linux-pax-flags(8) System Manager's Manual linux-pax-flags(8)
NAME
linux-pax-flags - Configure PaX flags for several binaries
SYNOPSIS
linux-pax-flags [options] [filter]
DESCRIPTION
linux-pax-flags is written to configure PaX flags for a set of bina‐
ries. It is intended to ease the usage of PaX (linux-pax) or grsecu‐
rity (linux-grsec, linux-grsec-lts) enabled kernel on Arch Linux.
PaX flags for a set of binaries are collected in YAML format configura‐
tion files. By default, every .conf file from /etc/pax-flags and
/usr/share/linux-pax-flags is read. See the CONFIGURATION section for
the file format.
Root privileges are needed. If you set a value to $PAX_FLAGS_SUDO,
linux-pax-flags will be called with sudo.
OPTIONS
-c, --config
Override default configuration paths. Requires one path argu‐
ment. Can contain globs (escape them in some shells (zsh for
example)).
-h, --help
Displays a short usage message and option summary.
-p, --prepend
Do not actually change anything.
-x, --xattr
Sets the PaX flags through setfattr, underlying filesystems need
xattr support.
-y, --yes
Non-interactive mode. Assume yes on any question.
FILES
/etc/pax-flags/*.conf
Files for overriding the standard flag set and path pattern con‐
figuration.
/usr/share/linux-pax-flags/*.conf
The shipped configuration.
CONFIGURATION
There are simple configuration entries and complex ones. Complex con‐
figuration for a certain flag set and path pattern overrides simple. To
override a simple entry with a complex one, the flag sets and path pat‐
terns have to match exactly.
Simple entries
Simple configuration entries just set the PaX flags for a set of bina‐
ries. The format is as follows:
PSmXER:
- /usr/bin/ruby
- /usr/bin/glx*
PSmXER is the set of flags. Every letter represents a PaX flag. Upper‐
case enables the flag, lowercase disables it. See paxctl(1) for more
details. This example disables MPROTECT on /usr/bin/ruby and
/usr/bin/glx*.
Complex entries
With complex entries it is possible to stop a daemon before setting the
flags and starting it afterwards. The format is as follows:
PSmXER:
- /usr/sbin/clamd:
type: systemd
This would stop clamd, disable MPROTECT for the binary and start the
daemon again. The type option values correspond to presets of status,
start, stop actions. Currently there exists only "systemd". By default
the systemd unit file would be "clamd" in this case or the basename of
the path in general.
PSmXEr:
- /usr/lib/polkit-1/polkitd:
type: systemd
systemd_name: polkit
The systemd_name option can be used to configure a differing systemd
unit name.
PSmXEr:
- /usr/lib/firefox/firefox:
status: "pidof firefox"
start: "firefox &"
stop: "killall firefox"
This would configure custom actions for status, start and stop.
PSmXER:
- /usr/bin/ruby:
skip: true
This would override a simple entry for the same flag set and path pat‐
tern and cause it to be skipped.
PSmXER:
- /usr/lib32/skype/skype:
header: create
This would cause paxctl to not convert the old binary header, but cre‐
ate a new one. See paxctl(1) for more details.
AUTHOR
henning mueller
SEE ALSO
- paxctl(1)
- http://www.yaml.org
2013-02-18 linux-pax-flags(8)