Re: [PATCH] platform/x86: thinkpad_acpi: Add USB-C Security (USCS) support

[Ilpo Järvinen]

On Fri, 22 May 2026, Vishnu Sankar wrote:

> Newer ThinkPad systems expose a USB-C Security (Restricted Mode) feature.
> When active, USB-C data connections are disabled while power delivery is
> preserved. This is useful for kiosk and physically-secured deployments.
> 
> Hardware interface:
> 
> The HKEY device exposes a read-only ACPI method USCS():
> 
>   Return value bit layout:
>     Bit 16 : Capability flag (1 = feature present on this SKU)
>     Bit  0 : Current state  (0 = security OFF, 1 = security ON)
> 
> The sysfs attribute is read-only.
> 
> The Fn+U followed by Fn+S hotkey chord is the only way to toggle the
> hardware state.
> 
> Hotkey:
> 
> Fn+U followed by Fn+S generates HKEY event 0x131e.
> 
> sysfs interface:
> 
>   /sys/devices/platform/thinkpad_acpi/usb_c_security  (read-only)
>   "enabled\n"  -- data connections are currently blocked
>   "disabled\n" -- data connections are currently allowed
> 
>   The attribute is hidden on SKUs where the USCS capability bit (bit 16)
>   is not set, so there is no ABI impact on unsupported hardware.
> 
> Suggested-by: Mark Pearson <mpearson-lenovo@xxxxxxxxx>
> Signed-off-by: Vishnu Sankar <vishnuocv@xxxxxxxxx>
> ---
>  .../admin-guide/laptops/thinkpad-acpi.rst     |  24 ++++
>  drivers/platform/x86/lenovo/thinkpad_acpi.c   | 115 ++++++++++++++++++
>  2 files changed, 139 insertions(+)
> 
> diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/laptops/thinkpad-acpi.rst b/Documentation/admin-guide/laptops/thinkpad-acpi.rst
> index f874db31801d..db4588af0278 100644
> --- a/Documentation/admin-guide/laptops/thinkpad-acpi.rst
> +++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/laptops/thinkpad-acpi.rst
> @@ -1543,6 +1543,30 @@ Values:
>  
>  	This setting can also be toggled via the Fn+doubletap hotkey.
>  
> +USB-C Security
> +--------------
> +
> +sysfs: usb_c_security
> +
> +Reports the current state of the USB-C Security (Restricted Mode) feature
> +on supported ThinkPad systems. When enabled, USB-C data connections are
> +disabled while power delivery is preserved.
> +
> +The available command is::
> +
> +        cat /sys/devices/platform/thinkpad_acpi/usb_c_security
> +
> +Values:
> +
> +	* ``enabled``  - USB-C data connections are currently blocked
> +	* ``disabled`` - USB-C data connections are currently allowed
> +
> +The attribute is read-only. The USB-C Security state can only be toggled
> +via the Fn+U followed by Fn+S hotkey chord.
> +
> +The sysfs attribute is not created on platforms that do not support this
> +feature.
> +
>  Auxmac
>  ------
>  
> diff --git a/drivers/platform/x86/lenovo/thinkpad_acpi.c b/drivers/platform/x86/lenovo/thinkpad_acpi.c
> index e1cee42a1683..889db802185a 100644
> --- a/drivers/platform/x86/lenovo/thinkpad_acpi.c
> +++ b/drivers/platform/x86/lenovo/thinkpad_acpi.c
> @@ -185,6 +185,7 @@ enum tpacpi_hkey_event_t {
>  	TP_HKEY_EV_AMT_TOGGLE		= 0x131a, /* Toggle AMT on/off */
>  	TP_HKEY_EV_CAMERASHUTTER_TOGGLE = 0x131b, /* Toggle Camera Shutter */
>  	TP_HKEY_EV_DOUBLETAP_TOGGLE	= 0x131c, /* Toggle trackpoint doubletap on/off */
> +	TP_HKEY_EV_USB_C_SECURITY	= 0x131e, /* Toggle USB C Security ON/OFF */
>  	TP_HKEY_EV_PROFILE_TOGGLE	= 0x131f, /* Toggle platform profile in 2024 systems */
>  	TP_HKEY_EV_PROFILE_TOGGLE2	= 0x1401, /* Toggle platform profile in 2025 + systems */
>  
> @@ -373,6 +374,8 @@ static struct {
>  	u32 has_adaptive_kbd:1;
>  	u32 kbd_lang:1;
>  	u32 trackpoint_doubletap_enable:1;
> +	u32 usbc_security_supported:1;
> +	u32 usbc_security_enabled:1;
>  	struct quirk_entry *quirks;
>  } tp_features;
>  
> @@ -11265,6 +11268,111 @@ static struct ibm_struct hwdd_driver_data = {
>  	.name = "hwdd",
>  };
>  
> +/*************************************************************************
> + * USB-C Security subdriver
> + *
> + * HKEY.USCS(0) is a read-only ACPI method; its argument is ignored.
> + * It always returns:
> + *   bit 16 - USB-C security capability present on this SKU or not
> + *   bit  0 - USB-C Security state (enable or disable)
> + *
> + * Hotkey
> + * ------
> + * 0x131e (Fn+U, Fn+S): firmware toggles USBS before firing the event.
> + * The driver reads back the new state and notifies the sysfs attribute.
> + *
> + */
> +
> +/* USCS() return word bit layout */
> +#define USCS_CAP_BIT		BIT(16)	/* capability: feature present on SKU */
> +#define USCS_STATUS_BIT		BIT(0)	/* current security state */
> +
> +static DEFINE_MUTEX(usbc_security_mutex);
> +
> +/*
> + * usbc_security_query - read current USB-C security state via USCS()
> + * @enabled: out - true when security is ON (data connections blocked)
> + *
> + * Returns true if the feature is supported and query succeeded,
> + * false otherwise (feature absent or ACPI call failed).
> + */
> +static bool usbc_security_query(bool *enabled)
> +{
> +	int status;
> +
> +	mutex_lock(&usbc_security_mutex);
> +	if (!acpi_evalf(hkey_handle, &status, "USCS", "dd", 0)) {
> +		mutex_unlock(&usbc_security_mutex);
> +		return false;
> +	}
> +	mutex_unlock(&usbc_security_mutex);

Please use cleanup.h.

> +
> +	if (!(status & USCS_CAP_BIT)) {
> +		pr_debug("USCS cap bit absent (raw=0x%x)\n", status);
> +		return false;
> +	}
> +
> +	*enabled = !!(status & USCS_STATUS_BIT);

No need to do !! when assigning to bool.

> +	return true;
> +}
> +
> +/* sysfs: /sys/devices/platform/thinkpad_acpi/usb_c_security ---------- */
> +static ssize_t usb_c_security_show(struct device *dev,
> +				   struct device_attribute *attr,
> +				   char *buf)
> +{
> +	return sysfs_emit(buf, "%s\n",
> +			  tp_features.usbc_security_enabled ? "enabled" : "disabled");

Please use string_choices.h.

> +}
> +
> +static DEVICE_ATTR_RO(usb_c_security);
> +
> +static struct attribute *usbc_security_attributes[] = {
> +	&dev_attr_usb_c_security.attr,
> +	NULL,
> +};
> +
> +static umode_t usbc_security_attr_is_visible(struct kobject *kobj,
> +					     struct attribute *attr, int n)
> +{
> +	return tp_features.usbc_security_supported ? attr->mode : 0;
> +}
> +
> +static const struct attribute_group usbc_security_attr_group = {
> +	.is_visible = usbc_security_attr_is_visible,
> +	.attrs = usbc_security_attributes,
> +};
> +
> +static int tpacpi_usbc_security_init(struct ibm_init_struct *iibm)
> +{
> +	bool enabled;
> +
> +	tp_features.usbc_security_supported =
> +		usbc_security_query(&enabled);

Fits to one line.

> +	tp_features.usbc_security_enabled = enabled;

I'm not sure I follow the logic here as you always seem set it enabled 
disregarding even support or not?

And that hotkey enabling seems deadcode with it already enabled here.

I feel like I must blind to something obvious but cannot just find 
what that would be.

> +	return 0;
> +}
> +
> +/* tpacpi_usbc_security_hotkey - handle Fn+U Fn+S hotkey (0x131e) */
> +static bool tpacpi_usbc_security_hotkey(void)
> +{
> +	bool enabled;
> +
> +	if (!tp_features.usbc_security_supported)
> +		return false;
> +
> +	if (!usbc_security_query(&enabled))
> +		return false;
> +
> +	tp_features.usbc_security_enabled = enabled;
> +	sysfs_notify(&tpacpi_pdev->dev.kobj, NULL, "usb_c_security");
> +	return true;
> +}
> +
> +static struct ibm_struct usbc_security_driver_data = {
> +	.name = "usbc_security",
> +};
> +
>  /* --------------------------------------------------------------------- */
>  
>  static struct attribute *tpacpi_driver_attributes[] = {
> @@ -11325,6 +11433,7 @@ static const struct attribute_group *tpacpi_groups[] = {
>  	&dprc_attr_group,
>  	&auxmac_attr_group,
>  	&hwdd_attr_group,
> +	&usbc_security_attr_group,
>  	NULL,
>  };
>  
> @@ -11479,6 +11588,8 @@ static bool tpacpi_driver_event(const unsigned int hkey_event)
>  	case TP_HKEY_EV_PROFILE_TOGGLE2:
>  		platform_profile_cycle();
>  		return true;
> +	case TP_HKEY_EV_USB_C_SECURITY:
> +		return tpacpi_usbc_security_hotkey();
>  	}
>  
>  	return false;
> @@ -11930,6 +12041,10 @@ static struct ibm_init_struct ibms_init[] __initdata = {
>  		.init = tpacpi_hwdd_init,
>  		.data = &hwdd_driver_data,
>  	},
> +	{
> +		.init = tpacpi_usbc_security_init,
> +		.data = &usbc_security_driver_data,
> +	},
>  };
>  
>  static int __init set_ibm_param(const char *val, const struct kernel_param *kp)
> 

-- 
 i.