arm-trusted-firmware/docs
Sandrine Bailleux 85bebe18da refactor(console): disable getc() by default
The ability to read a character from the console constitutes an attack
vector into TF-A, as it gives attackers a means to inject arbitrary
data into TF-A. It is dangerous to keep that feature enabled if not
strictly necessary, especially in production firmware builds.

Thus, we need a way to disable this feature. Moreover, when it is
disabled, all related code should be eliminated from the firmware
binaries, such that no remnant/dead getc() code remains in memory,
which could otherwise be used as a gadget as part of a bigger security
attack.

This patch disables getc() feature by default. For legitimate getc()
use cases [1], it can be explicitly enabled by building TF-A with
ENABLE_CONSOLE_GETC=1.

The following changes are introduced when getc() is disabled:

- The multi-console framework no longer provides the console_getc()
  function.

- If the console driver selected by the platform attempts to register
  a getc() callback into the multi-console framework then TF-A will
  now fail to build.

  If registered through the assembly function finish_console_register():
  - On AArch64, you'll get:
      Error: undefined symbol CONSOLE_T_GETC used as an immediate value.
  - On AArch32, you'll get:
      Error: internal_relocation (type: OFFSET_IMM) not fixed up

  If registered through the C function console_register(), this requires
  populating a struct console with a getc field, which will trigger:
    error: 'console_t' {aka 'struct console'} has no member named 'getc'

- All console drivers which previously registered a getc() callback
  have been modified to do so only when ENABLE_CONSOLE_GETC=1.

[1] Example of such use cases would be:
    - Firmware recovery: retrieving a golden BL2 image over the console in
      order to repair a broken firmware on a bricked board.
    - Factory CLI tool: Drive some soak tests through the console.

Discussed on TF-A mailing list here:
https://lists.trustedfirmware.org/archives/list/tf-a@lists.trustedfirmware.org/thread/YS7F6RCNTWBTEOBLAXIRTXWIOYINVRW7/

Change-Id: Icb412304cd23dbdd7662df7cf8992267b7975cc5
Signed-off-by: Sandrine Bailleux <sandrine.bailleux@arm.com>
Acked-by: Baruch Siach <baruch@tkos.co.il>
2023-10-11 08:40:14 +02:00
..
_static/css docs(threat model): add TF-A threat model 2021-04-30 17:59:22 +02:00
about docs: update TF-A v2.10 release information 2023-09-29 10:18:37 +02:00
components refactor(el3-runtime): plat_ic_has_interrupt_type returns bool 2023-09-25 17:09:15 -05:00
design fix(cpus): workaround for Cortex-X3 erratum 2070301 2023-10-04 13:45:16 -05:00
design_documents Merge "docs(psa): doc AP/RSS interfaces for NV ctrs/ROTPK" into integration 2023-08-16 09:11:24 +02:00
getting_started refactor(console): disable getc() by default 2023-10-11 08:40:14 +02:00
perf fix(docs): replace deprecated urls under tfa/docs 2023-09-07 16:29:11 -05:00
plat Merge "fix(docs): add missing line in the fiptool command for stm32mp1" into integration 2023-09-29 18:21:16 +02:00
process refactor(console): disable getc() by default 2023-10-11 08:40:14 +02:00
resources docs: add Measured Boot design 2023-07-06 12:14:30 +01:00
security_advisories chore: rename hunter to a720 2023-06-29 16:20:01 +01:00
threat_model Merge "fix(docs): replace deprecated urls under tfa/docs" into integration 2023-09-08 18:32:26 +02:00
tools feat(memmap): add topological memory view 2023-05-12 14:38:22 +01:00
change-log.md docs(changelog): changelog for v2.9 release 2023-05-19 13:49:08 -05:00
conf.py Merge "docs: remove blank pages from PDF documentation" into integration 2023-08-09 15:18:05 +02:00
global_substitutions.txt docs(errata_abi): document the errata abi changes 2023-05-05 13:24:59 -05:00
glossary.rst docs(errata_abi): document the errata abi changes 2023-05-05 13:24:59 -05:00
index.rst docs: update PSCI reference 2023-06-15 09:46:43 +01:00
license.rst refactor(dt-bindings): align irq bindings with kernel 2021-06-14 10:05:48 +02:00
Makefile feat(docs): allow verbose build 2023-03-21 11:47:16 +01:00
porting-guide.rst refactor(cpufeat): refactor arch feature build options 2023-09-15 14:53:08 +02:00