Re: [PATCH] Introduce compat_u64 and compat_s64 types

From: Andi Kleen
Date: Fri Jun 15 2007 - 09:28:30 EST



> And debug simulators that can be made to trap such accesses, and in most
> cases processors which fault such an access (so you find it) but don't
> provide enough information to restart.
>
> The testing isn't that hard for a given embedded system and having done
> work Linux does not need other changes re-breaking things.

Hopefully everybody who deploys these systems knows this. It seems
like a open death trap to me, especially since the consequences
are so severe: remote packet of death, could be a recall for
a network conntected embedded device that doesn't easily allow firmware
update. And they would rightfully blame Linux.

It would be much safer if the parts of the stack that weren't
audited/tested were marked this way and check for BROKEN_UNALIGNED or similar.

Also frankly I'm surprised that whoever designed these systems
didn't learn from the old M68000 who made this mistake the first time.

-Andi
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