Re: Why wrapping PIDs is evil [was 32bit]

From: Stefan Monnier (monnier+lists/linux/kernel/news/@tequila.cs.yale.edu)
Date: Mon Jan 17 2000 - 11:52:51 EST


>>>>> "Stephen" == Stephen Frost <sfrost@mail.snowman.net> writes:
> Of course, who wants to type in a 20 digit number? :) I suppose if
> you feel the need for security that badly you could patch the kernel to use
> a 64bit PID space, and just panic when you run out, based on the assumption
> that something _very_ bad is happening if you run out. :)

`no wrap around' is not the only answer.
You could instead fix the problem at the source:
allow a potential killer to hold on to a process (preventing its
entry from being reused) just like the parent already does it (leaving
the child in zombie state until it is reaped).
This way you could do

> ps aux | grep foobar
          1234 10:23 foobar
> grab 1234
> ps aux | grep 1234
          1234 10:23 foobar
> kill 1234

-- Stefan

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