Binary blob: Difference between revisions

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A '''binary blob''' is a term used by some [[open source]] developers to describe an opaque [[Binary file|binary]] object for which no [[source code]] is available. In some [[operating system]] communities, such as those of [[Ubuntu (Linux distribution)|Ubuntu]] and [[OpenBSD]], the term refers to partial or complete drivers provided by companies such as [[ATI Technologies|ATI]] and [[NVIDIA]] to provide support for their [[hardware]]. Such blobs can be a point of conflict between open source and [[free software]] advocates and developers and regular users of the operating system, as binary blobs can provide convenient support for popular hardware at the cost of the ability to read and modify, and thus control, all of the operating system.

The OpenBSD project has a notable policy of not accepting 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.<ref>{{cite web|last = Music composed by Ty Semaka and Jonathan Lewis. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Jonathan Lewis of Moxam Studios (1-403-233-0350). Vocals and Lyrics by Ty Semaka & Theo de Raadt. Bass guitar, organ and bubbles by Jonathan Lewis. Guitar by Tom Bagley. Drums by Jim Buick|url = http://www.openbsd.org/lyrics.html#39|title = 3.9: "Blob!"|publisher = OpenBSD|accessdate = 2006-06-22}}</ref> This stance has been somewhat validated by information released during the [[August 2]], [[2006]] [[Black Hat Briefings|Black Hat USA]] convention where an exploit within the binary driver for the [[Atheros]] [[wireless network card]]s used in [[MacBook Pro]]s and elsewhere was revealed.claimed,<ref>{{cite web|last = An article by Kelly Martin of SecurityFocus regarding the hacking of a Wi-Fi binary blob driver - August 3, 2006|url = http://www.securityfocus.com/brief/271|title = WiFi makes waves at Blackhat|accessdate = 2006-08-25}}</ref> although it was later revealed that the exploit used third party hardware and drivers.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/08/17/wirelesshack/index.php | title = MacBook Wi-Fi hack didn't use Apple drivers | last = Dalrymple | first = Jim | date = [[2006-8-17 ]] }}</ref>

Other operating system projects, including [[NetBSD]], [[FreeBSD]], [[DragonFly BSD]], and the Ubuntu and [[Fedora Core|Fedora]] [[Linux distributions]], accept binary blobs as a fast route to the missing or enhanced functionality they provide.<ref name="bsdinterview">{{cite web | url = http://os.newsforge.com/os/05/06/09/2132233.shtml?tid=8&tid=2 | title = BSD cognoscenti on Linux | accessdate = 2006-07-07 | last = Matzan | first = Jem | date = [[2005-06-15]] | publisher = NewsForge }} See Christos Zoulas's response to "Is sharing between Free/Open/NetBSD and the Linux kernel a common occurrence? And if so, does it go both ways?"</ref> They include binary blobs for purposes ranging from [[Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks|RAID]] to networking and accelerated graphics drivers. The [[Free Software Foundation]] (FSF) is actively campaigning against binary blobs, even though some [[Linux distributions]] do include them.{{fact}} In order to make use of opaque binary blob drivers available for other operating systems, some projects include software [[wrapper]]s: examples include [[NdisWrapper]] for [[Linux]] and Project Evil for [[FreeBSD]] and [[NetBSD]], both of which implement [[Microsoft]]'s [[NDIS]] [[Application programming interface|API]] to allow [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] drivers to be used.