Booting a Self-signed Linux Kernel

Re:Booting a Self-signed Linux Kernel by emhs on Monday September 02, 2013 @11:28PM (#6318602)

This is an example of what I love about the open source community. Some argue that signed boot was an attempt to force the open source community out by holding the keys to the ability to boot, as it were. Some think it's just relentless advancement of the forces of centralization and the establishment's view on security. Regardless of all of that, we can now take advantage of it to ensure our machines can only boot our trusted, linux/bsd/home-built OSes. I'm reminded of the car dealer crossroads from "In the beginning was the command line".

Open Source FTW.

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Re:Booting a Self-signed Linux Kernel by lisper on Tuesday September 03, 2013 @01:33AM (#6319177)

Unfortunately, the fact that you have to go through such an elaborate procedure will deter many people from going open-source. Before secure boot, installing Linux was relatively straightforward, and that is one of the reasons for its success. Those days are drawing to a close.

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Re:Booting a Self-signed Linux Kernel by xymostech on Tuesday September 03, 2013 @01:54AM (#6319244)

Why can't this procedure be standardized and made straightforward? It's hard now, but hopefully in the future it will just be a typical part of installing the operating system.

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Re:Booting a Self-signed Linux Kernel by lisper on Tuesday September 03, 2013 @02:16AM (#6319308)

Because the procedure requires making changes to the BIOS, and that can't be automated, or even standardized because different manufacturer's BIOSes are different. Recall this passage from the post:

"Reboot the machine, and go into the BIOS. Usually this means pounding on the F2 key as the boot starts up, but all machines are different, so it might take some experimentation to determine which key your BIOS needs."

That will be a show-stopper for most people.

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Re:Booting a Self-signed Linux Kernel by pilif on Tuesday September 03, 2013 @04:13AM (#6319684)

That procedure was only needed in order to show how booting a non-signed kernel was made possible and later how that was turned off again.

The magic is in KeyTool and that doesn't require the user to alter the BIOS in any way. You boot from that USB drive (sb-usb.img linked in the article) by the usual methods of booting from an external drive. It will boot because its bootloader is the Linux Foundation one that was signed by MS. Then you launch keytool and change the key config.

At this point, your bios will boot a kernel you have signed.

The only BIOS intervention in the article was to first allow booting unsigned kernels (not needed with that sb-usb thing) and then to turn it off again. At least that was my impression.

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Re:Booting a Self-signed Linux Kernel by Filligree on Tuesday September 03, 2013 @06:17AM (#6320050)

Ah, hold on.

Doesn't running keytool require you to turn off security in the bios first?

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Re:Booting a Self-signed Linux Kernel by VladRussian2 on Tuesday September 03, 2013 @06:30AM (#6320093)

> its bootloader is the Linux Foundation one that was signed by MS.

sounds like abomination. Even in the early 1998 our web browser had 4 or 5 root certificates. Why only one in the case of secure boot?

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Re:Booting a Self-signed Linux Kernel by lisper on Tuesday September 03, 2013 @04:19AM (#6319709)

Ah. Well, it's possible I misunderstood that. I hope you're right.

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Re:Booting a Self-signed Linux Kernel by mappu on Tuesday September 03, 2013 @02:55AM (#6319426)

Really? I think that's a pretty normal part of choosing to boot from external media, which is a pretty normal part of choosing to install an aftermarket operating system.

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Re:Booting a Self-signed Linux Kernel by lisper on Tuesday September 03, 2013 @04:00AM (#6319644)

You think that because you're a geek. Normal people, if they run Linux at all, install it by booting from a CD. And even that is too scary for most people.

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Re:Booting a Self-signed Linux Kernel by dpina on Tuesday September 03, 2013 @07:02AM (#6320185)

This article reminds me of the hassle it took to dualboot my new laptop with Win8/Linux. Although this self-signed-do-it-yourself approach sounds very interesting - and by all means I will try it as well - it's complex enough to stop loads of people from even trying.

As some have put it in this comment section, regular people only want to install from a CD. This will be too much for them, unfortunately.

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