Bug#991426: release-notes: Recommend user.max_user_namespaces over kernel.unprivileged_userns_clone?

2021-07-25 Thread Ben Hutchings
On Fri, 2021-07-23 at 10:25 +0100, Simon McVittie wrote:
> Package: release-notes
> Severity: normal
> Tags: patch moreinfo
> X-Debbugs-Cc: debian-ker...@lists.debian.org
> 
> If I understand correctly, user.max_user_namespaces is an upstream kernel
> feature, but kernel.unprivileged_userns_clone comes from a Debian-specific
> patch that might be removed in future releases. It seems better to recommend
> the upstream version (also used in e.g. RHEL).
> 
> A possible patch is attached, but I'd prefer to get confirmation from
> a kernel maintainer before applying this, hence tagged +moreinfo.

I agree that this may be more future-proof (though it's taken little
effort to maintain that patch over the last 8 years).

Ben.

-- 
Ben Hutchings
Reality is just a crutch for people who can't handle science fiction.


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Bug#991426: release-notes: Recommend user.max_user_namespaces over kernel.unprivileged_userns_clone?

2021-07-23 Thread Simon McVittie
Package: release-notes
Severity: normal
Tags: patch moreinfo
X-Debbugs-Cc: debian-ker...@lists.debian.org

If I understand correctly, user.max_user_namespaces is an upstream kernel
feature, but kernel.unprivileged_userns_clone comes from a Debian-specific
patch that might be removed in future releases. It seems better to recommend
the upstream version (also used in e.g. RHEL).

A possible patch is attached, but I'd prefer to get confirmation from
a kernel maintainer before applying this, hence tagged +moreinfo.

smcv
>From 4f306c09371023ff71f921e4e4adec09233325bd Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Simon McVittie 
Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2021 10:21:12 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] Recommend user.max_user_namespaces over
 kernel.unprivileged_userns_clone

If I understand correctly, user.max_user_namespaces is an upstream kernel
feature, but kernel.unprivileged_userns_clone comes from a Debian-specific
patch that might be removed in future releases.

Signed-off-by: Simon McVittie 
---
 en/issues.dbk | 7 ++-
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/en/issues.dbk b/en/issues.dbk
index d0918474..ec8b75e8 100644
--- a/en/issues.dbk
+++ b/en/issues.dbk
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ password [success=1 default=ignore] pam_unix.so obscure yescrypt
 If you prefer to keep this feature restricted, set the sysctl:
   
   
-kernel.unprivileged_userns_clone = 0
+user.max_user_namespaces = 0
   
   
 	Note that various desktop and container features will not work
@@ -315,6 +315,11 @@ kernel.unprivileged_userns_clone = 0
 	WebKitGTK, Flatpak and
 	GNOME thumbnailing.
   
+  
+The Debian-specific sysctl
+kernel.unprivileged_userns_clone=0
+has a similar effect, but is deprecated.
+  
 
 
 
-- 
2.32.0