Minix 3 and the microkernel experience
Minix Firewall Project
Packet filters are an endangered system component. Despite the excellent quality of the Linux Netfilter implementation, a number of security issues have surfaced in the past. If a subsystem of this kind is running on the Linux kernel, it will endanger system security. Building on work by the Tanenbaum group, the Technical University of Applied Science Berlin ported the widespread Netfilter framework to Minix 3 [5].
Here again, the stability of the microkernel architecture delivers additional benefits. In Linux, an attacker who succeeds in provoking a crash – for example, by exploiting a buffer overflow in the do_replace() function – can bring a Linux firewall to its knees. In Minix 3, a single user process could crash without compromising system security. The reincarnation server would simply restart the process.

The differences become even more apparent if an attacker succeeds in executing code. In Minix, a hijacked user process is still a problem, but the effect is far less serious thanks to isolation.
Even Microsoft is exploring their own microkernel system, named Singularity [6]. Although Minix has played the microkernel game for many years now, its biggest obstacle to becoming more widespread has always been its non-free license. Now that Minix 3 is released under the BSD open source license and the firewall extensions are available under the GPL [7]. Researchers at the TFH Berlin are also working on exploring Minix's potential as a virtualized firewall. Stability, a small footprint, and a new licensing model give Minix 3 a strong potential for growth, especially in embedded systems.
Infos
- Tanenbaum, Andrew S., "Some Notes on the 'Who wrote Linux' Kerfuffle, Release 1.5," 2004, http://www.cs.vu.nl/~ast/brown/
- Minix Project: http://www.minix3.org
- Torvalds, Linus, and David Diamond. Just for Fun. HarperBusiness, 2001
- Tanenbaum, Andrew S., and Albert S. Woodhull. The Minix Book: Operating System Design and Implementation. Prentice-Hall, 2006
- Weis, Rüdiger, "Linux is obsolete 2.0," presented at Chaos Communication Camp 2007, http://public.tfh-berlin.de/~rweis/vorlesungen/ComputerSicherheit/WeisLinuxIsObsolete2.pdf
- Microsoft Singularity: http://www.codeplex.com/singularity
- Minixwall: http://wiki.tfh-berlin.de/~minixwall
« Previous 1 2
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Find SysAdmin Jobs
News
-
LibreOffice 7.5 has Arrived and is Loaded with New Features and Improvements
The favorite office suite of the Linux community has a new release that includes some visual refreshing and new features across all modules.
-
The Next Major Release of Elementary OS Has Arrived
It's been over a year since the developers of elementary OS released version 6.1 (Jólnir) but they've finally made their latest release (Horus) available with a renewed focus on the user.
-
KDE Plasma 5.27 Beta Is Ready for Testing
The latest beta iteration of the KDE Plasma desktop is now available and includes some important additions and fixes.
-
Netrunner OS 23 Is Now Available
The latest version of this Linux distribution is now based on Debian Bullseye and is ready for installation and finally hits the KDE 5.20 branch of the desktop.
-
New Linux Distribution Built for Gamers
With a Gnome desktop that offers different layouts and a custom kernel, PikaOS is a great option for gamers of all types.
-
System76 Beefs Up Popular Pangolin Laptop
The darling of open-source-powered laptops and desktops will soon drop a new AMD Ryzen 7-powered version of their popular Pangolin laptop.
-
Nobara Project Is a Modified Version of Fedora with User-Friendly Fixes
If you're looking for a version of Fedora that includes third-party and proprietary packages, look no further than the Nobara Project.
-
Gnome 44 Now Has a Release Date
Gnome 44 will be officially released on March 22, 2023.
-
Nitrux 2.6 Available with Kernel 6.1 and a Major Change
The developers of Nitrux have officially released version 2.6 of their Linux distribution with plenty of new features to excite users.
-
Vanilla OS Initial Release Is Now Available
A stock GNOME experience with on-demand immutability finally sees its first production release.