Re: [PATCH 2/2] Add a new sysctl knob: unprivileged_userfaultfd_user_mode_only

[Peter Xu]

On Wed, Apr 22, 2020 at 05:26:32PM -0700, Daniel Colascione wrote:
> +unprivileged_userfaultfd_user_mode_only
> +========================================
> +
> +This flag controls whether unprivileged users can use the userfaultfd
> +system calls to handle page faults in kernel mode.  If set to zero,
> +userfaultfd works with or without UFFD_USER_MODE_ONLY, modulo
> +unprivileged_userfaultfd above.  If set to one, users without
> +SYS_CAP_PTRACE must pass UFFD_USER_MODE_ONLY in order for userfaultfd
> +to succeed.  Prohibiting use of userfaultfd for handling faults from
> +kernel mode may make certain vulnerabilities more difficult
> +to exploit.
> +
> +The default value is 0.

If this is going to be added... I am thinking whether it should be easier to
add another value for unprivileged_userfaultfd, rather than a new sysctl. E.g.:

  "0": unprivileged userfaultfd forbidden
  "1": unprivileged userfaultfd allowed (both user/kernel faults)
  "2": unprivileged userfaultfd allowed (only user faults)

Because after all unprivileged_userfaultfd_user_mode_only will be meaningless
(iiuc) if unprivileged_userfaultfd=0.  The default value will also be the same
as before ("1") then.

Thanks,

-- 
Peter Xu