[vox] Biggest uptimes!

[trixter aka Bret McDanel]

On Sat, 2006-02-18 at 16:39 -0800, Mark K. Kim wrote:
> They should make the Linux kernel patchable without rebooting so we can
> have safe uptime contests.

depends on where the problem is, if its a module, you can do that,
patching a live kernel is potentially dangerous but possible.  You just
have to make sure that no one is using that section of kernel space or
copied any addresses elsewhere for later use.  If they have the vector
in kernel space saved (which generally shouldnt happen except by
drivers) and you patch and it changes you can have bad bad things
happen.  

But 99% of the time core kernel stuff doesnt have problems that lead to
vulnerabilities, but it does happen.

Perhaps a discussion on kernel design and how to patch a live kernel
would make an interesting talk sometime at a meeting.  Then again how
many people would be able to follow it without it taking forever to lay
the ground work (I really dont know that answer, because I live too far
from davis, so I am asking an honest question).


-- 
Trixter http://www.0xdecafbad.com     Bret McDanel
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