Re: [PATCH net-next 2/2] KEYS: annotate struct user_key_payload with __counted_by

[Jarkko Sakkinen]

On Wed, Apr 15, 2026 at 11:40:26AM +0200, Thorsten Blum wrote:
> On Wed, Apr 15, 2026 at 02:58:05AM +0300, Jarkko Sakkinen wrote:
> > On Wed, Apr 08, 2026 at 02:21:19PM +0200, Thorsten Blum wrote:
> > > On Wed, Apr 08, 2026 at 12:02:25PM +0300, Jarkko Sakkinen wrote:
> > > > On Mon, Apr 06, 2026 at 07:58:10PM +0200, Thorsten Blum wrote:
> > > > > Add the __counted_by() compiler attribute to the flexible array member
> > > > > 'data' to improve access bounds-checking via CONFIG_UBSAN_BOUNDS and
> > > > > CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Signed-off-by: Thorsten Blum <thorsten.blum@xxxxxxxxx>
> > > > > ---
> > > > >  include/keys/user-type.h | 3 ++-
> > > > >  1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
> > > > > 
> > > > > diff --git a/include/keys/user-type.h b/include/keys/user-type.h
> > > > > index 386c31432789..2305991f4fcd 100644
> > > > > --- a/include/keys/user-type.h
> > > > > +++ b/include/keys/user-type.h
> > > > > @@ -27,7 +27,8 @@
> > > > >  struct user_key_payload {
> > > > >  	struct rcu_head	rcu;		/* RCU destructor */
> > > > >  	unsigned short	datalen;	/* length of this data */
> > > > > -	char		data[] __aligned(__alignof__(u64)); /* actual data */
> > > > > +	char		data[]		/* actual data */
> > > > > +			__aligned(__alignof__(u64)) __counted_by(datalen);
> > > > >  };
> > > > >  
> > > > >  extern struct key_type key_type_user;
> > > > 
> > > > You don't provide any evidence of any improvement.
> > > 
> > > It's a proactive hardening change to help avoid future mistakes.
> > > 
> > > The __counted_by() annotation makes the bounds visible to the compiler
> > > and at runtime so that future ->data accesses can be checked against
> > > ->datalen.
> > > 
> > > The current code is correct regarding ->data accesses and doesn't
> > > require any changes.
> > 
> > OK I'll buy that but send +1 version:
> > 
> > ~/work/kernel.org/jarkko/linux-tpmdd next
> > ❯ git am -3 20260406_thorsten_blum_keys_dns_drop_unused_upayload_data_nul_terminator.mbx
> > Applying: keys, dns: drop unused upayload->data NUL terminator
> > error: sha1 information is lacking or useless (net/dns_resolver/dns_key.c).
> > error: could not build fake ancestor
> > Patch failed at 0001 keys, dns: drop unused upayload->data NUL terminator
> > hint: Use 'git am --show-current-patch=diff' to see the failed patch
> > When you have resolved this problem, run "git am --continue".
> > If you prefer to skip this patch, run "git am --skip" instead.
> > To restore the original branch and stop patching, run "git am --abort".
> 
> AFAICT, linux-tpmdd/next is missing this change:
> 
> https://lore.kernel.org/all/20260226214930.785423-3-thorsten.blum@xxxxxxxxx/

By pratical means, that is lacking any proper commit message.

BR, Jarkko