execstack - Linux

Overview

execstack enables the execution of non-executable stacks, a security feature that prevents programs from executing code from the stack. It’s used in security-sensitive environments, such as secure boot and hypervisors.

Syntax

execstack [ OPTIONS ] COMMAND [ARGS]

Options/Flags

• -v, –verbose: Verbose output.
• -h, –help: Display help.
• -t, –stack-size: Stack size in megabytes. Defaults to 8MB.

Examples

# Enable stack execution
execstack cat /etc/passwd

# Enable stack execution with a custom stack size
execstack -t 16 cat /etc/passwd

Common Issues

• Permissions Denied: Ensure the user has sufficient permissions to execute the command.
• Invalid Stack Size: The stack size must be a positive integer.

Integration

execstack can be used with other tools like:

• seccomp: Limit system calls allowed by the program.
• paxctl: Set security flags on executables.

Related Commands

• setarch: Change the architecture of a running process.
• ldd: Display shared libraries required by an executable.