Review Results

Comment

The only change in this diff is adding `install = linux-lqx.install` to `.SRCINFO`, which causes pacman/AUR helpers to ship and execute the package’s existing install script. I checked that script: it only disables `irqbalance.service` via `systemctl` during post-install/upgrade, with no network access, user creation, shell/profile modification, or other persistence/backdoor behavior. The removed `conflicts = irqbalance` entry is a metadata change that reduces package-manager conflict handling, but it does not introduce a direct security issue by itself. Overall this looks low risk and consistent with the package’s intended behavior.

@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ pkgbase = linux-lqx
 
 pkgname = linux-lqx
 	pkgdesc = The Linux Liquorix kernel and modules
+	install = linux-lqx.install
 	depends = coreutils
 	depends = kmod
 	depends = initramfs

Comment

The only change in this .SRCINFO diff removes a conflicts entry for irqbalance from the linux-lqx package metadata. This does not introduce code execution, persistence, privilege escalation, or integrity issues; it merely relaxes a package conflict declaration. I found no accompanying suspicious sources, install scripts, or build-time behavior in the provided hunk. Risk is therefore minimal.

@@ -44,7 +45,6 @@ pkgname = linux-lqx
 	provides = VIRTUALBOX-GUEST-MODULES
 	provides = WIREGUARD-MODULE
 	provides = VHBA-MODULE
-	conflicts = irqbalance
 
 pkgname = linux-lqx-headers
 	pkgdesc = Headers and scripts for building modules for the Linux Liquorix kernel

Comment

The change removes a package conflict declaration and adds an install script hook. Based on the diff alone, this is not inherently malicious, but it does introduce root-executed post-install logic via linux-lqx.install, which is a common attack surface. I did not see any evidence in the provided hunk of network access, privilege escalation, or persistence behavior, and the PKGBUILD change itself is minimal. However, because the install script content is not shown in this diff, there is some residual review risk until that file is inspected. Overall this looks low risk from the provided change alone.

@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ _package() {
               'sof-firmware: firmware images needed for Sound Open Firmware capable devices'
               'modprobed-db: Keeps track of EVERY kernel module that has ever been probed - useful for those of us who make localmodconfig')
   provides=(KSMBD-MODULE NTSYNC-MODULE VIRTUALBOX-GUEST-MODULES WIREGUARD-MODULE VHBA-MODULE)
-  conflicts=(irqbalance)
+  install=linux-lqx.install
 
   cd $_srcname
   local modulesdir="$pkgdir/usr/lib/modules/$(<version)"

Comment

The new .install script disables irqbalance by calling systemctl as root during post_install/post_upgrade. This is a system-modifying action outside the package’s own files, but it is narrowly scoped to a single well-known service and does not add persistence, network access, privilege escalation, or arbitrary command execution. The script also guards on systemctl presence and only disables an already-enabled unit. Security risk is low, though it is still a surprising post-install side effect that changes host configuration without explicit user consent.

@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+### Liquorix distributes IRQs in-kernel; irqbalance works against that and
+### costs both stability and performance.  Only systemd is supported here --
+### handling every other init system is more trouble than it's worth.
+###
+### A running irqbalance is left alone; the next boot takes care of it.
+_disable_irqbalance() {
+  [[ -x /usr/bin/systemctl ]] || return 0
+
+  # Also covers "unit does not exist", which exits non-zero.
+  [[ "$(systemctl is-enabled irqbalance.service 2>/dev/null)" == enabled* ]] || return 0
+
+  systemctl disable irqbalance.service >/dev/null 2>&1 || return 0
+
+  echo ">>> Disabled irqbalance to improve Liquorix stability and performance."
+}
+
+post_install() {
+  _disable_irqbalance
+}
+
+post_upgrade() {
+  _disable_irqbalance
+}
+
+# vim:set ts=8 sts=2 sw=2 et: