Developer Summit 2008/Topics

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Introduction

These are accepted proposals for the developer summit. Those marked (L) are either lightning talks or simply collected points for discussion.

See the schedule page for times and more information.

Proposals


SELinux in Ubuntu

Presenter: Joshua Brindle, Tresys.

Abstract:
This talk will cover SELinux support in Ubuntu, the challenges with integrating SELinux into Ubuntu as well as the future plans for policy.


Policy Access Control and PolicyRep

Presenter: Joshua Brindle, Tresys.

Abstract:
This talk will cover two related technologies that could have a deep impact on the SELinux toolchain if incorporated. The first is policy access control which provides fine grained control over modifications to the policy. The suitability of the current prototype for various use cases will be discussed along with future plans.

The second technology is policyrep. Policyrep is a replacement to the current compiler that is more maintainable and allows language features to be added with more ease. This talk will cover the the plans for making policyrep the upstream compiler and the challenges this causes for other SELinux projects such as policy access control and setools.


Integrity Measurement Policies

Presenters: David Safford and Mimi Zohar, IBM.

Abstract:
The Linux Integrity Module (LIM) Framework provides a flexible structure similar to LSM, for the collecting, appraising, and committing of integrity measurements. One issue is how to define a policy of what to measure. This talk will quickly overview LIM, and present a measurement policy implementation which takes advantage of SELinux labels and supporting match functions to define fine grained, integrated integrity measurement policies.


Alternatives to Comprehensive Least Privilege

Presenter: Karl MacMillan, Tresys.

Abstract:
The SELinux policies that have been widely deployed - the original example policy and the reference policy - have been comprehensive least privilege policies. While effective, this approach has drawbacks, particularly in terms of policy size and complexity. The recent surge in interest in SELinux on embedded platforms (e.g., SELinux support in Montavista Mobilinux) has made these drawbacks more critical. This talk will discuss alternative approaches to full least privilege policies with real-world examples from Tresys' work with embedded vendors and application developers. The advantages and disadvantages of these approaches and how they might be more widely applied in traditional Linux distributions, like Ubuntu, will be examined.


Meeting Government Security Requirements With SELinux (L)

Presenter: Karl MacMillan, Tresys.

Abstract:
The CLIP project (Certifiable Linux Integration Platform) provides a platform for secure application development pre-configured to meet stringent government security standards (e.g., DCID 6/3). This talk will give an overview of the goals of CLIP, the challenges in meeting these standards with Linux and SELinux, and discuss future plans.


State of Labeled NFS Effort

Presenter: Dave Quigley, NSA.

Abstract:
As the use of SELinux expands in Enterprise environments customers are requesting the ability to use SELinux with their NFS based network storage. The labeled-nfs project seeks to extend the NFSv4 protocol to provide a generic mechanism for conveying process and file MAC security attribute information for use by security mechanisms employed on the client and server.

This talk explores the design and implementation for the labeled-nfs effort. We discuss why certain design decisions were made and what impact they have on the implementation of NFS in the Linux kernel and NFS userland infrastructure. Finally we discuss how parts of the labeled-nfs infrastructure can be used in other remote file systems.


State of Labeled Networking on SELinux

Presenter: Paul Moore, HP.

Abstract:
Over the past year the labeled networking functionality in SELinux has undergone heavy development which has resulted in both new functionality as well as improvements to existing functionality. This talk will discuss these changes and their impact on policy developers and security administrators. This includes a discussion on how to migrate from the legacy network controls and strategies for deprecating those older controls in the kernel. If time permits there will be a preview of upcoming and in-progress development topics.


Flask/TE Support for X

Presenter: Eamon Walsh, NSA.

Abstract:
WiP report on the Flask support for X. Will cover the progress to date on integrating Flask controls into the X server, progress (or lack thereof?) on upstreaming this support into distros, new refpolicy support for the X object classes and permissions, and preliminary desktop work that has branched off from the X work (cut & paste selection manager). Will also introduce my next task which is introducing Flask controls on the direct rendering interface (DRI) kernel ioctls.


Destkop Integration

Presenters: Eamon Walsh and Jim Carter, NSA.

Abstract: Discussion on the desktop effort. Will be focused on immediate desktop tasks that need doing / where to go next. Topics will include D-BUS, GConf, Glib/GTK and desktop applications.


Real world MLS label translation in SELinux

Presenter: Joe Nall

Abstract:
The current mcstransd requires a system administrator to configure each translation manually and assumes that translations are unique. While this approach works in many cases, it fails when there are a large number of potential translations (e.g. combinations of countries) or multiple names for one category (e.g. 2 or 3 character country codes). After a brief historical perspective, I will describe how we expanded mcstransd to address these issues and discuss what works and what problems remain.


Sanctions and the LSM

Presenter: Casey Schaufler

Abstract:
The current Linux Security Modules scheme encompasses both access control and privilege. This creates unnecessary and sometimes undesired dependencies between the two schemes. The sanctions project looks to address this issue by breaking the privilege components out of the LSM and into its own framework. In this presentation the goals, design, and progress of the sanctions project are presented.


Current Policy Language Research

Presenter: Jim Carter, NSA.

Abstract:
I will present the work that I have begun in experimenting with type inheritance, the approach I took in creating an experimental compiler to generate the input for checkpolicy, and what I plan to do in the future. Topics will include: the dream of one kernel language, but multiple higher level policy languages; why m4 must die; the problem with type mangling and m4 arguments; and some really simple changes that would be beneficial to the real policy language.


Secure Copy & Paste Manager (L)

Presenter: Xavier Toth

Abstract:
The development of a secure copy&paste manager for SELinux running MLS policy.


Embedded SELinux Activities in Japan

Presenter: Yuichi Nakamura, Hitachi Software.

Abstract:
People in Japan are working SELinux for embedded devices. Their works include improving performance, reducing size, integrating SELinux support to BusyBox, development of policy writing tool, and application to some devices such as Android. In the talk, these works are introduced, then issues are discussed.


Towards Application-Oriented Policy Configuration for SELinux (L)

Presenter: Berthold Agreiter, University of Innsbruck.

Abstract:
The complex configuration of SELinux is often criticized in literature. A number of tools have been developed to shed light on the enforced policy, access denials and policy development. However, the majority of these tools still use SELinux-terms for interaction with the user. Furthermore, many tools are only marginally raising the level of abstraction so that security configuration is still a matter of dealing with low-level type enforcement policies. This work is part of research for a Ph.D. thesis. It aims at making policy configuration easier by translating application level security requirements to type enforcement rules. Hence, the goal is to close the semantic gap between application level security requirements and low level enforcement. For the realization of these goals methodologies from model-driven development (especially meta-modelling and code generation) will be used. The ultimate goal is to abstract from the policy at the OS-level and lift it up to the application level. This allows security policy developers to create it in terms of the application instead of OS objects.

We propose a two-step approach for defining a security policy model. In the first step a domain specific language for the security-relevant aspects of the application is created. Secondly, objects of the DSL are connected with low-level security rules, e.g. the application level rule "allow a physician to read patient records" maps to the low-level permissions of allowing the current user to enter the application's domain (if its role is "physician_r"), being able to read the directory the patient record is placed in and eventually read the patient record file itself.

We claim that this way of policy creation makes it much easier and less prone to configuration errors. The creator of the policy does not have to think about files, sockets and libraries. Instead, he is focussing on what he is already familiar with - the application domain.

In this talk we want to present our two-step approach and exemplify it with a healthcare use case.


Applying Flask/TE to OpenSolaris

Presenter: John Weeks, Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Abstract:
The OpenSolaris Flexable Mandatory Access Control (FMAC) community-based project applies Flask and Type Enforcement to OpenSolaris. The combination of the existing Solaris Trusted extensions functionality with FMAC, represents a unique combination of Mandatory Access Control (MAC) technologies including the use the Solaris zone virtualization.

A progress report will be presented to share the early work accomplished on the project including commonality and/or differences between FMAC and the Flask/TE implementation in Linux. Early design ideas about how FMAC will interact with Solaris Trusted Extensions and Solaris Zones will also be presented.


FMAC and the Flask/TE Community (L)

Presenter: John Weeks, Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Abstract:
The further adoption of Flask and Type Enforcement (TE) may be accelerated by greater community participation. The discussion will position the OpenSolaris Flexable Manditory Access Control (FMAC) project as a new addition to the general Flask/TE community and pose questions about how we can work together to achieve a higher degree of ubiquity.


Reference Policy Year in Review

Presenter: Christopher J. PeBenito, Tresys.

Abstract:
This talk will review the milestones that reference policy made since the 2007 SELinux Symposium. Future plans will also be discussed


Confining X Windows with XACE (L)

Presenter: Dan Walsh, Red Hat.

Abstract:
Mainly a discussion on writing policy to confine X. What are we trying to prevent? How do we get the policy to use higher level concepts? I don't want to deal with XDrawables, I want to deal with cut/paste.


Administrative Security Boundaries (L)

Presenter: Dan Walsh, Red Hat.

Abstract:
How do I use labeled data to prevent leakage of information? Change cups to understand type enforcement for labeled printing. Don't allow printing of PatientRecord_t on printers labeled reseptionist_printer_t? Allow users of email clients to specify CompanyConfidential_t and have mailservers understand companyConfidential_t can not go to PublicEmail_t addresses. Finally have webservers begin to understand the connection to the point where it can verify the remote connection is a "VerifiedState" In order to look at certain types of data. VerifiedState might mean the client machine is running in enforcingmode, the user is running doctor_mozilla_t, the connection came over a labeled network, machine ran some form of TPM check when booted.


Policy Tools (L)

Presenter: Dan Walsh, Red Hat.

Abstract:
When do I use system-config-selinux/policygentool? When do I use Slide?


Lobster and Shrimp

Presenter: Peter White, Galois.

Abstract:

We are developing higher level languages for SELinux policy development. Our purpose is to decrease the size of SELinux policy configuration, and increase the ability to analyze an SELinux policy with respect to a high level security goal. The primary concern of the reference policy appears to be to give just enough permissions to each application, service to enable them to do their job on a standard SELinux system. This makes the current policy tools a vehicle for providing least privilege enforcement by the SELinux kernel.

We have developed two languages, one at an intermediate level, and one at a higher level. The intermediate language is called Shrimp. It is slightly higher level than the existing SELinux reference policy language. It provides type inference and enforcement of module boundaries for reference policy interfaces. The high level language is called Lobster. It is an object oriented language that also employs type inference, polymorphism, and function abstractions to provide a much more abstract view of the security policy. Our goal is to replace the reference policy with a Shrimp or Lobster version of the reference policy, and then to compile Lobster specifications of application policies into Shrimp. The reference policy plus the application policy combine to form the system security policy.

Lobster provides a notion of refinement, whereby a highly abstract policy can be refined into progressively more detailed policies, culminating in a policy at roughly the same level of detail as the current SELinux policy language. Thus abstract flow policies can be refined down to complete specifications in a way that preserves the abstract policy.