[Zope-dev] C-extension in zope.i18nmessageid

[Tres Seaver]

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Marius Gedminas wrote:
> On Fri, Dec 12, 2008 at 12:45:27PM +0000, Malthe Borch wrote:
>>
>> Martijn Pieters wrote:
>>> The C extension is required to make messageids immutable. Because they
>>> are immutable, the security machinery can treat them as rocks, e.g.
>>> safe to pass around. Removing the C-extension undoes this, as you
>>> cannot make truely immutable.
>
>> I believe it is possible to do this in pure Python:
> 
> I have doubts about that, but I don't think I'm smart enough to consider
> all the security implications.

I'm still waiting for somebody (Jim, Martijn, Marius) to outline *any*
security implication here:  what kinds of attacks do you imagine become
possible if some nefarious user finds a way to mutate a message ID?  And
are any such mutations feasible at all for applications which don't
allow untrusted users to write code?  Note that preventing *programming
errors* is not sufficient justification in my mind:  we already expect
Python developers to play as "consenting adults" inside of trusted code.

(later:  Jim wrote me privately that he didn't have time to pursue the
qu estion, but thought the dicussion could go on).



Tres.
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Tres Seaver          +1 540-429-0999          tseaver at palladion.com
Palladion Software   "Excellence by Design"    http://palladion.com
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