Access to kmem - System namelist - ps etc

[joe at fluke.uucp]

I think that one system cal UNIX has been missing for years is one to
return kernel structures.  Sure, /dev/kmem is a very general way to
provide whatever access you want, but it is an open hole into the
system and as such it is open to security problems, etc.  A system call
can be made much more secure and can also provide MUCH faster access to
the required structures than hacking around with namelists and kmem...

However, it does complicate the case of ps, etc., reading core dumps.
No matter what change you propose to /dev/kmem, it is bound to break
ps, pstat, etc., access to crash dumps.  I really like being able to
use ps on crashes, but I also dislike the speed penalty you pay for
runtime-access.  There must be a better (or at least faster) way!

As I see it, ther is no easy solution (or free lunch for that matter).

/Joe