What is the need for gcc plugins??

[johnspaul92]

When i tried to compile the 3.9 kernel after applying the grsecurity test patch 3.9.4 it said i need some additional gcc plugins to enable the Pax features. I just wanted to know what is the role of these gcc plugins or why are they needed??

[PaX Team]

the gcc plugins are used to change the compiled code in ways that add some security to linux (constification, int overflow detection, etc). you can read up on them from my presentations i made last year: http://pax.grsecurity.net/docs/PaXTeam- ... ection.pdf and http://pax.grsecurity.net/docs/PaXTeam- ... of-PaX.pdf and there's a blog specifically about the size overflow plugin: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3043 .