In open source culture, binary blob is a pejorative term for an object file loaded into the kernel of a free or open source operating system without publicly available source code. The term is not usually applied to code running outside the kernel, for example BIOS code, firmware images, or userland programs. A blob is a collection of binary data stored as a single entity in a database management system. ... // The free software community is also called the open source community or the Linux community. ... In computer science, object code, or an object file, is the representation of code that a compiler or assembler generates by processing a source code file. ... Figure of the linking process, where object files and static libraries are assembled into a new library or executable. ... A kernel connects the application software to the hardware of a computer. ... Free software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with minimal restrictions only to ensure that further recipients can also do these things. ... Open source software is computer software for which the human-readable source code is made available under a copyright license (or arrangement such as the public domain) that meets the Open Source Definition. ... An operating system (OS) is a software that manages computer resources and provides programmers with an interface used to access those resources. ... Source code (commonly just source or code) is any series of statements written in some human-readable computer programming language. ... For other uses, see Bios. ... A microcontroller, like this PIC18F8720 is controlled by firmware stored inside on FLASH memory In computing, firmware is a computer program that is embedded in a hardware device, for example a microcontroller. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ...

When computer hardware vendors provide complete technical documentation for their products, operating system developers are able to write hardware device drivers to be included in the operating system kernels. However, some vendors, such as NVIDIA, do not provide complete documentation for some of their products and instead provide binary-only drivers (binary blobs); this practice is most common for accelerated graphics drivers, networking devices and RAID controllers. Computer hardware is the physical part of a computer, including the digital circuitry, as distinguished from the computer software that executes within the hardware. ... The American multinational Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) (pronounced ) specializes in the manufacture of graphics-processor technologies for workstations, desktop computers, and handheld devices. ... For other uses, see Raid. ...

Acceptance

When they can neither get hardware documentation nor device driver source code from a hardware vendor, some operating system projects, including NetBSD, FreeBSD, DragonFly BSD, and some GNU/Linux distributions, accept binary blobs as a fast route to the missing or enhanced functionality these blobs provide.^[1] NetBSD is a freely redistributable, open source version of the Unix-like BSD computer operating system. ... FreeBSD is a Unix-like free operating system descended from AT&T UNIX via the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) branch through the 386BSD and 4. ... DragonFly BSD is a free Unix-like operating system created as a fork of FreeBSD 4. ... GNU (pronounced ) is a computer operating system composed entirely of free software. ... Ubuntu, a popular Linux Distribution A Linux distribution (also called GNU/Linux distribution and often simply distribution or distro) is a member of the Linux family of Unix-like computer operating systems. ...

The OpenBSD project has a notable policy of not accepting any binary blobs into its source tree, citing not only the potential for undetectable or irreparable security flaws but also its encroachment onto the openness and freedom of their software.^[2] OpenBSD is a Unix-like computer operating system descended from Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD), a Unix derivative developed at the University of California, Berkeley. ...

Among GNU/Linux distributions, the gNewSense distribution is the most known for being actively against binary blobs. The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is actively campaigning against binary blobs and recommends gNewSense.^[3] gNewSense (originally called Gnusiance) is a GNU/Linux distribution based on Ubuntu aiming to provide a distribution consisting entirely of free software. ... The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is a non-profit corporation founded in October 1985 by Richard Stallman to support the free software movement (free as in freedom), and in particular the GNU project. ...

Use via wrappers

In order to make use of binary blob drivers available for other operating systems, some projects include software wrappers: examples include NdisWrapper for Linux and Project Evil for FreeBSD and NetBSD, both of which implement Microsoft's NDIS API to allow drivers written for Microsoft Windows to be used. In computer programming, the adapter design pattern (often referred to as the wrapper pattern or simply a wrapper) adapts one interface for a class into one that a client expects. ... A driver wrapper is software that functions as an adapter between an operating system and a driver, such as a device driver, that was not designed for that operating system. ... This article is about operating systems that use the Linux kernel. ... FreeBSD is a Unix-like free operating system descended from AT&T UNIX via the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) branch through the 386BSD and 4. ... NetBSD is a freely redistributable, open source version of the Unix-like BSD computer operating system. ... Microsoft Corporation, (NASDAQ: MSFT, HKSE: 4338) is a multinational computer technology corporation with global annual revenue of US$44. ... The Network Driver Interface Specification (NDIS) is an application programming interface (API) for network interface cards (NICs). ... API redirects here. ... Windows redirects here. ...

Problems

There are a number of reasons why binary blobs can cause problems: users cannot modify the software and distribute modified versions; blobs are unportable and typically limited to a few hardware architectures; the correctness of the driver code cannot be checked; the code cannot be audited for security by users or third parties; users are forced to trust vendors not to put backdoors and spyware into the blob; in case of bugs or vulnerabilities, the driver cannot be repaired by operating system developers; and the hardware vendor can decide not to support some operating systems or to abandon driver maintenance at any time.^[4]

During the August 2, 2006 Black Hat USA convention, an exploit within the binary driver for the Atheros wireless network cards used in MacBook Pros and elsewhere was claimed,^[5] although it was later revealed that the exploit used third-party hardware and drivers.^[6] is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Black Hat is a corporation founded in 1997 by Jeff Moss, most famous for organizing a network of conferences known for providing new and exclusive insights about upcoming information security trends. ... Atheros Communications (NASDAQ: ATHR) is a developer of semiconductors for wireless communications. ... A wireless network interface card (WNIC) is a network card which connects to a radio-based computer network, unlike a regular network card (NIC) which connects to a wire-based network such as token ring or ethernet. ... The MacBook Pro is a line of Macintosh portable computers by Apple Inc. ...

According to Microsoft, 28% of all crashes of their Vista operating system in 2007 were due to bugs in the binary blob drivers for Nvidia graphics cards.^[7] The American multinational Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) (pronounced ) specializes in the manufacture of graphics-processor technologies for workstations, desktop computers, and handheld devices. ... GPU may stand for: Graphics processing unit, a special stream processor used in computer graphics hardware Gosudarstvennoye Politicheskoye Upravlenie (Главное Политическое Управление, or Main Political Directorate) of the Red Army, responsible for troops morale and propaganda. ...

Firmware

Firmware, the operating software required by a device's onboard microcontroller that accompanies some hardware, is generally not considered to be a binary blob. However, the FSF has begun campaigning for free BIOS firmware.^[8] Often firmware is stored in onboard flash memory, but to decrease costs and ease upgrading, some manufacturers now use external firmware uploaded by the operating system. Although the firmware is present in the operating system, it is merely copied to the device and not executed by the CPU, lessening concerns about hidden security flaws. The OpenBSD project accepts binary firmware images and will redistribute the images if the licence permits.^[9] A microcontroller, like this PIC18F8720 is controlled by firmware stored inside on FLASH memory In computing, firmware is a computer program that is embedded in a hardware device, for example a microcontroller. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with embedded microprocessor. ... A USB flash drive. ...

See also

• LinuxBIOS
• Loadable kernel module
• Wireless security

Image File history File links Free_Software_Portal_Logo. ... LinuxBIOS is a free software project, endorsed by the Free Software Foundation,[1] aimed at replacing the proprietary BIOS firmware found in most computers with a lightweight firmware system designed to perform only the minimum of tasks necessary to load and run a modern 32-bit operating system. ... In computing, loadable kernel modules, or LKM, are object files that contain code to extend the running kernel, or so-called base kernel, of an operating system. ... Wireless security is the prevention of unauthorized access or damage to computers using wireless networks. ...

References

is the 166th day of the year (167th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 283rd day of the year (284th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 215th day of the year (216th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 237th day of the year (238th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 333rd day of the year (334th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 2nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• McMillan, Robert (June 21, 2006). Researchers hack Wi-Fi driver to breach laptop. InfoWorld. Retrieved on 2006-06-23.
• KernelTrap article on Damien Bergamini's wpi(4) driver, a blobless ipw3945 alternative for OpenBSD
• KernelTrap interview with Jonathan Gray and Damien Bergamini regarding binary blobs
• The Black Hat Wireless Exploit Interview, Verbatim by Brian Krebs on the Washington Post's website, http://washingtonpost.com

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