[PATCH v2 4/4] kcov: introduce extended PC coverage collection mode
From: Jann Horn
Date: Wed Mar 18 2026 - 12:41:38 EST
This is the second half of CONFIG_KCOV_EXT_RECORDS.
Introduce a new KCOV mode KCOV_TRACE_PC_EXT which replaces the upper 8 bits
of recorded instruction pointers with metadata. For now, userspace can use
this metadata to distinguish three types of records:
- function entry
- function exit
- normal basic block inside the function
Internally, this new mode is represented as a variant of
KCOV_MODE_TRACE_PC, distinguished with the flag KCOV_EXT_FORMAT.
Store this flag as part of the mode in task_struct::kcov_mode and in
kcov::mode to avoid having to pass it around separately everywhere.
Signed-off-by: Jann Horn <jannh@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
include/linux/kcov.h | 7 +++++++
include/uapi/linux/kcov.h | 12 ++++++++++++
kernel/kcov.c | 39 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-----
3 files changed, 53 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)
diff --git a/include/linux/kcov.h b/include/linux/kcov.h
index e5502d674029..455302b1cd1c 100644
--- a/include/linux/kcov.h
+++ b/include/linux/kcov.h
@@ -25,8 +25,15 @@ enum kcov_mode {
KCOV_MODE_REMOTE = 4,
};
+/*
+ * Modifier for KCOV_MODE_TRACE_PC to record function entry/exit marked with
+ * metadata bits.
+ */
+#define KCOV_EXT_FORMAT (1 << 29)
#define KCOV_IN_CTXSW (1 << 30)
+#define KCOV_MODE_TRACE_PC_EXT (KCOV_MODE_TRACE_PC | KCOV_EXT_FORMAT)
+
void kcov_task_init(struct task_struct *t);
void kcov_task_exit(struct task_struct *t);
diff --git a/include/uapi/linux/kcov.h b/include/uapi/linux/kcov.h
index ed95dba9fa37..8d8a233bd61f 100644
--- a/include/uapi/linux/kcov.h
+++ b/include/uapi/linux/kcov.h
@@ -35,8 +35,20 @@ enum {
KCOV_TRACE_PC = 0,
/* Collecting comparison operands mode. */
KCOV_TRACE_CMP = 1,
+ /*
+ * Extended PC coverage collection mode.
+ * In this mode, the top byte of the PC is replaced with flag bits
+ * (KCOV_RECORDFLAG_*).
+ */
+ KCOV_TRACE_PC_EXT = 2,
};
+#define KCOV_RECORD_IP_MASK 0x00ffffffffffffff
+#define KCOV_RECORDFLAG_TYPEMASK 0xf000000000000000
+#define KCOV_RECORDFLAG_TYPE_NORMAL 0xf000000000000000
+#define KCOV_RECORDFLAG_TYPE_ENTRY 0x0000000000000000
+#define KCOV_RECORDFLAG_TYPE_EXIT 0x1000000000000000
+
/*
* The format for the types of collected comparisons.
*
diff --git a/kernel/kcov.c b/kernel/kcov.c
index 7edb39e18bfe..3cd4ee4cc310 100644
--- a/kernel/kcov.c
+++ b/kernel/kcov.c
@@ -55,7 +55,12 @@ struct kcov {
refcount_t refcount;
/* The lock protects mode, size, area and t. */
spinlock_t lock;
- enum kcov_mode mode __guarded_by(&lock);
+ /*
+ * Mode, consists of:
+ * - enum kcov_mode
+ * - flag KCOV_EXT_FORMAT
+ */
+ unsigned int mode __guarded_by(&lock);
/* Size of arena (in long's). */
unsigned int size __guarded_by(&lock);
/* Coverage buffer shared with user space. */
@@ -232,8 +237,14 @@ void notrace __sanitizer_cov_trace_pc(void)
{
struct task_struct *cur = current;
- if (READ_ONCE(cur->kcov_mode) != KCOV_MODE_TRACE_PC)
+ if ((READ_ONCE(cur->kcov_mode) & ~KCOV_EXT_FORMAT) != KCOV_MODE_TRACE_PC)
return;
+ /*
+ * No bitops are needed here for setting the record type because
+ * KCOV_RECORDFLAG_TYPE_NORMAL has the high bits set.
+ * This relies on userspace not caring about the rest of the top byte
+ * for KCOV_RECORDFLAG_TYPE_NORMAL records.
+ */
kcov_add_pc_record(cur, canonicalize_ip(_RET_IP_));
}
EXPORT_SYMBOL(__sanitizer_cov_trace_pc);
@@ -249,12 +260,28 @@ void notrace __sanitizer_cov_trace_pc_entry(void)
* This hook replaces __sanitizer_cov_trace_pc() for the function entry
* basic block; it should still emit a record even in classic kcov mode.
*/
- if (kcov_mode != KCOV_MODE_TRACE_PC)
+ if ((kcov_mode & ~KCOV_EXT_FORMAT) != KCOV_MODE_TRACE_PC)
return;
+ if ((kcov_mode & KCOV_EXT_FORMAT) != 0)
+ record = (record & KCOV_RECORD_IP_MASK) | KCOV_RECORDFLAG_TYPE_ENTRY;
kcov_add_pc_record(cur, record);
}
void notrace __sanitizer_cov_trace_pc_exit(void)
{
+ struct task_struct *cur = current;
+ unsigned long record;
+
+ /*
+ * This hook is not called at the beginning of a basic block; the basic
+ * block from which the hook was invoked is already covered by a
+ * preceding hook call.
+ * So unlike __sanitizer_cov_trace_pc_entry(), this PC should only be
+ * reported in extended mode, where function exit events are recorded.
+ */
+ if (READ_ONCE(cur->kcov_mode) != KCOV_MODE_TRACE_PC_EXT)
+ return;
+ record = (canonicalize_ip(_RET_IP_) & KCOV_RECORD_IP_MASK) | KCOV_RECORDFLAG_TYPE_EXIT;
+ kcov_add_pc_record(cur, record);
}
#endif
@@ -377,7 +404,7 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(__sanitizer_cov_trace_switch);
#endif /* ifdef CONFIG_KCOV_ENABLE_COMPARISONS */
static void kcov_start(struct task_struct *t, struct kcov *kcov,
- unsigned int size, void *area, enum kcov_mode mode,
+ unsigned int size, void *area, unsigned int mode,
int sequence)
{
kcov_debug("t = %px, size = %u, area = %px\n", t, size, area);
@@ -577,6 +604,8 @@ static int kcov_get_mode(unsigned long arg)
#else
return -ENOTSUPP;
#endif
+ else if (arg == KCOV_TRACE_PC_EXT)
+ return IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_KCOV_EXT_RECORDS) ? KCOV_MODE_TRACE_PC_EXT : -ENOTSUPP;
else
return -EINVAL;
}
@@ -1089,7 +1118,7 @@ void kcov_remote_stop(void)
* and kcov_remote_stop(), hence the sequence check.
*/
if (sequence == kcov->sequence && kcov->remote)
- kcov_move_area(kcov->mode, kcov->area, kcov->size, area);
+ kcov_move_area(kcov->mode & ~KCOV_EXT_FORMAT, kcov->area, kcov->size, area);
spin_unlock(&kcov->lock);
if (in_task()) {
--
2.53.0.851.ga537e3e6e9-goog