/srv/irclogs.ubuntu.com/2008/12/30/#ubuntu-meeting.txt

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zedhi there !14:35
yann2what time is the server meeting?15:21
yann216UTC? mmh oh then I must have missed it :(15:22
Nafallo30 Dec 16:00: Server Team15:22
kagouStart: 2008-12-30 16:00 Timezone: Etc/GMT15:22
yann2kagou > and are we GMT+1 or +2? :]15:22
Nafallo@France15:22
kagouyann2, your are in France ? ^^15:22
yann2kagou > yes :)15:22
Nafallohrmm. no idea how that works :-P15:23
Nafallo@time15:23
ubottuCurrent time in Etc/UTC: December 30 2008, 15:24:47 - Next meeting: Server Team in 35 minutes15:23
kagou+115:23
Nafallo@time France15:23
yann2mmh ok :)15:23
ubottuError: Unknown timezone: France - Full list: http://ubottu.com/timezones.html15:23
yann2@time Paris15:23
Nafallo@time Paris15:23
ubottuCurrent time in Europe/Paris: December 30 2008, 16:25:05 - Next meeting: Server Team in 34 minutes15:23
ubottuCurrent time in Europe/Paris: December 30 2008, 16:25:05 - Next meeting: Server Team in 34 minutes15:23
Nafallo\o/15:23
kagouyes :15:23
yann2ok in half an hour then :)15:23
kagou:)15:23
* persia doubts the server meeting will be held this week, but looks forward to it, just in case.15:24
yann2yeah I'm a bit unsure too :)15:24
=== ubottu changed the topic of #ubuntu-meeting to: Current meeting: Server Team Calendar: http://fridge.ubuntu.com/event | Logs: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MeetingLogs/ | 30 Dec 17:00: Kernel Team | 31 Dec 16:00: Foundation Team | 31 Dec 17:00: QA Team | 01 Jan 12:00: Ubuntu Mobile Team | 01 Jan 14:00: Ubuntu Java
yann2anyone? :]15:54
nealmcb\o/16:01
yann2:'(16:03
zed:)16:18
yann2as there is a ubuntu server meeting and it seems I am the only one attending I suggest that decisions should be taken by me :]16:19
[NikO]o/16:20
persiayann2, There will likely be a real meeting next week.16:24
yann2persia > I know, it's alright :) just came to discuss about cgi's16:24
yann2https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ServerTeam/WebArchitecture16:24
yann2its likely to take ages to get anything improved so a week more or less16:25
persiayann2, Doesn't that only require some MIRs?16:27
yann2MIRwhat?16:27
persiaWell, whichever things you want in main.16:27
persiaMain Inclusion Report16:27
* persia looks for docs16:27
yann2well, fastcgi is not good enough to be in main16:27
persiaWell, then I'd think that'd be the first part to fix :)16:28
persiaOr find another way to run PHP fast and in separated processes16:29
persiaOr find another tool to write the code.16:29
Nafallo\o/ SPACE STATION \o/16:29
yann2persia > yeah, that is all the issue :P16:29
persiayann2, Does that need a meeting?  I'd think it just needed coding.16:30
yann2well basically i wanted to know ubuntu's advice on using php in a safe way16:31
Nafalloyann2: well. don't? ;-)16:31
yann2:P16:31
* Nafallo hides16:31
yann2idea is, make the point that there may be an issue (or learn how to do it properly if there is a way) and try to improve packaging and modules if there is not16:32
persiaGenerally I've heard that PHP is hard to use safely.16:32
yann2yeah but it's quite a big issue :P16:32
yann2PHP apps aren't the safest16:33
yann2so if the install is not safe neither...16:33
yann2we don't want other locowebsites to be hacked to we? :P16:33
NafalloI proposed throwing PHP out of Ubuntu some years ago... ;-)16:33
yann2we are trying to use fastcgi for both python and PHP16:34
persiaTrue, but I'd think that there are two ways forward: either suggest an alternate technology, or investigate why it isn't safe, and figure out why.16:34
yann2and we notice that python doesnt work 100% properly with fastcgi, and that fastcgi isn't exempt of bugs16:34
yann2persia > well I suggested fastcgi16:34
yann2but it needs attention :)16:34
yann2Safe Mode was removed in PHP 6.0.0.16:35
persiaUnderstood.  I'm just not sure how a meeting helps that.16:35
yann2uhuh. wonder how php apps will be secure with php6...16:35
yann2persia > so how should I come up with the problem?16:36
persiaHow do you mean?16:36
yann2if php6 removed safe mode if means there is no way (even ugly) to run php in an even slightly secure way16:36
persiaIn that case, I'd suggest that PHP isn't the right tool to use.16:37
yann2that doesn't help me much :P and ubuntu.com is using php :)16:37
persiaThen the question to ask is: what needs to change to make PHP safe?16:39
yann2persia > well CGI with suexec makes it safe16:40
yann2mod_fastcgi makes it fast16:40
persiaAnd what's wrong with mod_fastcgi?16:41
yann2developped by a single guy, buggy, not properly documented, ...16:42
persiaSo it needs help?16:42
yann2I am not a hardcore C developer :)16:42
persiaAre the bugs well documented?16:42
yann2basically I just wanted to see if people agreed that there was a problem, and start a discussion if it could be improved16:42
yann2https://bugs.launchpad.net/debian/+bug/16208216:43
ubottuUbuntu bug 162082 in php5 "PHP fastcgi with PHP_FCGI_CHILDREN doesn't kill children when parent is killed" [Undecided,Confirmed]16:43
yann2fastcgi randomly looses children, which is pretty bad ;)16:43
yann2it also doesn't handle some EAGAIN signals from other bug reports I've seen, these people telling me it was important - but I don't know much about that other one16:43
yann2and ultimately, it's in universe16:44
yann2but, yeah, I don't hope to get this fixed anytime soon, so one week more or less :P16:44
persiaWell, converting from main to universe is trivial, if it's not buggy, so let's ignore that bit for now.16:44
persiaStill, I don't think a discussion in a meeting will help: it sounds like you need a developer to help track down and fix the bugs.16:45
yann2nah, I wanted to know if there was a secure way to run php, and if not, to get acknowledged that there was an issue and that it may get fixed at some point when a dev has time16:46
yann2at least that was the idea :P16:46
persiaWell, my understanding was that there were two classes of issues with PHP: firstly that it was hard to create a secure environment for it, and secondly that there were language features that encouraged insecure development practices.16:46
yann2but the first step is to agree that there is a problem, and the best way I thought to get this done was to raise it during a meeting16:46
persiaMind you, either of these could be incorrect: it's just hearsay.16:47
yann2glad to hear I'm not the only one fighting with it :)16:47
yann2my very basic requirement is that if I am running two sites, one for A, and one for B, B doesn't get destroyed if A gets hacked16:48
persiaWell, I'd recommend rather putting it as an idea on brainstorm, and once you have a strong number of votes, and some more input on the correct solution, put together a spec.16:48
persiaIt would get lost in a meeting, mostly.16:48
yann2as it would in brainstorm unless I start linking it everywhere...16:49
yann2it's a very technical issue so most people won't even know what it is16:49
yann2is there a brainstorm for ubuntu-server?16:49
persiaNo, it's all the same brainstorm.  Splitting it up into lots of little brainstorms would just make it even harder to track.16:50
yann2so you are saying brainstorm is the best way to report that type of issue?16:51
persiaOf the mechanisms available, yes.16:52
persiaReally, what you want to do is find a developer who wants PHP to be fast and secure, and get them to help out.16:52
yann2what's the meeting about then? :/16:52
yann2pretty much :)16:52
persiaTends to be status summary of work underway.16:52
yann2ok16:52
persiaIf you want to identify new work, that's best done by getting something discussed at UDS.16:53
yann2maybe I can report this as a bug in launchpad16:53
yann2i know, but a/ the US are very far :) b/ I don't really agree with their immigration policies16:53
persiaBut regardless, the key is really to get some developer interested, for which meetings tend not to be ideal mechanisms: meetings rather being used for developers to share their current activities.16:53
yann2I guess I'll have to wait for UDS to come over16:54
persiaWell, there's remote participation, as well.16:54
yann2bah. I'll open a launchpad bug, and maybe some day someone will realize how fucked up the situation really is :(16:56
persiayann2, I think the fact that PHP isn't secure is widely disseminated.  Whether it can be secure is an interesting question.16:57
yann2it is as secure as any other web app, if you want my advice.16:57
persiaThat said, the trick is not to get someone to realise the issues with the current situation, but rather to get someone to want to make PHP work, rather than selecting something else when they discover PHP isn't secure.16:57
yann2CGI doesnt really make a difference if its PHP python or bash16:57
persiaOh, I agree.  I personally don't think CGI can be made secure.  I think that needs a sandboxed application server system.16:58
yann2persia > disagree on this, it's even the usual way to do it. Open a bug, get people to confirm it, find an issue, get someone to fix it, patch it, test it, deploy :)16:58
yann2s/issue/solution16:58
yann2well ultimately you could chroot your fastcgi apps16:59
=== ubottu changed the topic of #ubuntu-meeting to: Current meeting: Kernel Team Calendar: http://fridge.ubuntu.com/event | Logs: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MeetingLogs/ | 31 Dec 16:00: Foundation Team | 31 Dec 17:00: QA Team | 01 Jan 12:00: Ubuntu Mobile Team | 01 Jan 14:00: Ubuntu Java
yann2which wouldnt make it 100% secure but a lot more secure :)16:59
persiaThat's an interesting idea: it provides the sandbox.16:59
yann2file permissions can also provide a sandbox - kind of.17:00
yann2runnnig as a low privileged user is pretty much the same as using mod_php and www-data17:00
persiaWell, not really, because they application isn't restricted from accessing system files well.  That's the current solution, isn't it?17:00
yann2yes17:01
yann2well, there is apparmor then...17:01
yann2never tried this on a webserver, i probably should17:02
yann2would need developping an apparmor profile, surely this could be made by the distro17:02
persiaWell, "by the distro" is mostly just by us, no?17:03
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yann2by the distro means it should be made easy to the final sysadmin, ie the sysadmin deploying shouldnt have to rewrite the rules every time17:07
yann2#312493  - some day.. maybe :)17:07
persiaOh, I'd agree with that: I still think it needs someone to do it.17:08
persiaFastest way to get it done is to investigate apparmor, write a draft profile, and get it included.17:08
yann2well to get apparmor you would need fastcgi first...17:08
persiaBut fastcgi is already in Ubuntu, and likely compiled in an apparmor compatible way.17:09
yann2.. but it's in universe, buggy, and not sure about apparmor :)17:09
persiaAgain, moving from universe to main is trivial.  Also, I'm not sure the distinction will remain, based on the discussions on archive reorganisation.17:10
yann2you mean I would get support from canonical for universe? that'd be surprising17:10
yann2btw yeah you say it's trivial, but if it was in main I would use it at my company (I'm from the happy few with support :P) and expect them to fix the bugs - so it would mean quite a lot :)17:11
yann2longer term (1-2 years) I'd like to see ubuntu as a good web hosting distro, with a safe and fast way to run php/python apps by default and in a supported manner, with apparmor policy etc etc17:12
persiaWell, that presumes the not-quite-accurate assumption that "main" == "applications with support provided by Canonical".17:12
yann2gotta start somewhere  :P17:12
yann2mh?17:13
yann2they can't be 100% involved in all the packages in main but at least my bug reports would draw attention to them right? :(17:14
yann2anyway - at least I am glad you agree the current setup isn't optimal, that's my first step :)17:15
persiaI don't know much about how Canonical support works, but I do know that the set of applications for which that support is provided doesn't match main, and that there was a bug about that, and it was fixed in intrepid.17:15
persiaThere's now some gui that lets one identify which specific packages are supported.17:16
persiaAnyway, that's not really important.17:16
persiaThe important part is that you've identified something that you consider a problem.17:16
persiaYou've specifically identified three strategies that could help improve it: 1) fixing bugs in fastcgi, 2) chrooting individual websites (as opposed to the web server itself), and 3) creating an apparmor profiles.17:17
persiaSince you've said that you aren't yet proficient in C, I'd recommend concentrating on 3) for now, as that's likely most accessible without much C.17:18
yann2no wait it is *very* important to me :|17:19
yann2and I got support for hardy :x17:19
yann2actually I think the bug is important and affects many website17:20
yann2so I may spend some time trying to get a what-i-consider-to-be-secure appliance...17:20
yann2and document in a more wider form the issues , solutions, with proof o concepts, benches etc17:21
yann2it's a good two months of work but bah, someone gotta do it :(17:21
persiaThat sounds like the right path.17:21
persiaI'm sure you'll end up with some suggested changes to the default configuration, and some patches as a result of that investigation.17:22
persiaI'm also fairly sure it shouldn't be very hard to get those applied to the packages in the repos so that nobody else has to repeat the work.17:22
yann2well it is going to be based on fastcgi which is lacking a lot of attention17:23
yann2but it's interesting work :)17:23
persiaSomehow I think that once you get started, and start publishing and sharing your results, you'll find like-minded people to help get the attention it needs.17:24
=== ubottu changed the topic of #ubuntu-meeting to: Current meeting: Kernel Team Calendar: http://fridge.ubuntu.com/event | Logs: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MeetingLogs/ | 31 Dec 16:00: Foundation Team | 31 Dec 17:00: QA Team | 01 Jan 12:00: Ubuntu Mobile Team | 01 Jan 14:00: Ubuntu Java | 03 Jan 19:00: Kubuntu Developers
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=== ubottu changed the topic of #ubuntu-meeting to: Calendar: http://fridge.ubuntu.com/event | Logs: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MeetingLogs/ | 31 Dec 16:00: Foundation Team | 31 Dec 17:00: QA Team | 01 Jan 12:00: Ubuntu Mobile Team | 01 Jan 14:00: Ubuntu Java | 03 Jan 19:00: Kubuntu Developers | 05 Jan 20:00: EMEA Membership
nealmcbbug 31249319:04
ubottuLaunchpad bug 312493 in ubuntu "Not possible to run PHP in a multiuser and secure way" [Undecided,New] https://launchpad.net/bugs/31249319:04
yann2nealmcb > comments and additional description to come soon ;)19:31
nealmcbyann2, persia: thanks for the server team meeting conversation.  you should have done a "startmeeting" first though - makes it easier to record.  No reason not to....19:35
yann2nealmcb > it wasnt a meeting, really :)19:35
yann2but we should hae discussed on -server, ack and sorry for that19:36
nealmcbbut it was a conversation that you'll want to refer the server team to - there are folks that would read it and provide feedback19:36
yann2nealmcb > i will add further descrpition to my wiki page and launchpad bug and refer server team people to it - I need some time to clarify my mind about what is technicaly posible19:37
nealmcbyann2: thanks - even better.  persia asked good questions :)19:39
yann2i want to try fastcgi with apparmor and chroot first, see how it works and what it improves19:39
yann2and if I get it to work, write a doc how I did it, and study if it can be made easy enough for general purpose19:39

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