Linux creator Linus Torvalds has recently made headlines with two significant statements, demonstrating his characteristic directness in addressing both technical and geopolitical issues affecting the Linux kernel development.
Hardware Vulnerabilities Controversy
In a strongly-worded message on the Linux Kernel Mailing List, Torvalds expressed his frustration with major hardware manufacturers including Intel, AMD, and NVIDIA. His main points of contention include:
- Criticism of buggy hardware and theoretical security vulnerabilities
- Specific concerns about Intel's Linear Address Masking (LAM) implementation
- Push for hardware manufacturers to take responsibility for their design issues
- Opposition to kernel modifications that compensate for hardware-level problems
The LAM feature, intended for memory integrity protection, has become particularly problematic due to potential SLAM (speculation-based) attacks. Intel has acknowledged the issue, indicating that LAM was supposed to be disabled pending a fix through Linear Address Space Separation (LASS).
Russian Maintainer Removal Controversy
In a separate but equally decisive move, Torvalds addressed the removal of several Russian kernel driver maintainers:
- Approximately dozen maintainers with Russian connections were delisted
- Affected areas include drivers for:
- Acer Aspire 1 EC
- Cirrus Logic CLPS711X Arm architecture
- Baikal-T1 PVT hardware monitor
- Various Libata PATA and SATA controllers
Torvalds, highlighting his Finnish heritage, firmly defended the decision as aligned with international sanctions against Russia. He dismissed opposition to the removals as Russian trolls and bot-driven campaigns, emphasizing that the decision was directly related to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Impact on Linux Development
These developments highlight the complex intersection of:
- Technical security considerations
- Hardware manufacturer accountability
- International political implications
- Open-source software maintenance
The situations demonstrate Torvalds' commitment to maintaining both the technical integrity and ethical standards of Linux kernel development, even when facing potential controversy from multiple directions.