BINFMT_ELF_AOUT name may be used, and this option will thus look
> (and work) similar to other CONFIG_BINFMT_* options.
> 
> > Looks like a good plan - kernel developers don't
> > like to support legacy stuff.  If it is moved to a config option, then
> > in some years it could be even fully removed (if I understand the AOUT
> > significance).
> 
> Right.  This stuff has been obsolete for 15+ years, at least for native
> Linux binaries.

Looks like it was almost fully removed in 2.6.25:

http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git;a=commitdiff;h=d20894a23708c2af75966534f8e4dedb46d48db2

The only untouched part is load_elf_library().  I think I can simply
remove it in the proposed patch as full a.out removal from ELF format
was scheduled in 2.6.25.

Thanks,

-- 
Vasiliy