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From: Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum@pengutronix.de>
To: barebox@lists.infradead.org
Cc: Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum@barebox.org>
Subject: [PATCH 08/11] Documentation: security: update for barebox dm-verity support
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2026 13:27:03 +0200	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <20260928112731.1271094-9-a.fatoum@pengutronix.de> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <20260928112731.1271094-1-a.fatoum@pengutronix.de>

From: Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum@barebox.org>

We have gained dm-verity support in the meantime, so there is actually
something we can offer users that want to use file systems in a secure
manner, even though they will need to bring their own scheme on how to
discover the signed root hash.

Reflect this in the documentation.

Signed-off-by: Ahmad Fatoum <a.fatoum@barebox.org>
---
 Documentation/user/security.rst | 12 ++++++++----
 1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Documentation/user/security.rst b/Documentation/user/security.rst
index b204e6df8d23..185adac2d51c 100644
--- a/Documentation/user/security.rst
+++ b/Documentation/user/security.rst
@@ -190,14 +190,18 @@ Avoiding use of file systems
 
 File systems are among the most complex parser code in barebox and a common
 source of bugs.
-Unlike Linux with its dm-verity support, barebox currently has no way to
-verify a file system before mounting it.
 
 The consequence is that in a verified boot setup, barebox should **never**
 be allowed to mount file systems.
-Especially, :ref:`bootloader spec files <bootloader_spec>` should not be used
+Especially, :ref:`bootloader spec files <bootloader_spec>` or
+:ref:`extlinux.conf <extlinux_conf>` should not be used
 in verified boot setups and signed FIT images **must** be located outside
-a file system and directly in a raw partition.
+a file system and directly in a raw partition and not pointed at by a plain
+unsigned file on an unsigned file system that can both be tampered with.
+
+If file system use is desired anyway, its integrity should be ensured by
+other means, e.g. by being mounted from a dm-verity block device that was
+setup with a correctly signed root hash.
 
 Prevent the kernel from booting the rootfs in verity boots
 ----------------------------------------------------------
-- 
2.47.3




  parent reply	other threads:[~2026-09-28 11:33 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 11+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
2026-09-28 11:26 [PATCH 00/11] Documentation: define a barebox threat model Ahmad Fatoum
2026-09-28 11:26 ` [PATCH 02/11] Documentation: security: clarify development key insecurity Ahmad Fatoum
2026-09-28 11:26 ` [PATCH 03/11] Documentation: security: require signature verification to be pinned Ahmad Fatoum
2026-09-28 11:26 ` [PATCH 04/11] Documentation: security: document trust for builtin devicetree Ahmad Fatoum
2026-09-28 11:27 ` [PATCH 05/11] Documentation: security: clarify the environment section Ahmad Fatoum
2026-09-28 11:27 ` [PATCH 06/11] Documentation: security: describe shell and environment as trust boundary Ahmad Fatoum
2026-09-28 11:27 ` [PATCH 07/11] Documentation: security: document the barebox update attack surface Ahmad Fatoum
2026-09-28 11:27 ` Ahmad Fatoum [this message]
2026-09-28 11:27 ` [PATCH 09/11] Documentation: security: add anchors for the different sections Ahmad Fatoum
2026-09-28 11:27 ` [PATCH 10/11] Documentation: define a barebox threat model Ahmad Fatoum
2026-09-28 11:27 ` [PATCH 11/11] README, SECURITY.md: link the threat model and security considerations Ahmad Fatoum

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