Re: [PATCH] core dump: remain dumpable

[Roland McGrath]

> Do we really need the new MMF_DUMP_STARTED flag? We are holding ->mmap_sem,
> can't we check "mm->core_waiters != 0" instead?

Yes, I think you're right.  I gave the old use of dumpable the benefit of
the doubt as being needed for synchronization, but that would be enough too.

> Hmm. Actually, do we need any check? If another thread (or CLONE_VM task)
> already started do_coredump(), we must see SIGNAL_GROUP_EXIT when we take
> ->mmap_sem. In that case coredump_wait() does nothing but returns -EAGAIN.

You're right again here.  I'm sure the old use predates this checking in
zap_threads, so it's understandable that something different was needed for
this synchronization before.

> > -	set_dumpable(mm, 0);
> 
> Looks like this change is all we need, no? The only problem is that we
> return -EAGAIN if we race with another thread (the current code returns 0),
> but nobody checks the returned value.

I concur.  It merits a comment at the coredump_wait call that this takes
care of all synchronization issues including races to enter do_coredump.


Thanks,
Roland
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