Two programs running under same user can’t by default read each other’s memory.

> Two programs running under same user can’t by default read each other’s memory.

'gdb -p $pid' works fine for me on linux as a non-root user for another pid of the same user, and that sure lets me read all memory. I think /proc/$pid/mem works fine too, right?

'ReadProcessMemory' works fine as an unprivileged user on windows I _thought_, at least I know it did last time I used it. That was years ago.

No clue about macOS.

I assume most people on hacker news are using linux though, so that's the one that's relevant.

> I assume most people on hacker news are using linux though, so that's the one that's relevant.

I'd wager a beer that MacOS is the dominant OS. Followed by Windows. Followed by Linux.

> 'gdb -p $pid' works fine for me on linux as a non-root user for another pid of the same user

I believe this requires `kernel.yama.ptrace_scope` to be set to 0, which is not the default in most distros? Or gdb to be granted specific capability, which I don't think is done by default either.

On Linux you can prevent being ptrace'd or having your core dumped by setting PR_SET_DUMPABLE in prctl. I've seen this used in places you'd expect like ssh-agent and GNOME's Keyring password manager.

Ctrl-f for 'PR_SET_DUMPABLE' in the manpages:

- https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man2/prctl.2.html

- https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man2/ptrace.2.html

What distribution is that on? At least Ubuntu has had ptrace capabilities restricted to superuser processes and descendants for many years now, as far as I can remember.

/proc/$pid/mem access needs ptrace permissions as well and accordingly follows the same rules.

That’s a stretch

That's just fearmongering. By that logic you can never use any closed source product. How would people trust an Outlook client won't leak your emails, or iOS/Android/Windows/MacOS isn't sharing your personal information and other communication?