Drop the ROP - Fine-Grained Control-Flow Integrity for the Linux Kernel

Explore a comprehensive Black Hat conference talk on fine-grained Control-Flow Integrity (CFI) for the Linux kernel. Delve into the evolution of kernel-level security measures, from W^X memory policies to the challenges posed by return-oriented programming (ROP). Examine the limitations of existing kernel-level CFI proposals and their struggle to balance security with support for dynamically loadable kernel modules. Follow João Moreira's in-depth analysis of memory safety bugs, control-flow hijacking, and various mitigation techniques. Investigate the intricacies of gadgets, wrap attacks, indirect branches, and control-flow graphs. Learn about fine-grained control-flow issues, the Abadi approach, and the challenges of enforcing CFG and protecting returns. Gain insights into kernel configuration, core graph detaching, and support for assembly code. Conclude with a demonstration and discussion on the proposed guidelines for implementing robust CFI in the Linux kernel.