Re: [RFC PATCH 14/14] mfd/macsmc: add ioctl to access smc keys

From: Atharva Tiwari

Date: Thu Oct 29 2026 - 10:41:37 EST


> This should either be dropped from the series, or be hidden behind a
> `melt_my_mac`-style module flag, or switched to a whitelist approach.
> We do not know what keys will be introduced in new smc firmware
> versions, and there are already keys that should not be randomly poked
> at.

1. The patch is required, atleast on intel macs, as without writing GPU and CPU
states to smc, the system gives PROCHOT signal under small load
, and heats up a lot.

2. the smc dosent expose keys of nature that can physically damage the system
it only exposes power/volt data, and the most you can poke is reboot
keys and gpu/cpu p-states.

3. If a person is randomly touching keys, Its their problem and not ours.

4. There are a lot of things that can mess the system way more and permanently
than smc (undervolting for example), but they are not safe guarded, why
should this be then?