From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
Message-ID: <e0b3585364ba0690fdfb743ddaa5b83e@plan9.bell-labs.com>
From: jmk@plan9.bell-labs.com
To: 9fans@cse.psu.edu
Subject: Re: [9fans] 4th edition file server available
In-Reply-To: <20030112023643.D4EDC109ED3@xmxpita.excite.com>
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Date: Sat, 11 Jan 2003 22:10:40 -0500
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On Sat Jan 11 21:37:18 EST 2003, joelcsalomon@excite.com wrote:
> 
> >It is a user-level program rather than a special kernel
> One advantage (as I understood it) of using a specialized kernel was a form of security -- there were *no* user mode programs whose bugs could be exploited. How "standalone" can a Fossil/Venti server be? Can I delete almost everything in /bin to "lock down" the system?
> 
> --Joel

The intent is that it should be possible to configure the system
via the kernel config such that the only process(es) running are
those necessary to run a fileserver, i.e. fossil and factotum, with
only a physical console for control. The less paranoid you are, the
more user level stuff you can leave running, e.g. starting fossil
from /bin/cpurc.

Of course, we're nowhere near there yet.

--jim