[PATCH v9 5/5] perf aslr: Strip sample registers

From: Ian Rogers

Date: Thu Jun 04 2026 - 13:37:53 EST


Refactor the ASLR tool to strip out only the register dump payload
by masking out the relevant perf_event_attr fields when the delegated
tool is handling the data. struct aslr_evsel_priv maintains the
original perf_event_attr values and is looked up via the evsel_orig_attrs
hashmap.

This allows us to keep samples that would otherwise be dropped because
they contain registers, while still obfuscating the registers.

Co-developed-by: Gabriel Marin <gmx@xxxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Gabriel Marin <gmx@xxxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Ian Rogers <irogers@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
tools/perf/builtin-inject.c | 35 +++--
tools/perf/tests/shell/inject_aslr.sh | 55 +++++++
tools/perf/util/aslr.c | 209 +++++++++++++++++++++-----
tools/perf/util/aslr.h | 4 +
4 files changed, 255 insertions(+), 48 deletions(-)

diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-inject.c b/tools/perf/builtin-inject.c
index a9f0a3901e7b..e0f59ef8b97b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-inject.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-inject.c
@@ -253,6 +253,8 @@ static int perf_event__repipe_attr(const struct perf_tool *tool,
return -ENOMEM;
memcpy(stripped_event, event, event->header.size);
stripped_event->attr.attr.sample_type &= ASLR_SUPPORTED_SAMPLE_TYPE;
+ stripped_event->attr.attr.sample_regs_user = 0;
+ stripped_event->attr.attr.sample_regs_intr = 0;

if (stripped_event->attr.attr.type == PERF_TYPE_BREAKPOINT)
stripped_event->attr.attr.bp_addr = 0;
@@ -2620,6 +2622,9 @@ static int __cmd_inject(struct perf_inject *inject)



+ if (inject->aslr)
+ aslr_tool__strip_evlist(inject->session->tool, session->evlist);
+
session->header.data_offset = output_data_offset;
session->header.data_size = inject->bytes_written;
perf_session__inject_header(session, session->evlist, fd, &inj_fc.fc,
@@ -2878,6 +2883,18 @@ int cmd_inject(int argc, const char **argv)
if (zstd_init(&(inject.session->zstd_data), 0) < 0)
pr_warning("Decompression initialization failed.\n");

+ if (inject.aslr) {
+ struct evsel *evsel;
+
+ evlist__for_each_entry(inject.session->evlist, evsel) {
+ ret = aslr_tool__cache_orig_attrs(tool, evsel);
+ if (ret) {
+ pr_err("Failed to cache original attributes: %d\n", ret);
+ goto out_delete;
+ }
+ }
+ }
+
/* Save original section info before feature bits change */
ret = save_section_info(&inject);
if (ret)
@@ -2896,10 +2913,17 @@ int cmd_inject(int argc, const char **argv)
* the input.
*/
if (!data.is_pipe) {
+ if (inject.aslr)
+ aslr_tool__strip_evlist(tool, inject.session->evlist);
+
ret = perf_event__synthesize_for_pipe(&inject.tool,
inject.session,
&inject.output,
perf_event__repipe);
+
+ if (inject.aslr)
+ aslr_tool__restore_evlist(tool, inject.session->evlist);
+
if (ret < 0)
goto out_delete;
}
@@ -2965,17 +2989,6 @@ int cmd_inject(int argc, const char **argv)

ret = __cmd_inject(&inject);

- if (inject.aslr) {
- struct evsel *evsel;
-
- evlist__for_each_entry(inject.session->evlist, evsel) {
- evsel->core.attr.sample_type &= ASLR_SUPPORTED_SAMPLE_TYPE;
-
- if (evsel->core.attr.type == PERF_TYPE_BREAKPOINT)
- evsel->core.attr.bp_addr = 0;
- }
- }
-
guest_session__exit(&inject.guest_session);

out_delete:
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/shell/inject_aslr.sh b/tools/perf/tests/shell/inject_aslr.sh
index ea0db1d5faf9..8fe33a8e6fc8 100755
--- a/tools/perf/tests/shell/inject_aslr.sh
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/shell/inject_aslr.sh
@@ -448,6 +448,60 @@ test_kernel_report_aslr() {
fi
}

+test_regs_stripping() {
+ echo "Test user register stripping"
+ local rdata="${temp_dir}/perf.data.regs"
+ local rdata2="${temp_dir}/perf.data.regs.injected"
+ local rdata_clean="${temp_dir}/perf.data.regs.clean"
+
+ if ! perf record --user-regs -o "${rdata}" ${prog} > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+ echo "Skipping user registers test as recording failed (unsupported flag/platform)"
+ return
+ fi
+
+ perf inject -b -i "${rdata}" -o "${rdata_clean}"
+ perf inject -v -b --aslr -i "${rdata}" -o "${rdata2}"
+
+ local report1="${temp_dir}/report_regs1"
+ local report2="${temp_dir}/report_regs2"
+ local report1_clean="${temp_dir}/report_regs1.clean"
+ local report2_clean="${temp_dir}/report_regs2.clean"
+ local diff_file="${temp_dir}/diff_regs"
+
+ perf report -i "${rdata_clean}" --stdio > "${report1}" 2>/dev/null || true
+ perf report -i "${rdata2}" --stdio > "${report2}" 2>/dev/null || true
+
+ grep '%' "${report1}" | grep -v '^#' | \
+ grep -v -E '0x[0-9a-f]{8,}|0000000000000000' | \
+ sort > "${report1_clean}" || true
+ grep '%' "${report2}" | grep -v '^#' | \
+ grep -v -E '0x[0-9a-f]{8,}|0000000000000000' | \
+ sort > "${report2_clean}" || true
+
+ diff -u -w "${report1_clean}" "${report2_clean}" > "${diff_file}" || true
+
+ if [ ! -s "${report1_clean}" ]; then
+ echo "User registers stripping test [Failed - profile trace starved/empty]"
+ err=1
+ return
+ elif [ -s "${diff_file}" ]; then
+ echo "User registers stripping test [Failed - report parsing differs]"
+ echo "Showing first 20 lines of diff:"
+ head -n 20 "${diff_file}"
+ err=1
+ return
+ fi
+
+ local script_dump="${temp_dir}/script_regs_dump"
+ perf script -D -i "${rdata2}" > "${script_dump}" 2>/dev/null || true
+ if grep -q "PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_USER" "${script_dump}"; then
+ echo "User registers stripping test [Failed - register dumps still present]"
+ err=1
+ else
+ echo "User registers stripping test [Success]"
+ fi
+}
+
test_basic_aslr
test_pipe_aslr
test_callchain_aslr
@@ -457,6 +511,7 @@ test_pipe_out_report_aslr
test_dropped_samples
test_kernel_aslr
test_kernel_report_aslr
+test_regs_stripping

cleanup
exit $err
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/aslr.c b/tools/perf/util/aslr.c
index fc619b9f1f40..6ccd6290620a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/aslr.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/aslr.c
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
#include "debug.h"
#include "event.h"
#include "evsel.h"
+#include "evlist.h"
#include "machine.h"
#include "map.h"
#include "thread.h"
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@
#include <internal/lib.h> /* page_size */
#include <linux/compiler.h>
#include <linux/zalloc.h>
+#include <errno.h>
#include <inttypes.h>
#include <unistd.h>

@@ -43,6 +45,22 @@ struct aslr_mapping {
u64 remap_start;
};

+struct aslr_evsel_priv {
+ u64 orig_sample_type;
+ u64 orig_sample_regs_user;
+ u64 orig_sample_regs_intr;
+};
+
+static size_t evsel_hash(long key, void *ctx __maybe_unused)
+{
+ return (size_t)key;
+}
+
+static bool evsel_equal(long key1, long key2, void *ctx __maybe_unused)
+{
+ return key1 == key2;
+}
+
struct process_top_address {
u64 remapped_max;
u64 orig_last_end;
@@ -58,6 +76,11 @@ struct aslr_tool {
struct hashmap remap_addresses;
/** @top_addresses: mapping from process to max remapped address. */
struct hashmap top_addresses;
+ /**
+ * @evsel_orig_attrs: mapping from evsel pointer to its original
+ * unstripped sample_type and registers bitmasks.
+ */
+ struct hashmap evsel_orig_attrs;
};

static const pid_t kernel_pid = -1;
@@ -613,6 +636,7 @@ static int aslr_tool__process_sample(const struct perf_tool *tool,
struct aslr_tool *aslr;
struct perf_tool *delegate;
int ret;
+ int orig_sample_size;
u64 sample_type;
struct thread *thread;
struct machine *aslr_machine;
@@ -625,6 +649,10 @@ static int aslr_tool__process_sample(const struct perf_tool *tool,
u64 addr;
size_t i;
size_t j;
+ struct aslr_evsel_priv *priv = NULL;
+ u64 orig_sample_type;
+ u64 orig_regs_user;
+ u64 orig_regs_intr;

del_tool = container_of(tool, struct delegate_tool, tool);
aslr = container_of(del_tool, struct aslr_tool, tool);
@@ -634,7 +662,23 @@ static int aslr_tool__process_sample(const struct perf_tool *tool,
return delegate->sample(delegate, event, sample, machine);

ret = -EFAULT;
- sample_type = evsel->core.attr.sample_type;
+
+ if (hashmap__find(&aslr->evsel_orig_attrs, evsel, &priv)) {
+ orig_sample_type = priv->orig_sample_type;
+ orig_regs_user = priv->orig_sample_regs_user;
+ orig_regs_intr = priv->orig_sample_regs_intr;
+ } else {
+ orig_sample_type = evsel->core.attr.sample_type;
+ orig_regs_user = evsel->core.attr.sample_regs_user;
+ orig_regs_intr = evsel->core.attr.sample_regs_intr;
+ }
+
+ orig_sample_size = evsel->sample_size;
+
+ sample_type = orig_sample_type;
+ sample_type &= ~PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_USER;
+ sample_type &= ~PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_INTR;
+
max_i = (event->header.size - sizeof(struct perf_event_header)) / sizeof(__u64);
max_j = (PERF_SAMPLE_MAX_SIZE - sizeof(struct perf_event_header)) / sizeof(__u64);
new_event = (union perf_event *)aslr->event_copy;
@@ -683,25 +727,25 @@ static int aslr_tool__process_sample(const struct perf_tool *tool,
i++; \
} while (0)

- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_IDENTIFIER)
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_IDENTIFIER)
COPY_U64(); /* id */
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_IP)
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_IP)
REMAP_U64(sample->ip);
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_TID)
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_TID)
COPY_U64(); /* pid, tid */
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_TIME)
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_TIME)
COPY_U64(); /* time */
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_ADDR)
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_ADDR)
REMAP_U64(sample->addr);
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_ID)
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_ID)
COPY_U64(); /* id */
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_STREAM_ID)
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_STREAM_ID)
COPY_U64(); /* stream_id */
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_CPU)
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_CPU)
COPY_U64(); /* cpu, res */
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_PERIOD)
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_PERIOD)
COPY_U64(); /* period */
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_READ) {
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_READ) {
if ((evsel->core.attr.read_format & PERF_FORMAT_GROUP) == 0) {
COPY_U64(); /* value */
if (evsel->core.attr.read_format & PERF_FORMAT_TOTAL_TIME_ENABLED)
@@ -735,7 +779,7 @@ static int aslr_tool__process_sample(const struct perf_tool *tool,
}
}
}
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_CALLCHAIN) {
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_CALLCHAIN) {
u64 nr;

if (CHECK_BOUNDS(1, 1)) {
@@ -801,7 +845,7 @@ static int aslr_tool__process_sample(const struct perf_tool *tool,
out_array[j++] = aslr_tool__remap_address(aslr, thread, cpumode, addr);
}
}
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_RAW) {
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_RAW) {
size_t bytes = sizeof(u32) + sample->raw_size;
size_t u64_words = (bytes + 7) / 8;

@@ -820,7 +864,7 @@ static int aslr_tool__process_sample(const struct perf_tool *tool,
ret = 0;
goto out_put;
}
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_STACK) {
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_STACK) {
u64 nr;

if (CHECK_BOUNDS(1, 1)) {
@@ -865,19 +909,25 @@ static int aslr_tool__process_sample(const struct perf_tool *tool,
goto out_put;
}
}
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_USER) {
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_USER) {
+ u64 abi;
+
if (CHECK_BOUNDS(1, 0)) {
ret = -EFAULT;
goto out_put;
}
- /* abi */
- COPY_U64();
- /* TODO: can this be less conservative? */
- pr_debug("Dropping regs user sample as possible ASLR leak\n");
- ret = 0;
- goto out_put;
+ abi = in_array[i++];
+ if (abi != PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_ABI_NONE) {
+ u64 nr = hweight64(orig_regs_user);
+
+ if (nr > max_i - i) {
+ ret = -EFAULT;
+ goto out_put;
+ }
+ i += nr;
+ }
}
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_STACK_USER) {
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_STACK_USER) {
u64 size;

if (CHECK_BOUNDS(1, 1)) {
@@ -908,39 +958,45 @@ static int aslr_tool__process_sample(const struct perf_tool *tool,
ret = 0;
goto out_put;
}
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_WEIGHT_TYPE)
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_WEIGHT_TYPE)
COPY_U64(); /* perf_sample_weight */
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_DATA_SRC)
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_DATA_SRC)
COPY_U64(); /* data_src */
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_TRANSACTION)
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_TRANSACTION)
COPY_U64(); /* transaction */
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_INTR) {
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_INTR) {
+ u64 abi;
+
if (CHECK_BOUNDS(1, 0)) {
ret = -EFAULT;
goto out_put;
}
- /* abi */
- COPY_U64();
- /* TODO: can this be less conservative? */
- pr_debug("Dropping interrupt register sample as possible ASLR leak\n");
- ret = 0;
- goto out_put;
+ abi = in_array[i++];
+ if (abi != PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_ABI_NONE) {
+ u64 nr = hweight64(orig_regs_intr);
+
+ if (nr > max_i - i) {
+ ret = -EFAULT;
+ goto out_put;
+ }
+ i += nr;
+ }
}
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_PHYS_ADDR) {
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_PHYS_ADDR) {
COPY_U64(); /* phys_addr */
/* TODO: can this be less conservative? */
pr_debug("Dropping physical address sample as possible ASLR leak\n");
ret = 0;
goto out_put;
}
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_CGROUP)
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_CGROUP)
COPY_U64(); /* cgroup */
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_DATA_PAGE_SIZE)
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_DATA_PAGE_SIZE)
COPY_U64(); /* data_page_size */
- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_CODE_PAGE_SIZE)
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_CODE_PAGE_SIZE)
COPY_U64(); /* code_page_size */

- if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_AUX) {
+ if (orig_sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_AUX) {
u64 size;

if (CHECK_BOUNDS(1, 1)) {
@@ -981,9 +1037,21 @@ static int aslr_tool__process_sample(const struct perf_tool *tool,

new_event->sample.header.size = sizeof(struct perf_event_header) + j * sizeof(u64);

+ /* Temporarily override evsel attributes to match the stripped new_event format! */
+ evsel->sample_size = __evsel__sample_size(sample_type);
+ evsel->core.attr.sample_type = sample_type;
+ evsel->core.attr.sample_regs_user = 0;
+ evsel->core.attr.sample_regs_intr = 0;
+
perf_sample__init(&new_sample, /*all=*/ true);
ret = evsel__parse_sample(evsel, new_event, &new_sample);
+
if (ret) {
+ /* Restore original attributes immediately if parsing fails */
+ evsel->sample_size = orig_sample_size;
+ evsel->core.attr.sample_type = orig_sample_type;
+ evsel->core.attr.sample_regs_user = orig_regs_user;
+ evsel->core.attr.sample_regs_intr = orig_regs_intr;
perf_sample__exit(&new_sample);
goto out_put;
}
@@ -992,6 +1060,12 @@ static int aslr_tool__process_sample(const struct perf_tool *tool,
ret = delegate->sample(delegate, new_event, &new_sample, machine);
perf_sample__exit(&new_sample);

+ /* Restore original attributes so trace ingestion never desynchronizes! */
+ evsel->sample_size = orig_sample_size;
+ evsel->core.attr.sample_type = orig_sample_type;
+ evsel->core.attr.sample_regs_user = orig_regs_user;
+ evsel->core.attr.sample_regs_intr = orig_regs_intr;
+
out_put:
thread__put(thread);
return ret;
@@ -1057,6 +1131,9 @@ static void aslr_tool__init(struct aslr_tool *aslr, struct perf_tool *delegate)
hashmap__init(&aslr->top_addresses,
top_addresses__hash, top_addresses__equal,
/*ctx=*/NULL);
+ hashmap__init(&aslr->evsel_orig_attrs,
+ evsel_hash, evsel_equal,
+ /*ctx=*/NULL);

aslr->tool.tool.sample = aslr_tool__process_sample;
/* read - reads a counter, okay to delegate. */
@@ -1118,11 +1195,69 @@ void aslr_tool__delete(struct perf_tool *tool)
zfree(&cur->pkey);
zfree(&cur->pvalue);
}
+ hashmap__for_each_entry(&aslr->evsel_orig_attrs, cur, bkt) {
+ zfree(&cur->pvalue);
+ }

hashmap__clear(&aslr->remap_addresses);
hashmap__clear(&aslr->top_addresses);
+ hashmap__clear(&aslr->evsel_orig_attrs);
aslr_tool__destroy_machines_priv(&aslr->machines);
machines__destroy_kernel_maps(&aslr->machines);
machines__exit(&aslr->machines);
free(aslr);
}
+
+int aslr_tool__cache_orig_attrs(struct perf_tool *tool, struct evsel *evsel)
+{
+ struct delegate_tool *del_tool = container_of(tool, struct delegate_tool, tool);
+ struct aslr_tool *aslr = container_of(del_tool, struct aslr_tool, tool);
+ struct aslr_evsel_priv *priv = zalloc(sizeof(*priv));
+ int err;
+
+ if (!priv)
+ return -ENOMEM;
+
+ priv->orig_sample_type = evsel->core.attr.sample_type;
+ priv->orig_sample_regs_user = evsel->core.attr.sample_regs_user;
+ priv->orig_sample_regs_intr = evsel->core.attr.sample_regs_intr;
+
+ err = hashmap__add(&aslr->evsel_orig_attrs, evsel, priv);
+ if (err) {
+ free(priv);
+ return err;
+ }
+ return 0;
+}
+
+void aslr_tool__strip_evlist(const struct perf_tool *tool __maybe_unused, struct evlist *evlist)
+{
+ struct evsel *evsel;
+
+ evlist__for_each_entry(evlist, evsel) {
+ evsel->core.attr.sample_type &= ASLR_SUPPORTED_SAMPLE_TYPE;
+ evsel__reset_sample_bit(evsel, REGS_USER);
+ evsel__reset_sample_bit(evsel, REGS_INTR);
+ evsel->core.attr.sample_regs_user = 0;
+ evsel->core.attr.sample_regs_intr = 0;
+
+ if (evsel->core.attr.type == PERF_TYPE_BREAKPOINT)
+ evsel->core.attr.bp_addr = 0;
+ }
+}
+
+void aslr_tool__restore_evlist(const struct perf_tool *tool, struct evlist *evlist)
+{
+ const struct delegate_tool *del_tool = container_of(tool, const struct delegate_tool, tool);
+ const struct aslr_tool *aslr = container_of(del_tool, const struct aslr_tool, tool);
+ struct evsel *evsel;
+ struct aslr_evsel_priv *priv;
+
+ evlist__for_each_entry(evlist, evsel) {
+ if (hashmap__find(&aslr->evsel_orig_attrs, evsel, &priv)) {
+ evsel->core.attr.sample_type = priv->orig_sample_type;
+ evsel->core.attr.sample_regs_user = priv->orig_sample_regs_user;
+ evsel->core.attr.sample_regs_intr = priv->orig_sample_regs_intr;
+ }
+ }
+}
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/aslr.h b/tools/perf/util/aslr.h
index a9b90bf29540..4c2cffc0e500 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/aslr.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/aslr.h
@@ -30,8 +30,12 @@

struct perf_tool;
struct evsel;
+struct evlist;

struct perf_tool *aslr_tool__new(struct perf_tool *delegate);
void aslr_tool__delete(struct perf_tool *aslr);
+int aslr_tool__cache_orig_attrs(struct perf_tool *tool, struct evsel *evsel);
+void aslr_tool__strip_evlist(const struct perf_tool *tool, struct evlist *evlist);
+void aslr_tool__restore_evlist(const struct perf_tool *tool, struct evlist *evlist);

#endif /* __PERF_ASLR_H */
--
2.54.0.1032.g2f8565e1d1-goog