[Patch v3 5/8] perf/x86/intel: Validate the return value of intel_pmu_init_hybrid()

From: Dapeng Mi

Date: Fri Jun 12 2026 - 05:12:17 EST


The intel_pmu_init_hybrid() function allocates memory for the
x86_pmu.hybrid_pmu[] array. If this allocation fails under memory
pressure, hybrid PMU initialization will fail.

Currently, the caller does not check the return value of
intel_pmu_init_hybrid(). This can lead to a null-pointer dereference or
invalid memory access when attempting to use the uninitialized array,
potentially triggering a system panic.

Fix this by validating the return value of intel_pmu_init_hybrid().
Additionally, reset x86_pmu.num_hybrid_pmus to 0 on failure, and defer
intel_pmu_arch_lbr_init() until after hybrid PMU initialization
succeeds. This reordering avoids the need to explicitly destroy the
kmem cache if the memory allocation fails.

Signed-off-by: Dapeng Mi <dapeng1.mi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
---
arch/x86/events/intel/core.c | 44 ++++++++++++++++++++++++------------
1 file changed, 30 insertions(+), 14 deletions(-)

diff --git a/arch/x86/events/intel/core.c b/arch/x86/events/intel/core.c
index db52e7e53a6c..74dbf24b0ab6 100644
--- a/arch/x86/events/intel/core.c
+++ b/arch/x86/events/intel/core.c
@@ -7678,8 +7678,10 @@ static __always_inline int intel_pmu_init_hybrid(enum hybrid_pmu_type pmus)
x86_pmu.num_hybrid_pmus = hweight_long(pmus_mask);
x86_pmu.hybrid_pmu = kzalloc_objs(struct x86_hybrid_pmu,
x86_pmu.num_hybrid_pmus);
- if (!x86_pmu.hybrid_pmu)
+ if (!x86_pmu.hybrid_pmu) {
+ x86_pmu.num_hybrid_pmus = 0;
return -ENOMEM;
+ }

static_branch_enable(&perf_is_hybrid);
x86_pmu.filter = intel_pmu_filter;
@@ -7862,14 +7864,14 @@ __init int intel_pmu_init(void)
struct attribute **td_attr = &empty_attrs;
struct attribute **mem_attr = &empty_attrs;
struct attribute **tsx_attr = &empty_attrs;
+ struct x86_hybrid_pmu *pmu;
+ unsigned int fixed_mask;
union cpuid10_edx edx;
union cpuid10_eax eax;
union cpuid10_ebx ebx;
- unsigned int fixed_mask;
+ int version, i, ret;
bool pmem = false;
- int version, i;
char *name;
- struct x86_hybrid_pmu *pmu;

/* Architectural Perfmon was introduced starting with Core "Yonah" */
if (!cpu_has(&boot_cpu_data, X86_FEATURE_ARCH_PERFMON)) {
@@ -7939,9 +7941,6 @@ __init int intel_pmu_init(void)
x86_pmu.lbr_read = intel_pmu_lbr_read_32;
}

- if (boot_cpu_has(X86_FEATURE_ARCH_LBR))
- intel_pmu_arch_lbr_init();
-
intel_pebs_init();

x86_add_quirk(intel_arch_events_quirk); /* Install first, so it runs last */
@@ -8539,7 +8538,9 @@ __init int intel_pmu_init(void)
*
* Initialize the common PerfMon capabilities here.
*/
- intel_pmu_init_hybrid(hybrid_big_small);
+ ret = intel_pmu_init_hybrid(hybrid_big_small);
+ if (ret)
+ return ret;

x86_pmu.pebs_latency_data = grt_latency_data;
x86_pmu.get_event_constraints = adl_get_event_constraints;
@@ -8597,7 +8598,9 @@ __init int intel_pmu_init(void)
case INTEL_METEORLAKE:
case INTEL_METEORLAKE_L:
case INTEL_ARROWLAKE_U:
- intel_pmu_init_hybrid(hybrid_big_small);
+ ret = intel_pmu_init_hybrid(hybrid_big_small);
+ if (ret)
+ return ret;

x86_pmu.pebs_latency_data = cmt_latency_data;
x86_pmu.get_event_constraints = mtl_get_event_constraints;
@@ -8628,7 +8631,9 @@ __init int intel_pmu_init(void)
pr_cont("Pantherlake Hybrid events, ");
name = "pantherlake_hybrid";

- intel_pmu_init_hybrid(hybrid_big_small);
+ ret = intel_pmu_init_hybrid(hybrid_big_small);
+ if (ret)
+ return ret;

/* Initialize big core specific PerfMon capabilities.*/
pmu = &x86_pmu.hybrid_pmu[X86_HYBRID_PMU_CORE_IDX];
@@ -8643,7 +8648,9 @@ __init int intel_pmu_init(void)
pr_cont("Arrowlake Hybrid events, ");
name = "arrowlake_hybrid";

- intel_pmu_init_hybrid(hybrid_big_small);
+ ret = intel_pmu_init_hybrid(hybrid_big_small);
+ if (ret)
+ return ret;

/* Initialize big core specific PerfMon capabilities.*/
pmu = &x86_pmu.hybrid_pmu[X86_HYBRID_PMU_CORE_IDX];
@@ -8660,7 +8667,9 @@ __init int intel_pmu_init(void)
pr_cont("Lunarlake Hybrid events, ");
name = "lunarlake_hybrid";

- intel_pmu_init_hybrid(hybrid_big_small);
+ ret = intel_pmu_init_hybrid(hybrid_big_small);
+ if (ret)
+ return ret;

/* Initialize big core specific PerfMon capabilities.*/
pmu = &x86_pmu.hybrid_pmu[X86_HYBRID_PMU_CORE_IDX];
@@ -8685,7 +8694,9 @@ __init int intel_pmu_init(void)
break;

case INTEL_ARROWLAKE_H:
- intel_pmu_init_hybrid(hybrid_big_small_tiny);
+ ret = intel_pmu_init_hybrid(hybrid_big_small_tiny);
+ if (ret)
+ return ret;

x86_pmu.pebs_latency_data = arl_h_latency_data;
x86_pmu.get_event_constraints = arl_h_get_event_constraints;
@@ -8720,7 +8731,9 @@ __init int intel_pmu_init(void)
case INTEL_NOVALAKE_L:
pr_cont("Novalake Hybrid events, ");
name = "novalake_hybrid";
- intel_pmu_init_hybrid(hybrid_big_small);
+ ret = intel_pmu_init_hybrid(hybrid_big_small);
+ if (ret)
+ return ret;

x86_pmu.pebs_latency_data = nvl_latency_data;
x86_pmu.get_event_constraints = mtl_get_event_constraints;
@@ -8829,6 +8842,9 @@ __init int intel_pmu_init(void)

intel_pmu_check_event_constraints_all(NULL);

+ if (boot_cpu_has(X86_FEATURE_ARCH_LBR))
+ intel_pmu_arch_lbr_init();
+
/*
* Access LBR MSR may cause #GP under certain circumstances.
* Check all LBR MSR here.
--
2.34.1