Full Disclosure mailing list archives
Re: Linux big bang theory....
From: Pavel Kankovsky <peak () argo troja mff cuni cz>
Date: Sat, 26 May 2007 11:42:46 +0200 (CEST)
On Mon, 21 May 2007, Vincent Archer wrote:
I don't have (and I doubt anybody around here can) the proof to make this a theorem, but it is a good postulate: - It is impossible to prove the integrity of a computing system from within the same system.
From a theoretical POV, it might be possible do it with a program
requiring all memory of the tested system (*all* memory, including memory occupied by existing data -- whether it is possible to reconstruct them after the fact is a different question...) to compute a correct result. Several difficult conditions would have to be satisfied: 1. the program must be optimal, i.e. it is impossible to compute the correct result in less space (including the space occupied by the code of the program), 2. at some point during the computation, the contents of all memory (including the code of the program) must have maximum Kolmogorov complexity, i.e. it is impossible to simulate extra memory through data compression, 3. the system must be isolated, i.e. it is impossible to simulate extra memory through interaction with the rest of the world. These condition might be made somewhat weaker by taking time into account and allowing the simulation of extra memory as long as it is impossible to do it quickly enough. --Pavel Kankovsky aka Peak [ Boycott Microsoft--http://www.vcnet.com/bms ] "Resistance is futile. Open your source code and prepare for assimilation." _______________________________________________ Full-Disclosure - We believe in it. Charter: http://lists.grok.org.uk/full-disclosure-charter.html Hosted and sponsored by Secunia - http://secunia.com/
Current thread:
- Re: Linux big bang theory...., (continued)
- Re: Linux big bang theory.... Valdis . Kletnieks (May 13)
- Re: Linux big bang theory.... Andrew Farmer (May 13)
- Re: Linux big bang theory.... Andrew Farmer (May 13)
- Re: Linux big bang theory.... Mike Owen (May 15)
- Re: Linux big bang theory.... Valdis . Kletnieks (May 13)
- Re: Linux big bang theory.... Just1n T1mberlake (May 13)
- Re: Linux big bang theory.... Tremaine Lea (May 13)
- Re: Linux big bang theory.... Andrew Farmer (May 13)
- Re: Linux big bang theory.... Vincent Archer (May 21)
- Re: Linux big bang theory.... J. Oquendo (May 21)
- Re: Linux big bang theory.... gary sweet (May 21)
- Re: Linux big bang theory.... Pavel Kankovsky (May 26)
- Re: Linux big bang theory.... Valdis . Kletnieks (May 26)
- Re: Linux big bang theory.... Pavel Kankovsky (May 27)
- Re: Linux big bang theory.... Vincent Archer (May 28)
- Re: Linux big bang theory.... Tremaine Lea (May 13)
- Re: Linux big bang theory.... scott (May 13)
- Re: Linux big bang theory.... Kradorex Xeron (May 14)
- Re: Linux big bang theory.... Troy (May 14)
- Re: Linux big bang theory.... Kradorex Xeron (May 15)