Re: [PATCH 05/25] x86/sgx: Introduce runtime protection bits

[Jarkko Sakkinen]

On Fri, Jan 07, 2022 at 10:14:29AM -0600, Haitao Huang wrote:
> > > > OK, so the question is: do we need both or would a mechanism just
> > > to extend
> > > > permissions be sufficient?
> > > 
> > > I do believe that we need both in order to support pages having only
> > > the permissions required to support their intended use during the
> > > time the
> > > particular access is required. While technically it is possible to grant
> > > pages all permissions they may need during their lifetime it is safer to
> > > remove permissions when no longer required.
> > 
> > So if we imagine a run-time: how EMODPR would be useful, and how using it
> > would make things safer?
> > 
> In scenarios of JIT compilers, once code is generated into RW pages,
> modifying both PTE and EPCM permissions to RX would be a good defensive
> measure. In that case, EMODPR is useful.

What is the exact threat we are talking about?

/Jarkko