On Thu, 5 Aug 2004, Bob Miller wrote: > Jacob Meuser wrote: > > > But then again, using safer functions, W^X, randomized memory allocation > > and mapping, privilege separation, propolice, etc, minimize the risk > > of bugs becoming serious security problems. Some of these things are > > available for linux, but in OpenBSD they are there by default. > > What's W^X?
Shorthand for "Writable or Executable." It's an OpenBSD kernel enhancement (and loader too, I think) that allows areas of memory to be marked explicitly with a flag that ensures that parts of memory are not simultaneously writeable and executable. Good for stopping a class of attacks on the x86 platform. The "PaX" project has something similar for linux. http://pax.grsecurity.net/docs/ -po _______________________________________________ EUGLUG mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.euglug.org/mailman/listinfo/euglug
