Open-Source Graphics Drivers Need Better Security

Written by Michael Larabel in Linux Security on 20 September 2012 at 04:57 AM EDT. 3 Comments
LINUX SECURITY
The open-source Linux graphics driver stack could benefit from greater security.

Martin Peres and Timothée Ravier talked yesterday at XDC2012 about the graphics stack security and its current shortcomings.

There's some security safeguards within the Linux graphics stack currently over X.Org, but much more could be done. However, greater enhancements to secure the graphics stack from potential attackers will likely not come until Wayland is out there.

Potential outstanding attack vectors, ideas for improvements, and much more are shared in the video below.

On a similar security note, Alan Coopersmith also talked briefly about the X.Org Server privilege model that Oracle uses on Solaris and what parts of that could be upstreamed.

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Michael Larabel is the principal author of Phoronix.com and founded the site in 2004 with a focus on enriching the Linux hardware experience. Michael has written more than 20,000 articles covering the state of Linux hardware support, Linux performance, graphics drivers, and other topics. Michael is also the lead developer of the Phoronix Test Suite, Phoromatic, and OpenBenchmarking.org automated benchmarking software. He can be followed via Twitter, LinkedIn, or contacted via MichaelLarabel.com.

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