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[PATCH v4 7/8] docs: Document security implications of debugging
From: |
Ilya Leoshkevich |
Subject: |
[PATCH v4 7/8] docs: Document security implications of debugging |
Date: |
Wed, 21 Jun 2023 22:36:26 +0200 |
Now that the GDB stub explicitly implements reading host files (note
that it was already possible by changing the emulated code to open and
read those files), concerns may arise that it undermines security.
Document the status quo, which is that the users are already
responsible for securing the GDB connection themselves.
Reviewed-by: Alex Bennée <alex.bennee@linaro.org>
Signed-off-by: Ilya Leoshkevich <iii@linux.ibm.com>
---
docs/system/gdb.rst | 15 +++++++++++++++
1 file changed, 15 insertions(+)
diff --git a/docs/system/gdb.rst b/docs/system/gdb.rst
index 7d3718deef..9906991b84 100644
--- a/docs/system/gdb.rst
+++ b/docs/system/gdb.rst
@@ -214,3 +214,18 @@ The memory mode can be checked by sending the following
command:
``maintenance packet Qqemu.PhyMemMode:0``
This will change it back to normal memory mode.
+
+Security considerations
+=======================
+
+Connecting to the GDB socket allows running arbitrary code inside the guest;
+in case of the TCG emulation, which is not considered a security boundary, this
+also means running arbitrary code on the host. Additionally, when debugging
+qemu-user, it allows directly downloading any file readable by QEMU from the
+host.
+
+The GDB socket is not protected by authentication, authorization or encryption.
+It is therefore a responsibility of the user to make sure that only authorized
+clients can connect to it, e.g., by using a unix socket with proper
+permissions, or by opening a TCP socket only on interfaces that are not
+reachable by potential attackers.
--
2.40.1
- [PATCH v4 0/8] gdbstub: Add support for info proc mappings, Ilya Leoshkevich, 2023/06/21
- [PATCH v4 1/8] linux-user: Expose do_guest_openat() and do_guest_readlink(), Ilya Leoshkevich, 2023/06/21
- [PATCH v4 2/8] linux-user: Add "safe" parameter to do_guest_openat(), Ilya Leoshkevich, 2023/06/21
- [PATCH v4 3/8] linux-user: Emulate /proc/self/smaps, Ilya Leoshkevich, 2023/06/21
- [PATCH v4 4/8] gdbstub: Expose gdb_get_process() and gdb_get_first_cpu_in_process(), Ilya Leoshkevich, 2023/06/21
- [PATCH v4 5/8] gdbstub: Report the actual qemu-user pid, Ilya Leoshkevich, 2023/06/21
- [PATCH v4 7/8] docs: Document security implications of debugging,
Ilya Leoshkevich <=
- [PATCH v4 8/8] tests/tcg: Add a test for info proc mappings, Ilya Leoshkevich, 2023/06/21
- [PATCH v4 6/8] gdbstub: Add support for info proc mappings, Ilya Leoshkevich, 2023/06/21
- Re: [PATCH v4 0/8] gdbstub: Add support for info proc mappings, Alex Bennée, 2023/06/27