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Linux Foundation

Breaking and Protecting Linux Kernel Stack

Linux Foundation via YouTube

Overview

Explore the evolution of Linux kernel stack attacks and defenses in this comprehensive conference talk. Delve into the history of stack-based vulnerabilities, examining existing protective measures implemented in the upstream Linux kernel. Analyze the effectiveness of current safeguards, including vmalloc-based stack allocation with guard pages, thread_info removal, and the STACKLEAK feature. Investigate the potential for further enhancing kernel stack security through RANDOMIZE_KSTACK_OFFSET, considering its challenges and performance implications. Gain insights into various attack techniques such as buffer overflows, stack overflows, and inter-stack exploitation, while learning about countermeasures like VMAP-based stacks and Variable-Length Arrays removal. Evaluate the gap between current protections and potential threats, and engage in a discussion on the future of Linux kernel stack security.

Syllabus

SECURITY
Linux thread stack for x86_64
Buffer overflows
Stack Overflows
Uninitialized Stack
Stackjacking
Inter-stack exploitation
A more recent example
Stack Clash
Basic measures for x86_64
VMAP-based stack
Variable-Length Arrays removal
STACKLEAK and stack initialization
Gap analysis
In-stack randomization: comparison
CONFIG_RANDOMIZE_KSTACK_OFFSET
Performance, performance, performance.....
Discussion & Conclusions
References

Taught by

Linux Foundation

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