Kernel DeBugger (was Re: Kernel core dumps (was Re: out of swap space??))

[john.urban]

In article <7!P+YND at jwt.UUCP> john at jwt.UUCP (John Temples) writes:
>
>What useful things can be done with the debugger?  If I've got a
>program that crashes the system, can the debugger help me find the
>problem?
>
>I only played with it briefly, but it looked like the debugger could be
>a security hole.  You could bring up a debugger session without being
>logged on, and probably poke a 0 into the appropriate place in your
>uarea...

With the debugger youcan put break points on kernel routines or variables.  Then
when your kernel is runningm execution will halt when one of these break points
are hit.  Also, when your system panic's most systems will enter the debugger (if
it's installed).  Thus you can figure out why it panic'ed via the stack dump.

And yes the debugger is a huge security hole.  That what it should only be used
when debuging a new driver and then removed.

Sincerely,

John Urban