One of the benefits of moving the different graphics hardware drivers over to using kernel mode-setting, an in-kernel GPU memory manager (whether it be GEM or TTM), and other newer X innovations is the possibility of now running the X Server without root privileges.

A highly dangerous privilege escalation vulnerability, which can allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code as root from any GUI application, has been patched in the Linux kernel.

Brad Spengler, the developer behind the Grsecurity project, has published an exploit for a vulnerability in the Tun interface in Linux kernel 2.6.30 and 2.6.18, used in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 (RHEL5), which can be exploited by attackers to obtain root privileges. Of particular interest is the fact that the exploit is even able to circumvent security extensions such as SELinux.

Over the past few years more of the Linux graphics stack has moved within the Linux kernel so that there is finally a proper kernel memory management solution for the open-source graphics drivers and to also provide kernel mode-setting.

A Linux kernel bug in network socket initialization could allow an attacker to acquire root privileges to inflict damages. The security hole applies to all kernels of the 2.4 and 2.5 series and has been around possibly since 2001.

Linux Unified Kernel claims to allow you to run Windows application native under Linux (I haven't tested it yet though). The installation is quite simple from what I saw, simply download the version called "Linux Unified Kernel 0.2.3 with wine and linux kernel" and then all you have to do is run this (make it executable and double click it):

So, you want to write a kernel module. You know C, you've written a few normal programs to run as processes, and now you want to get to where the real action is, to where a single wild pointer can wipe out your file system and a core dump means a reboot.

A vulnerability has been reported in the Linux kernel's memory management allows applications to execute code at root privilege level. The flaw appears to have been introduced into the kernel with version 2.6

Last November we detailed the Wayland Display Server, which came about as a lightweight alternative to the X.Org Server and leveraged the latest Linux graphics technologies (primarily kernel mode-setting), and is designed elegantly with the rendering and compositing all being done by Wayland.