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Exploiting the Linux kernel via packet sockets

googleprojectzero.blogspot.com

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Re: Exploiting the Linux kernel via packet sockets

#7
post #6

I wish I was smart enough for the article. 8 years of web dev doesn't make the cut unfortunately.

You are smart enough but you have different priorities. This isn't magic but it does require time and time is usually spent on things people like. Therefore you just don't _like it_ enough.

Re: Exploiting the Linux kernel via packet sockets

#9
post #6

I wish I was smart enough for the article. 8 years of web dev doesn't make the cut unfortunately.

It's just domain knowledge and terminology. "Packet sockets" is shorthand for the AF_PACKET type sockets in Linux that let you construct network packets from the ground up, including the ethernet header, if you so wish.

That's as opposed to a regular socket, which is higher level and restricts you to a much smaller subset of things you can change/set.

The article just shows how they uncovered an exploit by "fuzzing" input to packet sockets. Where "fuzzing" just means using a tool that creates random inputs/values.

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