That being said, I'm not suggesting that anyone should judge an entire OS based off of how they handle a single minor report, since everything else that I've seen suggests that FreeBSD takes security reports quite seriously. But then you could also use this same argument for the Linux kernel bug, since it's pretty rare for a patch to be mismanaged like this there too :)
[0]: https://www.maxchernoff.ca/p/luatex-vulnerabilities#timeline
So the issue is bigger than the mishandling of a single issue, it’s a fundamental process issue around security for one of the most impactful projects in the entire space.
> we're in a similar space -- http://www.getdropbox.com (and part of the yc summer 07 program) basically, sync and backup done right (but for windows and os x). i had the same frustrations as you with existing solutions.
> let me know if it's something you're interested in, or if you want to chat about it sometime.
>drew (at getdropbox.com)
I don't think it's reasonable to say that an OS that lacks it isn't "serious" about security.
For local attackers there may be easier avenues to leak the ASLR slide, but for remote attackers it's almost universally agreed it significantly raises the bar.
>I don't think it's reasonable to say that an OS that lacks it isn't "serious" about security.
When they implemented it in 2019 it had been an 18-year-old mitigation. If you are serious about security, you implement everything that raises the bar. The term "defense-in-depth" exists for a reason, and ASLR is probably one of the easiest and most effective defense-in-depth measures you can implement that doesn't necessarily require changes from existing code other than compiling with -pie.
FreeBSD isn’t secure, I suspect you’re sitting on a pile of 0 days for it?
1. No strong stack protectors.
2. No kASLR.
That's 20-year-old exploit methodology.
They are completely independent operating systems with a distant shared history.
The preference is for usability over security.
Famously: https://vez.mrsk.me/freebsd-defaults
I appreciate your work on the project, but I can’t in good conscience suggest people switch while are such bad defaults.
With FreeBSD there's never any question of "who should this get reported to".
Not sure what you mean by this. Debian is able to handle coordinated disclosures (when they're actually coordinated), and get embargoed security updates out rapidly without breaking the embargo.
Is there some other aspect of this that you're referencing?
https://lwn.net/Articles/850098
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26507507
tl;dr: deeply insecure WireGuard implementation committed directly into the FreeBSD kernel with zero review.
Was this process problem fixed?
Not everyone installs only what is available in pkgsrc.
I kid, I kid...