QEMU-KVM Security

[e100]

Why does Proxmox run KVM process as root?

An exploit in KVM could allow execution of code in the host running as the user of the KVM process.
It would be much more secure to run KVM processes as an un-privlidged user.

Also, I noticed Debian issued a KVM related security patch today, is Proxmox already patched?
CVE-2014-0150

 

[mo_]

probably relates to this: http://seclists.org/oss-sec/2014/q2/116

 

[e100]

If KVM was running as a non-root user then such an exploit would be less of a concern.

Being able to crash the guest or gain access to the host as a non-provlidged user is one thing
Gaining root access through a guest exploit is a quite different situation.

If the guest is running as root already then the hardest part of gaining root access on the host is already done for the hacker.

 

[dietmar]

I just uploaded a fix to pvetest repository:

ftp://download.proxmox.com/debian/dists/wheezy/pvetest/binary-amd64/pve-qemu-kvm_1.7-8_amd64.deb

Please use the pve-devel list if you want to discuss development related issues.