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Version: 2.8.1

🔬 Understanding eBPF

eBPF-Logo

eBPF (extended Berkeley Packet Filter) is a revolutionary technology that allows programs to run safely in the Linux kernel without requiring kernel modules or source code modifications.

Originally designed for packet filtering, eBPF has evolved into a general-purpose execution engine that fundamentally changes how we build security, networking, and observability tools.

🌐 Learn more at ebpf.io - the official eBPF community hub with tutorials, documentation, and real-world applications.

🚀 Why eBPF Matters for Security​

Traditional security tools face an impossible trade-off between visibility and performance:

❌ Traditional Approaches​

The Problems

  • 📦 Kernel modules - Risky, can crash the system
  • 🐌 System call tracing - 10-100x performance overhead
  • 👁️ Userspace monitoring - Limited visibility, easy to bypass

✅ eBPF Solution​

Game-Changing Benefits

  • 🔍 Kernel-level visibility without modules
  • 🛡️ Production-safe with built-in verification
  • ⚡ Near-zero overhead through JIT compilation
  • 🚀 Real-time processing at the event source

📚 Explore: eBPF for Security and Observability

⚙️ How eBPF Works​

eBPF programs execute in kernel space in response to system events. Here's the complete flow:

1️⃣ Program Loading​

From Code to Kernel

  • 📝 Written in restricted C
  • 🔧 Compiled to eBPF bytecode
  • 📤 Submitted to kernel

📖 What is eBPF?

2️⃣ Verification​

Safety Guarantees

  • 🚫 No infinite loops
  • 🔒 No unauthorized memory access
  • ✅ No kernel crashes possible
  • 📏 Bounded resource usage

🔍 Verifier Deep Dive

3️⃣ JIT Compilation​

Native Performance

  • ⚡ Compiled to native machine code
  • 🚀 Near-native execution speeds
  • 🎯 Optimal performance

4️⃣ Event Attachment​

Kernel Hooks

  • 📞 System calls
  • 🌐 Network events
  • 📁 File operations
  • ⚙️ Process lifecycle

🔗 Program Types

5️⃣ Data Collection​

eBPF Maps

  • 💾 High-performance data structures
  • 🔄 Shared kernel/userspace
  • 🗃️ Store events and metadata

📊 Map Types

6️⃣ Userspace Access​

Query-Driven Retrieval

  • 🔍 Query maps on demand
  • 📊 Analyze patterns
  • 🛡️ Detect threats
  • ✅ No event loss

🆚 eBPF vs Traditional Approaches​

📦 Kernel Modules Comparison​

❌ Traditional Kernel Modules​

  • 🔧 Requires kernel compilation
  • 💥 Can crash entire system
  • 🔄 Hard to maintain across versions
  • ⚠️ Security risks from unverified code
  • 🐌 Complex development and testing

✅ eBPF Advantage​

  • ⚡ No compilation needed
  • 🛡️ Cannot crash kernel (verified)
  • 🔄 Portable with CO-RE
  • 🔒 Sandboxed and secure
  • 🚀 Rapid development and deployment

🔍 System Call Tracing Comparison​

❌ ptrace/strace​

  • 🐌 Extreme overhead (10-100x slowdown)
  • 🎯 Single-process tracing only
  • ❗ Misses events during context switches
  • 🚫 Not production-suitable

✅ eBPF Advantage​

  • ⚡ Minimal overhead (less than 2%)
  • 🌐 System-wide monitoring
  • ✅ Captures all events reliably
  • 🚀 Production-ready performance

👁️ Userspace Monitoring Comparison​

❌ Traditional Userspace​

  • 📉 Limited visibility (/proc, /sys only)
  • 🔄 High context-switching overhead
  • ⚠️ Race conditions and missed events
  • 🔓 Easy to bypass by malicious code
  • 📋 Incomplete security context

✅ eBPF Advantage​

  • 👁️ Complete kernel-level visibility
  • ⚡ Minimal context switching
  • ✅ Guaranteed event capture
  • 🔒 Cannot be bypassed from userspace
  • 📊 Full security context per event

🔧 Key eBPF Components​

📝 eBPF Programs​

Small, sandboxed execution units

  • 👁️ Observe and filter system calls
  • 🌐 Monitor network traffic in real-time
  • 📁 Track file and process operations
  • 🔐 Inspect security-relevant events
  • 🎯 Make policy decisions in-kernel

📖 Program Types

🗃️ eBPF Maps​

High-performance data structures

  • 🔑 Hash maps - Key-value storage
  • 📊 Array maps - Indexed storage
  • 🔄 Ring buffers - Optional streaming
  • ♻️ LRU maps - Automatic eviction

📖 Map Types

🔍 eBPF Verifier​

Sophisticated static analyzer

  • ✅ Validates all code paths
  • 🔒 Ensures memory safety
  • 🚫 Prevents infinite loops
  • 📏 Checks resource bounds
  • ❌ Rejects unsafe operations

📖 Verifier Details

🚀 The Future of eBPF​

eBPF continues to evolve with powerful new capabilities:

🔄 CO-RE​

Compile Once, Run Everywhere

  • 📦 Works across kernel versions
  • 🚫 No recompilation needed
  • 🔧 Automatic field relocation
  • ✅ True portability

📖 Learn CO-RE

🏷️ BTF​

BPF Type Format

  • 📊 Rich type information
  • 🔍 Better debugging
  • 🧩 Enhanced introspection
  • 🔄 Improved portability

📖 Learn BTF

🔐 Signed Programs​

Cryptographic Verification

  • ✅ Enhanced security layer
  • 🔑 Trusted program sources
  • 🛡️ Integrity guarantees
  • 🎯 Enterprise deployment ready

🎯 Extended Capabilities​

Growing Ecosystem

  • 🔗 New program types
  • 📡 Additional kernel hooks
  • ⚡ Performance optimizations
  • 🌐 Broader use cases

💎 Why Jibril Uses eBPF​

Jibril leverages eBPF to deliver enterprise-grade runtime security without traditional trade-offs:

🌟 The Jibril Advantage​

👁️ Complete Visibility

  • Every system interaction captured
  • Full context for all events
  • No blind spots possible

🚀 Zero Event Loss

  • 100,000+ events/second
  • Guaranteed capture
  • Query-driven architecture

⚡ Minimal Overhead

  • Sub-5% CPU usage
  • Constant performance
  • Production-ready

🛡️ Production-Safe

  • Verified execution
  • Sandboxed programs
  • Cannot crash kernel

🔒 Tamper-Proof

  • Kernel-level enforcement
  • Cannot be bypassed
  • Complete integrity

🎯 Beyond Traditional eBPF Tools​

Jibril doesn't just use eBPF-it revolutionizes how eBPF tools work:

❌ Traditional eBPF Tools​

  • 📤 Stream events through ring buffers
  • 💥 Overflow and lose events under load
  • 📈 Performance degrades with volume
  • 🔀 Unpredictable memory usage

✅ Jibril's Innovation​

  • 💾 Store events in eBPF maps
  • 🔍 Query on demand
  • ⚡ Constant performance regardless of load
  • 📏 Bounded, predictable memory

🏗️ Learn how: Jibril's Query-Driven Architecture

📚 Learn More About eBPF​

🌐 Official Resources​

💡 Applications​

🏛️ Community​