[RFC PATCH v19 1/5] exec: Add a new AT_CHECK flag to execveat(2)

[Jeff Xu]

On Fri, Jul 19, 2024 at 1:45 AM Mickaël Salaün <mic at digikod.net> wrote:
>
> On Thu, Jul 18, 2024 at 06:29:54PM -0700, Jeff Xu wrote:
> > On Thu, Jul 18, 2024 at 5:24 AM Mickaël Salaün <mic at digikod.net> wrote:
> > >
> > > On Wed, Jul 17, 2024 at 07:08:17PM -0700, Jeff Xu wrote:
> > > > On Wed, Jul 17, 2024 at 3:01 AM Mickaël Salaün <mic at digikod.net> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > On Tue, Jul 16, 2024 at 11:33:55PM -0700, Jeff Xu wrote:
> > > > > > On Thu, Jul 4, 2024 at 12:02 PM Mickaël Salaün <mic at digikod.net> wrote:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Add a new AT_CHECK flag to execveat(2) to check if a file would be
> > > > > > > allowed for execution.  The main use case is for script interpreters and
> > > > > > > dynamic linkers to check execution permission according to the kernel's
> > > > > > > security policy. Another use case is to add context to access logs e.g.,
> > > > > > > which script (instead of interpreter) accessed a file.  As any
> > > > > > > executable code, scripts could also use this check [1].
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > This is different than faccessat(2) which only checks file access
> > > > > > > rights, but not the full context e.g. mount point's noexec, stack limit,
> > > > > > > and all potential LSM extra checks (e.g. argv, envp, credentials).
> > > > > > > Since the use of AT_CHECK follows the exact kernel semantic as for a
> > > > > > > real execution, user space gets the same error codes.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > So we concluded that execveat(AT_CHECK) will be used to check the
> > > > > > exec, shared object, script and config file (such as seccomp config),
>
> > > > > > I think binfmt_elf.c in the kernel needs to check the ld.so to make
> > > > > > sure it passes AT_CHECK, before loading it into memory.
> > > > >
> > > > > All ELF dependencies are opened and checked with open_exec(), which
> > > > > perform the main executability checks (with the __FMODE_EXEC flag).
> > > > > Did I miss something?
> > > > >
> > > > I mean the ld-linux-x86-64.so.2 which is loaded by binfmt in the kernel.
> > > > The app can choose its own dynamic linker path during build, (maybe
> > > > even statically link one ?)  This is another reason that relying on a
> > > > userspace only is not enough.
> > >
> > > The kernel calls open_exec() on all dependencies, including
> > > ld-linux-x86-64.so.2, so these files are checked for executability too.
> > >
> > This might not be entirely true. iiuc, kernel  calls open_exec for
> > open_exec for interpreter, but not all its dependency (e.g. libc.so.6)
>
> Correct, the dynamic linker is in charge of that, which is why it must
> be enlighten with execveat+AT_CHECK and securebits checks.
>
> > load_elf_binary() {
> >    interpreter = open_exec(elf_interpreter);
> > }
> >
> > libc.so.6 is opened and mapped by dynamic linker.
> > so the call sequence is:
> >  execve(a.out)
> >   - open exec(a.out)
> >   - security_bprm_creds(a.out)
> >   - open the exec(ld.so)
> >   - call open_exec() for interruptor (ld.so)
> >   - call execveat(AT_CHECK, ld.so) <-- do we want ld.so going through
> > the same check and code path as libc.so below ?
>
> open_exec() checks are enough.  LSMs can use this information (open +
> __FMODE_EXEC) if needed.  execveat+AT_CHECK is only a user space
> request.
>
Then the ld.so doesn't go through the same security_bprm_creds() check
as other .so.

As my previous email, the ChromeOS LSM restricts executable mfd
through security_bprm_creds(), the end result is that ld.so can still
be executable memfd, but not other .so.

One way to address this is to refactor the necessary code from
execveat() code patch, and make it available to call from both kernel
and execveat() code paths., but if we do that, we might as well use
faccessat2(AT_CHECK)


> >   - transfer the control to ld.so)
> >   - ld.so open (libc.so)
> >   - ld.so call execveat(AT_CHECK,libc.so) <-- proposed by this patch,
> > require dynamic linker change.
> >   - ld.so mmap(libc.so,rx)
>
> Explaining these steps is useful. I'll include that in the next patch
> series.
>
> > > > A detailed user case will help demonstrate the use case for dynamic
> > > > linker, e.g. what kind of app will benefit from
> > > > SECBIT_EXEC_RESTRICT_FILE = 1, what kind of threat model are we
> > > > dealing with , what kind of attack chain we blocked as a result.
> > >
> > > I explained that in the patches and in the description of these new
> > > securebits.  Please point which part is not clear.  The full threat
> > > model is simple: the TCB includes the kernel and system's files, which
> > > are integrity-protected, but we don't trust arbitrary data/scripts that
> > > can be written to user-owned files or directly provided to script
> > > interpreters.  As for the ptrace restrictions, the dynamic linker
> > > restrictions helps to avoid trivial bypasses (e.g. with LD_PRELOAD)
> > > with consistent executability checks.
> > >
> > On elf loading case, I'm clear after your last email. However, I'm not
> > sure if everyone else follows,  I will try to summarize here:
> > - Problem:  ld.so /tmp/a.out will happily pass, even /tmp/a.out is
> > mounted as non-exec.
> >   Solution: ld.so call execveat(AT_CHECK) for a.out before mmap a.out
> > into memory.
> >
> > - Problem: a poorly built application (a.out) can have a dependency on
> > /tmp/a.o, when /tmp/a.o is on non-exec mount,
> >   Solution: ld.so call execveat(AT_CHECK) for a.o, before mmap a.o into memory.
> >
> > - Problem: application can call mmap (/tmp/a.out, rx), where /tmp is
> > on non-exec mount
>
> I'd say "malicious or non-enlightened processes" can call mmap without
> execveat+AT_CHECK...
>
> >   This is out of scope, i.e. will require enforcement on mmap(), maybe
> > through LSM
>
> Cool, I'll include that as well. Thanks.