[Python-Dev] Syscall Proxying in Python

Gabriel Becedillas gabriel.becedillas at corest.com
Mon Aug 1 19:36:42 CEST 2005


Hi,
We embbeded Python 2.0.1 in our product a few years ago and we'd like to
upgrade to Python 2.4.1. This was not a simple task, because we needed 
to execute syscalls on a remote host. We modified Python's source code 
in severall places to call our own versions of some functions. For 
example, instead of calling fopen(...), the source code was modified to 
call remote_fopen(...), and the same was done with other libc functions. 
Socket functions where hooked too (we modified socket.c), Windows 
Registry functions, etc..
There are some syscalls that we don't want to execute remotely. For 
example when importing a module. That has to be local, and we didn't 
modified that.
Python scripts are executed locally, but syscalls are executed on a 
remote host, thus giving the illusion that the script is executing on 
the remote host.
As I said before, we're in the process of upgrading and we don't want to 
make such unmaintainable changes to Python's code. We'd like to make as 
few changes as possible. The aproach we're trying this time is far less 
intrusive: We'd like to link Python with special libraries that override 
those functions that we want to execute remotely. This way the only code 
that has to be changed is the one that has to be executed locally.
I wrote this mail to ask you guys for any useful advice in making this
changes to Python's core. The only places I figure out right now that 
have to execute locally all the time are import.c and pythonrun.c, but 
I'm not sure at all.
Maybe you guys figure out another way to achieve what we need.
Thanks in advance.

-- 


Gabriel Becedillas
Developer
CORE SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES

Florida 141 - 2º cuerpo - 7º piso
C1005AAC Buenos Aires - Argentina
Tel/Fax: (54 11) 5032-CORE (2673)
http://www.corest.com




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