Re: [PATCH v5] virtio-blk: Add validation for block size in config space

[Yongji Xie]

On Mon, Aug 23, 2021 at 8:13 PM Michael S. Tsirkin <mst@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> On Mon, Aug 23, 2021 at 01:45:31PM +0300, Max Gurtovoy wrote:
> > It helpful if there is a justification for this.
> >
> > In this case, no such HW device exist and the only device that can cause
> > this trouble today is user space VDUSE device that must be validated by the
> > emulation VDUSE kernel driver.
> >
> > Otherwise, will can create 1000 commit like this in the virtio level (for
> > example for each feature for each virtio device).
>
> Yea, it's a lot of work but I don't think it's avoidable.
>
> > >
> > > > > > > And regardless of userspace device, we still need to fix it for other cases.
> > > > > > which cases ? Do you know that there is a buggy HW we need to workaround ?
> > > > > >
> > > > > No, there isn't now. But this could be a potential attack surface if
> > > > > the host doesn't trust the device.
> > > > If the host doesn't trust a device, why it continues using it ?
> > > >
> > > IIUC this is the case for the encrypted VMs.
> >
> > what do you mean encrypted VM ?
> >
> > And how this small patch causes a VM to be 100% encryption supported ?
> >
> > > > Do you suggest we do these workarounds in all device drivers in the kernel ?
> > > >
> > > Isn't it the driver's job to validate some unreasonable configuration?
> >
> > The check should be in different layer.
> >
> > Virtio blk driver should not cover on some strange VDUSE stuff.
>
> Yes I'm not convinced VDUSE is a valid use-case. I think that for
> security and robustness it should validate data it gets from userspace
> right there after reading it.
> But I think this is useful for the virtio hardening thing.
> https://lwn.net/Articles/865216/
>
> Yongji - I think the commit log should be much more explicit that
> this is hardening. Otherwise people get confused and think this
> needs a CVE or a backport for security.
>

OK, do I need to send a v6? This patch seems to be already merged into
Linus's tree.

Thanks,
Yongji