[PATCH v9 11/12] KVM: x86/pmu: Reject writes to reserved MSR_PERF_METRICS bits

From: Zide Chen

Date: Fri Sep 18 2026 - 15:51:49 EST


When the host CPU supports only 4 Topdown metrics, bits [63:32] of
MSR_PERF_METRICS are reserved.

Derive pmu->perf_metrics_rsvd from the number of supported Topdown
metrics and use it to validate writes. Reject any attempts to set
reserved bits in MSR_PERF_METRICS.

Signed-off-by: Zide Chen <zide.chen@xxxxxxxxx>
---
v9: new patch.
---
arch/x86/include/asm/kvm_host.h | 1 +
arch/x86/kvm/pmu.c | 1 +
arch/x86/kvm/vmx/pmu_intel.c | 18 +++++++++++++++++-
3 files changed, 19 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/kvm_host.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/kvm_host.h
index 052bf377dedb..31454ecee371 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/kvm_host.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/kvm_host.h
@@ -585,6 +585,7 @@ struct kvm_pmu {
u64 reserved_bits;
u64 raw_event_mask;
u64 perf_metrics;
+ u64 perf_metrics_rsvd;
struct kvm_pmc gp_counters[KVM_MAX_NR_GP_COUNTERS];
struct kvm_pmc fixed_counters[KVM_MAX_NR_FIXED_COUNTERS];

diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/pmu.c b/arch/x86/kvm/pmu.c
index 0df283a169b6..41f2d31c495f 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kvm/pmu.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kvm/pmu.c
@@ -1006,6 +1006,7 @@ void kvm_pmu_refresh(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
pmu->fixed_ctr_ctrl_rsvd = ~0ull;
pmu->pebs_enable_rsvd = ~0ull;
pmu->pebs_data_cfg_rsvd = ~0ull;
+ pmu->perf_metrics_rsvd = ~0ull;
bitmap_zero(pmu->all_valid_pmc_idx, X86_PMC_IDX_MAX);

if (!vcpu->kvm->arch.enable_pmu)
diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/pmu_intel.c b/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/pmu_intel.c
index fab0891ad46a..98e2fb80347a 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/pmu_intel.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/pmu_intel.c
@@ -417,6 +417,9 @@ static int intel_pmu_set_msr(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, struct msr_data *msr_info)
reprogram_fixed_counters(pmu, data);
break;
case MSR_PERF_METRICS:
+ if (data & pmu->perf_metrics_rsvd)
+ return 1;
+
pmu->perf_metrics = data;
break;
case MSR_IA32_PEBS_ENABLE:
@@ -601,9 +604,22 @@ static void intel_pmu_refresh(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
counter_rsvd = ~((BIT_ULL(pmu->nr_arch_gp_counters) - 1) |
((BIT_ULL(pmu->nr_arch_fixed_counters) - 1) << KVM_FIXED_PMC_BASE_IDX));
pmu->global_ctrl_rsvd = counter_rsvd;
- if (perf_capabilities & PERF_CAP_PERF_METRICS)
+ if (perf_capabilities & PERF_CAP_PERF_METRICS) {
pmu->global_ctrl_rsvd &= ~GLOBAL_CTRL_EN_PERF_METRICS;

+ /*
+ * PERF_METRICS has one 8-bit field per metric. At 8 metrics,
+ * skip computing the mask and set perf_metrics_rsvd to 0
+ * directly, since BIT_ULL(64) is undefined.
+ */
+ if (kvm_pmu_cap.num_topdown_events < INTEL_TD_METRIC_NUM)
+ pmu->perf_metrics_rsvd =
+ ~(BIT_ULL(kvm_pmu_cap.num_topdown_events *
+ INTEL_TD_METRIC_FIELD_BITS) - 1);
+ else
+ pmu->perf_metrics_rsvd = 0;
+ }
+
/*
* GLOBAL_STATUS and GLOBAL_OVF_CONTROL (a.k.a. GLOBAL_STATUS_RESET)
* share reserved bit definitions. The kernel just happens to use
--
2.55.0