RFC: Should we have all targets default to only creating an executable stack when explicitly requested ?

[Jan Beulich]

On 21.04.2022 16:44, Nick Clifton wrote:
>>>     A proposal has been made that all targets should ignore missing
>>>     .note.GNU-stack sections, and the linker should only ever create an
>>>     executable stack if explicitly requested by one of the two methods
>>>     described in the second paragraph.  
>>
>> I know of such an application right away. It being used merely for testing
>> purposes, I believe it's okay-ish to have an executable stack. 
> 
> Does the application link with "-z execstack" ?  If not, why not ?
> 
> Just curious really.  I want to know if there are likely to be other
> apps out there that use executable stacks, but do not explicitly request
> the feature from the linker.

It doesn't, presumably simply because so far there was no need. The
tool may also pre-date the introduction of "-z execstack".

Jan