Best approach to explore the linux source code

Best approach to explore the linux source code

[Umair Khan]

Hi everyone,

I'm a final year undergraduate student. I've been spending a lot of
time with OS books these days.
I've been reading about the internals of the Linux kernel and drivers
in the books. But, I've never really seen them in action except the
drivers. Hacking a driver is easy.

Is there any good approach/tutorial to walk me through the source code
of the kernel ?

Also, I'm using a self built linux kernel 4.2 on my laptop. Is there
any way that I can contribute upstream to the kernel. I'm using 4.2 in
the hope to find bugs in driver stuffs. I haven't found any yet.

Thanks
Umair
Delhi Technological University, India

Best approach to explore the linux source code

[victorascroft at gmail.com]

On 15-08-15 12:28:06, Umair Khan wrote:
> Hi everyone,
> 
> I'm a final year undergraduate student. I've been spending a lot of
> time with OS books these days.
> I've been reading about the internals of the Linux kernel and drivers
> in the books. But, I've never really seen them in action except the
> drivers. Hacking a driver is easy.

Hacking a driver is easy? :)

> 
> Is there any good approach/tutorial to walk me through the source code
> of the kernel ?

There is only one approach to understanding any code. Reading the code
and understanding how different things interact. If you have doubts
you can always ask here.

Read Linux Device Drivers? Though that will still not prepare you
for actual code. Eudyptula Challenge?

> 
> Also, I'm using a self built linux kernel 4.2 on my laptop. Is there
> any way that I can contribute upstream to the kernel. I'm using 4.2 in
> the hope to find bugs in driver stuffs. I haven't found any yet.

http://lxr.free-electrons.com/source/Documentation/SubmittingDrivers
http://lxr.free-electrons.com/source/Documentation/SubmittingPatches

Just running the kernel might not always point out bugs.

Best approach to explore the linux source code

[Kenneth Adam Miller]

Well, if you really only want to find bugs in kernel code (specifically
linux drivers) there was a recent white paper that came out that used
Dynamo Rio to instrument and analyze the kernel. You can (I think) trigger
simulated events to the kernel and compose a sort of fuzzing environment
against any given kernel code.

The problem with Dynamo Rio is there's currently really no Pin++, so if you
were to wish for something like a mature taint analysis or symbolic
emulation (or whatever else...) facilities that you can embed within your
own custom analyses it would be a costly manual labor operation.

On Sat, Aug 15, 2015 at 1:17 PM, <victorascroft@gmail.com> wrote:

> On 15-08-15 12:28:06, Umair Khan wrote:
> > Hi everyone,
> >
> > I'm a final year undergraduate student. I've been spending a lot of
> > time with OS books these days.
> > I've been reading about the internals of the Linux kernel and drivers
> > in the books. But, I've never really seen them in action except the
> > drivers. Hacking a driver is easy.
>
> Hacking a driver is easy? :)
>
> >
> > Is there any good approach/tutorial to walk me through the source code
> > of the kernel ?
>
> There is only one approach to understanding any code. Reading the code
> and understanding how different things interact. If you have doubts
> you can always ask here.
>
> Read Linux Device Drivers? Though that will still not prepare you
> for actual code. Eudyptula Challenge?
>
> >
> > Also, I'm using a self built linux kernel 4.2 on my laptop. Is there
> > any way that I can contribute upstream to the kernel. I'm using 4.2 in
> > the hope to find bugs in driver stuffs. I haven't found any yet.
>
> http://lxr.free-electrons.com/source/Documentation/SubmittingDrivers
> http://lxr.free-electrons.com/source/Documentation/SubmittingPatches
>
> Just running the kernel might not always point out bugs.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Kernelnewbies mailing list
> Kernelnewbies at kernelnewbies.org
> http://lists.kernelnewbies.org/mailman/listinfo/kernelnewbies
>
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