[PATCH v4 5/5] x86/bugs: Add 'spectre_bhi=vmexit' cmdline option

From: Josh Poimboeuf
Date: Fri Apr 19 2024 - 17:10:47 EST


In cloud environments it can be useful to *only* enable the vmexit
mitigation and leave syscalls vulnerable. Add that as an option.

This is similar to the old spectre_v2=auto option which was removed with
the following commit:

36d4fe147c87 ("x86/bugs: Remove CONFIG_BHI_MITIGATION_AUTO and spectre_bhi=auto")

with the main difference being that this has a more descriptive name and
is disabled by default.

Requested-by: Maksim Davydov <davydov-max@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Josh Poimboeuf <jpoimboe@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt | 12 +++++++++---
arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c | 16 +++++++++++-----
2 files changed, 20 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt b/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
index 902ecd92a29f..83c4889b88d2 100644
--- a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
+++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
@@ -6069,9 +6069,15 @@
deployment of the HW BHI control and the SW BHB
clearing sequence.

- on - (default) Enable the HW or SW mitigation
- as needed.
- off - Disable the mitigation.
+ on - (default) Enable the HW or SW mitigation as
+ needed. This protects the kernel from
+ both syscalls and VMs.
+ vmexit - On systems which don't have the HW mitigation
+ available, enable the SW mitigation on vmexit
+ ONLY. On such systems, the host kernel is
+ protected from VM-originated BHI attacks, but
+ may still be vulnerable to syscall attacks.
+ off - Disable the mitigation.

spectre_v2= [X86,EARLY] Control mitigation of Spectre variant 2
(indirect branch speculation) vulnerability.
diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c
index 5fca46c78daf..575a4bb5a78d 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c
@@ -1625,6 +1625,7 @@ static bool __init spec_ctrl_bhi_dis(void)
enum bhi_mitigations {
BHI_MITIGATION_OFF,
BHI_MITIGATION_ON,
+ BHI_MITIGATION_VMEXIT_ONLY,
};

static enum bhi_mitigations bhi_mitigation __ro_after_init =
@@ -1639,6 +1640,8 @@ static int __init spectre_bhi_parse_cmdline(char *str)
bhi_mitigation = BHI_MITIGATION_OFF;
else if (!strcmp(str, "on"))
bhi_mitigation = BHI_MITIGATION_ON;
+ else if (!strcmp(str, "vmexit"))
+ bhi_mitigation = BHI_MITIGATION_VMEXIT_ONLY;
else
pr_err("Ignoring unknown spectre_bhi option (%s)", str);

@@ -1659,6 +1662,7 @@ static void __init bhi_select_mitigation(void)
return;
}

+ /* Mitigate in hardware if supported */
if (spec_ctrl_bhi_dis())
return;

@@ -1671,13 +1675,15 @@ static void __init bhi_select_mitigation(void)
*/
setup_clear_cpu_cap(X86_FEATURE_INDIRECT_BRANCH_OK);

- /* Mitigate KVM by default */
- setup_force_cpu_cap(X86_FEATURE_CLEAR_BHB_LOOP_ON_VMEXIT);
- pr_info("Spectre BHI mitigation: SW BHB clearing on vm exit\n");
+ if (bhi_mitigation == BHI_MITIGATION_VMEXIT_ONLY) {
+ pr_info("Spectre BHI mitigation: SW BHB clearing on vm exit only\n");
+ setup_force_cpu_cap(X86_FEATURE_CLEAR_BHB_LOOP_ON_VMEXIT);
+ return;
+ }

- /* Mitigate syscalls when the mitigation is forced =on */
+ pr_info("Spectre BHI mitigation: SW BHB clearing on syscall and vm exit\n");
setup_force_cpu_cap(X86_FEATURE_CLEAR_BHB_LOOP);
- pr_info("Spectre BHI mitigation: SW BHB clearing on syscall\n");
+ setup_force_cpu_cap(X86_FEATURE_CLEAR_BHB_LOOP_ON_VMEXIT);
}

static void __init spectre_v2_select_mitigation(void)
--
2.44.0