FORTIFY_SOURCE for the kernel

[Warren Togami]

David Nielsen wrote:
> Hi List
> 
> A while back when FC5 was in it's infancy, Arjen mentioned a very
> interesting FORTIFY_SOURCE support patch for the kernel, does anyone
> know if this is any closer to inclusion, I've done some casual LKML
> searching and I can't even find any debate on this feature. 
> 
> I mostly ask because I was going over the Wishlist for FC5 and it stood
> out as an interesting feature.
> 
> - David

It would be interesting to experiment with, but it is far too late now 
to begin using it for FC5.  It will no doubt expose problems that would 
cause system crashes.  Fedora uses other non-standard kernel build 
options like -Os where in the past exposed corner case problems that 
most other users don't experience.  It took a long while to fix -Os 
problems because upstream and other distros didn't use it, and I am not 
really sure if all -Os problems are fixed today.

As for trying the kernel FORTIFY_SOURCE code, I believe only Arjan would 
have it.  He was playing with the concept himself a while ago.

Warren Togami
wtogami at redhat.com