3 ms·

For a start, X11's security model. Every X11 application can read all keystrokes, mouse events, do screengrabs of other window's contents, etc. In other words,

For a start, X11's security model. Every X11 application can read all keystrokes, mouse events, do screengrabs of other window's contents, etc. In other words, your browser can snoop on what passwords you type into an X terminal if it wanted to or is compromised.

eropple 10y ago
Yup yup. Like, I recall a blog post by a Docker core contributor and employee saying, "Run your desktop apps in Docker containers to sandbox them! Just volume the X socket into the container." (Of course, the Dockerfiles were also running apps--like, say, Chrome--as root, with no user namespaces, so it wasn't exactly great anyway.)
- Filligree 10y ago
  Sure it's breakable, but that still isn't bad advice. In practice, an application run with the evil bit set won't know how to break out of such a container, nor how to abuse the X socket. It's only bad advice if you're relying on Docker to provide security against targeted threats. Know your enemy.
lisivka 10y ago
I.e. X11 working in same way as Windows, OS/2, BeOS, MacOS, OSX, etc. But in Linux, I can run application in container or VM and then use VNC, RDP, or Spice to connect to it in secure manner.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- danieldk 10y ago
  I.e. X11 working in same way as Windows, OS/2, BeOS, MacOS, OSX, etc. No, it's not. OS X has GUI isolation, an application cannot read keystrokes or read other application's contents, unless you explicitly give permission to do so. This is the reason why applications that can do more, such as Alfred, require you to explicitly enable these rights in the Privacy section of the Security & Privacy prefpane. Windows also has GUI isolation (UIPI), but it's a bit murkier. As far as I understand, lower-privileged applications cannot read events from higher-privileged applications. https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb625963.aspx https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb625963.aspx
idobai 10y ago
Windows10 is already recording every keystroke/data of yours - what's the difference here? Also, Canonical's snappy packages can kinda solve this problem.
- dsp1234 10y ago
  Since about the time of Windows Vista, non-administrative windows aren't able to hook keyboard events for administrative windows.[0] So while it's possible for a program to listen to keyboard events for other non-administrative windows (such as the password for a browser), it isn't possible for a non-administrative window to grab keyboard input for stuff like windows password prompts, or information typed into administrative console windows, etc. [0] - http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3169675/how-to-use-setwindowshookex-in-vista-and-hook-admin-apps-with-uac http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3169675/how-to-use-setwin...
- tychuz 10y ago
  This great argument again...
  - idobai 10y ago
    Windows fanboys reporting in?

eropple 10y ago

Yup yup. Like, I recall a blog post by a Docker core contributor and employee saying, "Run your desktop apps in Docker containers to sandbox them! Just volume the X socket into the container." (Of course, the Dockerfiles were also running apps--like, say, Chrome--as root, with no user namespaces, so it wasn't exactly great anyway.)

Filligree 10y ago
Sure it's breakable, but that still isn't bad advice. In practice, an application run with the evil bit set won't know how to break out of such a container, nor how to abuse the X socket. It's only bad advice if you're relying on Docker to provide security against targeted threats. Know your enemy.

lisivka 10y ago

I.e. X11 working in same way as Windows, OS/2, BeOS, MacOS, OSX, etc. But in Linux, I can run application in container or VM and then use VNC, RDP, or Spice to connect to it in secure manner.

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
danieldk 10y ago
I.e. X11 working in same way as Windows, OS/2, BeOS, MacOS, OSX, etc. No, it's not. OS X has GUI isolation, an application cannot read keystrokes or read other application's contents, unless you explicitly give permission to do so. This is the reason why applications that can do more, such as Alfred, require you to explicitly enable these rights in the Privacy section of the Security & Privacy prefpane. Windows also has GUI isolation (UIPI), but it's a bit murkier. As far as I understand, lower-privileged applications cannot read events from higher-privileged applications. https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb625963.aspx https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb625963.aspx

idobai 10y ago

Windows10 is already recording every keystroke/data of yours - what's the difference here? Also, Canonical's snappy packages can kinda solve this problem.

dsp1234 10y ago
Since about the time of Windows Vista, non-administrative windows aren't able to hook keyboard events for administrative windows.[0] So while it's possible for a program to listen to keyboard events for other non-administrative windows (such as the password for a browser), it isn't possible for a non-administrative window to grab keyboard input for stuff like windows password prompts, or information typed into administrative console windows, etc. [0] - http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3169675/how-to-use-setwindowshookex-in-vista-and-hook-admin-apps-with-uac http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3169675/how-to-use-setwin...
tychuz 10y ago
This great argument again...
- idobai 10y ago
  Windows fanboys reporting in?