JFFS2/xattr problems.

Jörn Engel joern at wohnheim.fh-wedel.de
Tue Jun 13 10:13:17 EDT 2006


On Tue, 13 June 2006 22:36:59 +0900, KaiGai Kohei wrote:
> 
> >Seems you missed Ted's presentation at LCA this year.  Among the
> >interesting bits:
> 
> If this presentation is public, could you tell me the URL?
> This indication is highly suggestive for me.
> Especially, I have not imagine yet the possibility that
> malware uses xattr to hide itself.

I can only find the abstract:
http://lca2006.linux.org.au/abstract.php?id=384

[ adding Ted to Cc: ]

Ted, do still have your foils and can make them available?  Kaigai-san
is working on an xattr implementation for jffs2.

> >o Pretty much anything on Linux is limited to 64KiB or less.
> >o Ext[23] is limited to 4KiB total for all attributes, including all
> >  keys and all values.
> >o The biggest user of Alternate Streams (less-limited versions of
> >  xattr on Windows, Solaris, etc.) arguably is root kits.  Alternate
> >  Streams have the advantage that tripwire etc. don't understand them
> >  and won't look for malware there.
> >o Some system administrators have no plans to upgrade to Solaris 9
> >  ever, because it supports Alternate Streams.  The trouble of hidden
> >  malware is not worth the gains.
> >
> >Notable was also, that Ted repeated the last two points in several
> >variations.  Not sure if I would follow his line of thought 100%, but
> >he does have a point.

Jörn

-- 
Why do musicians compose symphonies and poets write poems?
They do it because life wouldn't have any meaning for them if they didn't.
That's why I draw cartoons.  It's my life.
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