[Python-Dev] The pysandbox project is broken

[Christian Tismer]

On 16.11.13 01:35, Guido van Rossum wrote:
> On Fri, Nov 15, 2013 at 4:31 PM, Nick Coghlan <ncoghlan at gmail.com 
> <mailto:ncoghlan at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>     "Use an OS level sandbox" *is* better from a security point of
>     view. It's just not portable :P
>
>
> Honestly, I don't believe in portable security. :-)
>
> BTW, in case it wasn't clear, I think it was a courageous step by 
> Victor to declare defeat. Negative results are also results, and they 
> need to be published. Thanks Victor!

Sure it was, and it was great to follow Victor's project!
I was about to use it in production, until I saw it's flaws, a while back.

Nevertheless, the issue has never been treated as much as to be able to
say "this way you implement that security in Python", whatever "that" 
should be.
So I think it is worth discussing, and may it just be to identify the levels
of security involved, to help people to even identify their individual 
needs.

My question is, actually:
Do we need to address this topic, or is it already crystal clear that 
something
like PyPy's approach is necessary and sufficient to solve the common, 
undefined
problem of "run some script on whatnot, with the following security 
constraint"?

IOW: Do we really need a full abstraction, embedded in a virtual OS, or
is there already a compromise that suits 98 percent of the common needs?

I think as a starter, categorizing the expectations of some measure of 
'secure python'
would make sense. And I'm asking the people with better knowledge of 
these matters
than I have. (and not asking those who don't... ;-) )

cheers -- Chris

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