[PATCH] proc: Add complete process group list

[PATCH] proc: Add complete process group list

[Mike McCormack]

If a process is in more than NGROUPS_SMALL (32) groups, it's not possible
 for any other user space process to determine the list of groups it is
 in using /proc/<pid>/status.

Increasing the list of groups listed by /proc/<pid>/status would lead to
 very long lines that file, and possible misbehavior of userspace programs
 that parse /proc/<pid>/status, so instead I have opted to create a new
 file /proc/<pid>/groups, which contains the list of supplementary groups
 for each pid.

The new file /proc/<pid>/groups consists of a single group id per line,
 with each line being 11 characters long.  This should be enough space
 for 16bit or 32bit group ids.

This feature might be useful for a server listening on a unix domain pipe
 to determine the list of groups that a client process is in from its pid.

Signed-off-by: Mike McCormack <mikem@ring3k.org>
---
 fs/proc/base.c |   55 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 files changed, 55 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-)

diff --git a/fs/proc/base.c b/fs/proc/base.c
index acb7ef8..689362c 100644
--- a/fs/proc/base.c
+++ b/fs/proc/base.c
@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@
 #include <linux/pid_namespace.h>
 #include <linux/fs_struct.h>
 #include <linux/slab.h>
+#include <linux/cred.h>
+
 #include "internal.h"
 
 /* NOTE:
@@ -1325,6 +1327,57 @@ static const struct file_operations proc_pid_set_comm_operations = {
 	.release	= single_release,
 };
 
+/* supplementary groups, one per line */
+static int groups_proc_show(struct seq_file *m, void *v)
+{
+	struct inode *inode = m->private;
+	struct group_info *group_info;
+	struct task_struct *task;
+	const struct cred *cred;
+	struct pid *pid;
+	unsigned int g;
+
+	pid = proc_pid(inode);
+	task = get_pid_task(pid, PIDTYPE_PID);
+	if (!task)
+		return -ESRCH;
+
+	cred = get_task_cred(task);
+	group_info = cred->group_info;
+
+	/*
+	 * Groups may be 16bit or 32bit.
+	 * Try to be easily machine and human readable.
+	 */
+	for (g = 0; g < group_info->ngroups; g++)
+		seq_printf(m, "%-10u\n", GROUP_AT(group_info, g));
+
+	put_cred(cred);
+	put_task_struct(task);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int groups_proc_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *filp)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = single_open(filp, groups_proc_show, NULL);
+	if (!ret) {
+		struct seq_file *m = filp->private_data;
+
+		m->private = inode;
+	}
+	return ret;
+}
+
+static const struct file_operations proc_groups_operations = {
+	.open		= groups_proc_open,
+	.read		= seq_read,
+	.llseek		= seq_lseek,
+	.release	= single_release,
+};
+
 /*
  * We added or removed a vma mapping the executable. The vmas are only mapped
  * during exec and are not mapped with the mmap system call.
@@ -2586,6 +2639,7 @@ static const struct pid_entry tgid_base_stuff[] = {
 	INF("cmdline",    S_IRUGO, proc_pid_cmdline),
 	ONE("stat",       S_IRUGO, proc_tgid_stat),
 	ONE("statm",      S_IRUGO, proc_pid_statm),
+	REG("groups",     S_IRUSR, proc_groups_operations),
 	REG("maps",       S_IRUGO, proc_maps_operations),
 #ifdef CONFIG_NUMA
 	REG("numa_maps",  S_IRUGO, proc_numa_maps_operations),
@@ -2921,6 +2975,7 @@ static const struct pid_entry tid_base_stuff[] = {
 	INF("cmdline",   S_IRUGO, proc_pid_cmdline),
 	ONE("stat",      S_IRUGO, proc_tid_stat),
 	ONE("statm",     S_IRUGO, proc_pid_statm),
+	REG("groups",    S_IRUSR, proc_groups_operations),
 	REG("maps",      S_IRUGO, proc_maps_operations),
 #ifdef CONFIG_NUMA
 	REG("numa_maps", S_IRUGO, proc_numa_maps_operations),
-- 
1.5.6.5

Re: [PATCH] proc: Add complete process group list

[Oleg Nesterov]

On 06/23, Mike McCormack wrote:
>
> The new file /proc/<pid>/groups consists of a single group id per line,
>  with each line being 11 characters long.  This should be enough space
>  for 16bit or 32bit group ids.
>
> This feature might be useful for a server listening on a unix domain pipe
>  to determine the list of groups that a client process is in from its pid.

As usual, I can never comment whether we need this or not. Just a minor
nit about the code,

> +static int groups_proc_show(struct seq_file *m, void *v)
> +{
> +	struct inode *inode = m->private;
> +	struct group_info *group_info;
> +	struct task_struct *task;
> +	const struct cred *cred;
> +	struct pid *pid;
> +	unsigned int g;
> +
> +	pid = proc_pid(inode);
> +	task = get_pid_task(pid, PIDTYPE_PID);

get_proc_task() ?

> +	if (!task)
> +		return -ESRCH;
> +
> +	cred = get_task_cred(task);

OTOH. Not that I think this is terribly important, but I don't think
this needs get_task_struct + get_cred,

	group_info = NULL;

	rcu_read_lock();
	task = pid_task(proc_pid(inode), PIDTYPE_PID);
	if (task) {
		group_info = _task_cred(task)->group_info;
		get_group_info(group_info);
	}
	rcu_read_unlock();

	if (!group_info)
		retrn ESRCH;

Feel free to ignore though.

Oleg.

Re: [PATCH] proc: Add complete process group list

[Andrew Morton]

On Wed, 23 Jun 2010 00:07:26 +0900
Mike McCormack <mikem@ring3k.org> wrote:

> If a process is in more than NGROUPS_SMALL (32) groups, it's not possible
>  for any other user space process to determine the list of groups it is
>  in using /proc/<pid>/status.
> 
> Increasing the list of groups listed by /proc/<pid>/status would lead to
>  very long lines that file, and possible misbehavior of userspace programs
>  that parse /proc/<pid>/status, so instead I have opted to create a new
>  file /proc/<pid>/groups, which contains the list of supplementary groups
>  for each pid.
> 
> The new file /proc/<pid>/groups consists of a single group id per line,
>  with each line being 11 characters long.  This should be enough space
>  for 16bit or 32bit group ids.
> 
> This feature might be useful for a server listening on a unix domain pipe
>  to determine the list of groups that a client process is in from its pid.

"might be"?

It would be useful to hear a bit more about usage scenarios, why this
is needed, etc - some hard info which would justify permanent extension
of the kernel->userspace API.  How does this get used, why is it
needed, what are the alternatives, etc.

I don't recall having heard of anyone using the groups fields in
/proc/pid/status before.

Re: [PATCH] proc: Add complete process group list

[Mike McCormack]

Andrew Morton wrote:

>> This feature might be useful for a server listening on a unix domain pipe
>>  to determine the list of groups that a client process is in from its pid.
> 
> "might be"?

Well, "would be" :-)

> It would be useful to hear a bit more about usage scenarios, why this
> is needed, etc - some hard info which would justify permanent extension
> of the kernel->userspace API.  How does this get used, why is it
> needed, what are the alternatives, etc.

This will be used in a device with groups permissions checked in userspace.

Say you have a process called "telephony-server", and it talks to a number 
of client processes with different privilege levels via a unix domain socket.

telephony-server might be able do things which should have different privilege 
levels, like send SMS messages, make phone calls, download firmware to a 3G 
modem, etc.  The client processes would be members of groups reflecting
each privilege.  Depending on the number of similar servers in the system, 
and how fine-grained the privileges are, there might be lots of groups (>32).

telephony-server should be able to allow or deny requests depending on whether
an application is a member of the correct group or not. 

unix sockets can pass credentials, but currently I can only see struct ucred 
(pid, uid and gid) being passed.  Using the pid, /proc/pid/status can be read 
for a list of groups, but it only lists up to 32 groups.

Ways I can see to get the groups for a unix socket peer from it's pid all 
mostly require some kernel modification:

* modify kernel to list all groups in /proc/<pid>/status 
    - very long lines become possible in status file
    - no way to know whether you're using an old kernel with 32 group limit
       or new kernel and pid only has 32 groups

* modify kernel to add /proc/<pid>/groups
    - more kernel-userland interface

* implement LOCAL_CREDS for unix domain sockets in Linux
    - work

* limit number of groups to 32
    - limit is imposed by /proc code

* create multiple unix domian sockets per privilege with group r/w only
    - seems like trouble


What do you think?

thanks,

Mike

Re: [PATCH] proc: Add complete process group list

[KOSAKI Motohiro]

> * modify kernel to list all groups in /proc/<pid>/status 
>     - very long lines become possible in status file
>     - no way to know whether you're using an old kernel with 32 group limit
>        or new kernel and pid only has 32 groups

Is this necessary? Why?
Who need 32 groups limitation?


> * modify kernel to add /proc/<pid>/groups
>     - more kernel-userland interface

My personal opinion (aka my personal prefer) is,
 - If fixing /proc/<pid>/status is zero downside, it should do.
 - If fixing /proc/</pid>status is some downside (e.g. performance down),
   /proc/<pid>groups is better

because, 99% user don't use >32groups.


And, personally I dislike following three ;)

> * implement LOCAL_CREDS for unix domain sockets in Linux
>     - work
> 
> * limit number of groups to 32
>     - limit is imposed by /proc code
> 
> * create multiple unix domian sockets per privilege with group r/w only
>     - seems like trouble

Re: [PATCH] proc: Add complete process group list

[KOSAKI Motohiro]

> If a process is in more than NGROUPS_SMALL (32) groups, it's not possible
>  for any other user space process to determine the list of groups it is
>  in using /proc/<pid>/status.
> 
> Increasing the list of groups listed by /proc/<pid>/status would lead to
>  very long lines that file, and possible misbehavior of userspace programs
>  that parse /proc/<pid>/status, so instead I have opted to create a new
>  file /proc/<pid>/groups, which contains the list of supplementary groups
>  for each pid.
> 
> The new file /proc/<pid>/groups consists of a single group id per line,
>  with each line being 11 characters long.  This should be enough space
>  for 16bit or 32bit group ids.
> 
> This feature might be useful for a server listening on a unix domain pipe
>  to determine the list of groups that a client process is in from its pid.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Mike McCormack <mikem@ring3k.org>

Just dumb question.

Why don't you fix /proc/<pid>/status? Can we share your worry? I haven't review your patch 
carefully yet. but your groups_proc_show() seems don't have heavy weight lock.

note: I'm not against your plan. it's just curiosity.