Re: [PATCH] kernel: use kcalloc instead kmalloc/memset

From: Roman Zippel
Date: Fri Aug 05 2005 - 05:35:30 EST


Hi,

On Fri, 5 Aug 2005, Arjan van de Ven wrote:

> > This would imply a similiar kmalloc() would be useful as well.
> > Second, how relevant is it for the kernel?
>
> we've had a non-negliable amount of security holes because of this

So why don't we have a similiar kmalloc()?

> > Is that really the best place
> > to check for rogue user parameters?
>
> it makes it easy and safe. Of course you can and should check it in all
> users. Just that using a safer API is generally better than forcing
> everyone to do it themselves.

How exactly does this make it a "safe API"? Even if it checks for this one
case, it still makes the user suspectible for allocating big amounts of
unswappable memory.

bye, Roman
-
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/