On: The Linux Backdoor Attempt of 2003

[TheCraiggers]

The kernel hasn't always been tracked in git though. How would we know something wasn't added before the source was imported into git?

[Aloha → TheCraiggers]

Because before it was tracked by git, it was in bitkeeper, and it was likely in some other system before that.

[TheCraiggers → Aloha]

I understand that. But what I don't know are the capabilities of those other, older systems that once tracked the kernel source. Do we have the same assurances there?

[antocv → TheCraiggers]

Great question.

BitKeeper wasnt as good as git when it comes to changesets and introducing bugs, still it was founded on more social side of changes needing approvals. Before that it was CVS and for that its almost easy to introduce backdoors.