Re: Security questions around using Guix to package apps

[Ludovic Courtès]

Hello Divan,

Divan Santana <address@hidden> skribis:

> If guix is installed on a system and configured to point to substitutes
> that the same nonroot user has access to submit and approve packages in,
> can that nonroot user on the system gain root. Therefore would one need
> to review the submitted packages to avoid the user gaining root.
>
> (This is talking about guix package manager on a foreign distro like
> RedHat)
>
> I'm guessing it's not possible. Though would be nice to have
> feedback from those that are more familiar with it.

We owe this design to Eelco Dolstra et al. of Nix.  There’s a very good
analysis in this paper:

  https://nixos.org/~eelco/pubs/secsharing-ase2005-final.pdf

Hopefully it answers all your questions and more.  If not, come back
here.  :-)

Ludo’.