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Security Upgraded For NetBSD-amd64 with Kernel ASLR Support (netbsd.org)
24 years after its release, NetBSD is getting a security upgrade -- specifically, Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR). An anonymous reader writes:
Support for Kernel ASLR was added on NetBSD-amd64 a few weeks ago. KASLR basically randomizes the address of the kernel, and makes it harder to exploit several classes of vulnerabilities [including privilege escalations and remote code execution]. It is still a work-in-progress, but it's already fully functional, and can be used following the instructions on this post from the NetBSD blog. It will be available starting from NetBSD 9, but may be backported to NetBSD 8 once it is stabilized.
NetBSD says they're the first BSD system to support ASLR.
NetBSD says they're the first BSD system to support ASLR.
That statement may be debatable for some languages. But I've looked at Rust. It can't do what C can. Sorry. You can't write low level code (and I don't mean something as high level as the Linux kernel) in it. Go ahead, try writing a bootloader in Rust. Let me know how it turns out.
The reality is that most good C programmers rarely have pointer fumbles. The fact of the matter is that lots of software we rely on (both open source and closed) are not written by even marginal programmers. There is this philosophy that if a good programmer writes the foundation the less skilled can follow along and product good software. It kinda works; to a point.
But even if all pointer bugs magically go away to equate this with "more secure" software is insane. The security hole landscape is vast. Really vast: Timing attacks, hardware flaws, surprising backchannels, social engineering. Yes, ASLR is a good defense. But claiming that Rust is going to fix security or just pushing it in this marketing style hype-fest is a detriment to just how hard getting security right is.
No it's not scary. Every language, OS and many other projects when new have some people who are very enthusiastic and that's a good thing. It's understandable and normal in a growing thriving community.
The Rust community at large usually says that if you have a large existing code base it is maybe not worth rewriting. However Rust integrates well into existing C projects and sometimes it's worth considering replacing problematic components in a larger project with Rust implementations, sometimes not. One example is Dropbox that's mostly a Go shop and will remain so, but they rewrote the bits that do bulk data transfers in Rust.
Just get over the few super enthusiasts, be happy for them and if you are starting a new project make an informed decision, as opposed to one based on defensiveness or entrenching. Rust have many impressive features it's well worth considering.