A "process descriptor" file descriptor is used to manage processes
without using the PID namespace. This is required for Capsicum's
Capability Mode, where the PID namespace is unavailable.
New system calls pdfork(2) and pdkill(2) offer the functional equivalents
of fork(2) and kill(2). pdgetpid(2) allows querying the PID of the remote
process for debugging purposes. The currently-unimplemented pdwait(2) will,
in the future, allow querying rusage/exit status. In the interim, poll(2)
may be used to check (and wait for) process termination.
When a process is referenced by a process descriptor, it does not issue
SIGCHLD to the parent, making it suitable for use in libraries---a common
scenario when using library compartmentalisation from within large
applications (such as web browsers). Some observers may note a similarity
to Mach task ports; process descriptors provide a subset of this behaviour,
but in a UNIX style.
This feature is enabled by "options PROCDESC", but as with several other
Capsicum kernel features, is not enabled by default in GENERIC 9.0.
Reviewed by: jhb, kib
Approved by: re (kib), mentor (rwatson)
Sponsored by: Google Inc
5ecd1c9d40