Re: [PATCH v4 2/2] livepatch: Add using attribute to klp_func for using function show

[Petr Mladek]

On Sun 2024-09-08 10:51:14, zhang warden wrote:
> 
> Hi, Petr
> > 
> > The 1st patch adds the pointer to struct klp_ops into struct
> > klp_func. We might check the state a similar way as klp_ftrace_handler().
> > 
> > I had something like this in mind when I suggested to move the pointer:
> > 
> > static ssize_t using_show(struct kobject *kobj,
> > struct kobj_attribute *attr, char *buf)
> > {
> > struct klp_func *func, *using_func;
> > struct klp_ops *ops;
> > int using;
> > 
> > func = container_of(kobj, struct klp_func, kobj);
> > 
> > rcu_read_lock();
> > 
> > if (func->transition) {
> > using = -1;
> > goto out;
> > }
> > 
> > # FIXME: This requires releasing struct klp_ops via call_rcu()

This would require adding "struct rcu_head" into "struct klp_ops",
like:

struct klp_ops {
	struct list_head func_stack;
	struct ftrace_ops fops;
	struct rcu_head rcu;
};

and then freeing the structure using kfree_rcu():

diff --git a/kernel/livepatch/patch.c b/kernel/livepatch/patch.c
index 90408500e5a3..f096dd9390d2 100644
--- a/kernel/livepatch/patch.c
+++ b/kernel/livepatch/patch.c
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ static void klp_unpatch_func(struct klp_func *func)
 
 		list_del_rcu(&func->stack_node);
 		list_del(&ops->node);
-		kfree(ops);
+		kfree_rcu(ops, rcu);
 	} else {
 		list_del_rcu(&func->stack_node);
 	}
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ static int klp_patch_func(struct klp_func *func)
 err:
 	list_del_rcu(&func->stack_node);
 	list_del(&ops->node);
-	kfree(ops);
+	kfree_rcu(ops, rcu);
 	return ret;
 }

With this the function should be safe against accessing an invalid
pointer.

> > ops = func->ops;
> > if (!ops) {
> > using = 0;
> > goto out;
> > }
> > 
> > using_func = list_first_or_null_rcu(&ops->func_stack,
> > struct klp_func, stack_node);
> > if (func == using_func)
> > using = 1;
> > else
> > using = 0;
> > 
> > out:
> > rcu_read_unlock();
> > 
> > return sysfs_emit(buf, "%d\n", func->using);
> > }

But the function is still not correct according the order of reading.
A more correct solution would be something like:

static ssize_t using_show(struct kobject *kobj,
				struct kobj_attribute *attr, char *buf)
{
	struct klp_func *func, *using_func;
	struct klp_ops *ops;
	int using;

	func = container_of(kobj, struct klp_func, kobj);

	rcu_read_lock();

	/* This livepatch is used when the function is on top of the stack. */
	ops = func->ops;
	if (ops) {
		using_func = list_first_or_null_rcu(&ops->func_stack,
						struct klp_func, stack_node);
		if (func == using_func)
			using = 1;
		else
			using = 0;
	}

	/*
	 * The function stack gives the right information only when there
	 * is no transition in progress.
	 *
	 * Make sure that we see the updated ops->func_stack when
	 * func->transition is cleared. This matches with:
	 *
	 * The write barrier in  __klp_enable_patch() between
	 * klp_init_transition() and klp_patch_object().
	 *
	 * The write barrier in  __klp_disable_patch() between
	 * klp_init_transition() and klp_start_transition().
	 *
	 * The write barrier in klp_complete_transition()
	 * between klp_unpatch_objects() and func->transition = false.
	 */
	smp_rmb();

	if (func->transition)
		using = -1;

	rcu_read_unlock();

	return sysfs_emit(buf, "%d\n", func->using);
}

Now, the question is whether we want to maintain such a barrier. Any
lockless access and barrier adds a maintenance burden.

You might try to put the above into a patch see what others tell
about it.

Best Regards,
Petr