Re: [PATCH] Fix kexec forbidding kernels signed with custom platform keys to boot

[David Howells <dhowells@redhat.com>]

James Bottomley <James.Bottomley@HansenPartnership.com> wrote:

> > The problem with that is that it means you can't load third party
> > modules - such as the NVidia driver.  That's fine if you absolutely
> > reject the right of people to produce third party drivers for the
> > Linux kernel and absolutely require that they open and upstream their
> > code if they want in.
> 
> So if you build your own kernel and want to load the nVidia module, you
> have the key to sign it.

I think you have to assume that doing this is beyond most people.  Further, as
a distribution we would prefer people didn't raise bugs against kernels that
we didn't build.

> If you're a distribution and want third party modules to be loaded you can
> set up a third party signing process using a distro key ... I don't see what
> the big problem is.

That's the problem is right there.  AIUI, we *don't* want to set up a third
party signing process.  As I said, it potentially comes with lawyers attached.

> So your lawyers tell you if you sign a third party module for your
> kernel then you could get blamed for the damage it causes?

There's more to it than that, but I feel I should discuss it with our legal
dept. before airing it here.

David