Re: local users can panic linux kernel (was: SuSE syslogd

[alan () LXORGUK UKUU ORG UK (Alan Cox)]

> It isn't clear for me what can be done to protect the whole system inside
> syslogd.  Does anybody knows what SuSE really changed?
> Their source package isn't very helpful.

There were two notable problems

1.      Syslogd defaulted to stream sockets which means you have resource
        control problems - in fact Dan Bernstein posted some very good stuff
        about that issue about a year ago

2.      The client code decided it would be a good idea to wait - ie do a
        blocking connect. Unfortunate it someone ate all the syslog handles

With a datagram system it comes down to losing messages under load. I think that
is about as good as you can get.

Alan