blob: 9cbecabd56001318865efc22bbd44ba0096b5ede [file] [log] [blame]
menu "Kernel hardening options"
menu "Memory initialization"
choice
prompt "Initialize kernel stack variables at function entry"
default INIT_STACK_NONE
help
This option enables initialization of stack variables at
function entry time. This has the possibility to have the
greatest coverage (since all functions can have their
variables initialized), but the performance impact depends
on the function calling complexity of a given workload's
syscalls.
This chooses the level of coverage over classes of potentially
uninitialized variables. The selected class will be
initialized before use in a function.
config INIT_STACK_NONE
bool "no automatic initialization (weakest)"
help
Disable automatic stack variable initialization.
This leaves the kernel vulnerable to the standard
classes of uninitialized stack variable exploits
and information exposures.
config INIT_STACK_ALL
bool "0xAA-init everything on the stack (strongest)"
help
Initializes everything on the stack with a 0xAA
pattern. This is intended to eliminate all classes
of uninitialized stack variable exploits and information
exposures, even variables that were warned to have been
left uninitialized.
endchoice
config INIT_ON_ALLOC_DEFAULT_ON
bool "Enable heap memory zeroing on allocation by default"
help
This has the effect of setting "init_on_alloc=1" on the kernel
command line. This can be disabled with "init_on_alloc=0".
When "init_on_alloc" is enabled, all page allocator and slab
allocator memory will be zeroed when allocated, eliminating
many kinds of "uninitialized heap memory" flaws, especially
heap content exposures. The performance impact varies by
workload, but most cases see <1% impact. Some synthetic
workloads have measured as high as 7%.
config INIT_ON_FREE_DEFAULT_ON
bool "Enable heap memory zeroing on free by default"
help
This has the effect of setting "init_on_free=1" on the kernel
command line. This can be disabled with "init_on_free=0".
Similar to "init_on_alloc", when "init_on_free" is enabled,
all page allocator and slab allocator memory will be zeroed
when freed, eliminating many kinds of "uninitialized heap memory"
flaws, especially heap content exposures. The primary difference
with "init_on_free" is that data lifetime in memory is reduced,
as anything freed is wiped immediately, making live forensics or
cold boot memory attacks unable to recover freed memory contents.
The performance impact varies by workload, but is more expensive
than "init_on_alloc" due to the negative cache effects of
touching "cold" memory areas. Most cases see 3-5% impact. Some
synthetic workloads have measured as high as 8%.
endmenu
endmenu