Re: [RT PATCH 1/3] hrtimer: Use READ_ONCE to access timer->base in hrimer_grab_expiry_lock()

From: Thomas Gleixner
Date: Wed Aug 21 2019 - 09:50:38 EST


On Wed, 21 Aug 2019, Sebastian Andrzej Siewior wrote:

> On 2019-08-21 10:24:07 [+0100], Julien Grall wrote:
> > The update to timer->base is protected by the base->cpu_base->lock().
> > However, hrtimer_grab_expirty_lock() does not access it with the lock.
> >
> > So it would theorically be possible to have timer->base changed under
> > our feet. We need to prevent the compiler to refetch timer->base so the
> > check and the access is performed on the same base.
>
> It is not a problem if the timer's bases changes. We get here because we
> want to help the timer to complete its callback.
> The base can only change if the timer gets re-armed on another CPU which
> means is completed callback. In every case we can cancel the timer on
> the next iteration.

It _IS_ a problem when the base changes and the compiler reloads

CPU0 CPU1
base = timer->base;

lock(base->....);
switch base

reload
base = timer->base;

unlock(base->....);

See?