Re: Binary only module overview

[Crispin Cowan <crispin@wirex.com>]

Alan Cox wrote:

>>I'm really trying to be constructive here.  There is a real licensing 
>>problem over whether binary modules are legitimate at all, and the issue 
>>is not special to LSM. I'm trying to get LSM out of the way so that the 
>>advocates of either side can fight it out without smushing LSM in the 
>>middle :-)
>>
>Yes - I agree. The question is "can you be using the LSM module" not
>the headers - since LSM is GPL and your work relies on it 
>
I'm confused as to which question Alan is asking, so I'll answer several :-)

    * "What is the licensing on the LSM module?" Crispin's pedantic
      response: there is no "the" LSM module. LSM is a patch to enrich
      the existing Linux loadable kernel module interface to allow
      access control modules. These modules do exist:
          * There is a dummy module (useful as a template) which just
            does the superuser check ("UID==0" and access is granted)
            and it is GPL'd.
          * There is a module that embodies the guts of POSIX
            capabilities, and it is GPL'd.
          * There is a port of SELinux to LSM (produced by the SELinux
            team) and it is GPL'd.
    * "Can you use the LSM interface with a non-GPL module, if you
      eschew GPL'd .h files?" Crispin's opinion: I dunnow, but the
      answer is the same as the answer for current Linux loadble kernel
      modules. If loading a module is "linking", then all modules &
      device drivers must be GPL'd.
    * "Can a non-GPL LSM module #include a GPL'd .h?" Crispin's opinion:
      I dunnow, but the answer is the same as the answer for many
      current Linux applications.  I know, this is the question Alan did
      not ask :-)

Crispin is not a lawyer/judge, so his opinion doesn't matter anyway :-)

Crispin

-- 
Crispin Cowan, Ph.D.
Chief Scientist, WireX Communications, Inc. http://wirex.com
Security Hardened Linux Distribution:       http://immunix.org
Available for purchase: http://wirex.com/Products/Immunix/purchase.html