[PATCH v2] gdbserver: linux_low: elf_64_file_p cache results

[Pedro Alves]

On 08/24/2017 03:14 PM, Jon Ringle wrote:
> On Thu, Aug 24, 2017 at 5:26 AM, Pedro Alves <palves@redhat.com> wrote:
>> Hi Jon,
>>
>> On 08/24/2017 05:45 AM, jon@ringle.org wrote:
>>
>>> The problem lied in the fact that the function elf_64_file_p() (call on
>>> line 7184), was returning -1 because it could not open the file (with errno
>>> set to EACCESS). This was because the inferior's code was dropping root
>>> privileges and no longer was able to read the file.
>>
>> I feel like I'm missing something.  If it's the inferior that
>> is dropping privileges, how can that affect gdbserver?  It's gdbserver
>> that opens the file, not the inferior.
>>
>> It'd be nice to have a testcase for this.  Would it be possible to come
>> up with a small reproducer?
>>
> 
> I learned something while coming up with a small reproducer. The real
> program I'm debugging is a systemd service and has a
> CapabilityBoundingSet. The CapabilityBoundingSet turns out to be a
> crucial point for reproducing.
> 
> I setup a systemd service:
>     $ cat /lib/systemd/system/droproot-test.service
>     [Unit]
>     Description=gdbserver droproot test service
> 
>     [Service]
>     Type=simple
>     ExecStart=/home/jringle/build/gdbserver/gdbserver :5555
> /home/jringle/git/droproot-test/droproot-test jringle
>     Restart=on-success
>     CapabilityBoundingSet=CAP_SETGID CAP_SETUID

OK, I don't know much about this, but it sounds like
without that, your "droproot" test wouldn't be able
to call setgid/setuid successfully to change to the
"jringle" user.

I'm still mystified about why can't gdbserver read
the file after "droproot" has changed user.
I assume gdbserver is running as root?  Why wouldn't
a gdbserver running as root be able to read "jringle"'s
/proc file?

Does CAP_PTRACE make a difference?

I have to wonder whether there's a better way to do this..
gdbserver needs to read other /proc files, some not cacheable.
I fear that you may have run into just one case so far, and
that we may run into problems if we take this route.

Thanks,
Pedro Alves