[PATCH v4 2/4] objtool: Split INSN_CONTEXT_SWITCH into INSN_SYSCALL and INSN_SYSRET
From: Josh Poimboeuf
Date: Tue Apr 08 2025 - 03:03:04 EST
INSN_CONTEXT_SWITCH is ambiguous. It can represent both call semantics
(SYSCALL, SYSENTER) and return semantics (SYSRET, IRET, RETS, RETU).
Those differ significantly: calls preserve control flow whereas returns
terminate it.
Objtool uses an arbitrary rule for INSN_CONTEXT_SWITCH that almost works
by accident: if in a function, keep going; otherwise stop. It should
instead be based on the semantics of the underlying instruction.
In preparation for improving that, split INSN_CONTEXT_SWITCH into
INSN_SYCALL and INSN_SYSRET.
No functional change.
Signed-off-by: Josh Poimboeuf <jpoimboe@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
tools/objtool/arch/x86/decode.c | 18 +++++++++++-------
tools/objtool/check.c | 6 ++++--
tools/objtool/include/objtool/arch.h | 3 ++-
3 files changed, 17 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)
diff --git a/tools/objtool/arch/x86/decode.c b/tools/objtool/arch/x86/decode.c
index 33d861c04ebd..3ce7b54003c2 100644
--- a/tools/objtool/arch/x86/decode.c
+++ b/tools/objtool/arch/x86/decode.c
@@ -522,7 +522,7 @@ int arch_decode_instruction(struct objtool_file *file, const struct section *sec
case INAT_PFX_REPNE:
if (modrm == 0xca)
/* eretu/erets */
- insn->type = INSN_CONTEXT_SWITCH;
+ insn->type = INSN_SYSRET;
break;
default:
if (modrm == 0xca)
@@ -535,11 +535,15 @@ int arch_decode_instruction(struct objtool_file *file, const struct section *sec
insn->type = INSN_JUMP_CONDITIONAL;
- } else if (op2 == 0x05 || op2 == 0x07 || op2 == 0x34 ||
- op2 == 0x35) {
+ } else if (op2 == 0x05 || op2 == 0x34) {
- /* sysenter, sysret */
- insn->type = INSN_CONTEXT_SWITCH;
+ /* syscall, sysenter */
+ insn->type = INSN_SYSCALL;
+
+ } else if (op2 == 0x07 || op2 == 0x35) {
+
+ /* sysret, sysexit */
+ insn->type = INSN_SYSRET;
} else if (op2 == 0x0b || op2 == 0xb9) {
@@ -676,7 +680,7 @@ int arch_decode_instruction(struct objtool_file *file, const struct section *sec
case 0xca: /* retf */
case 0xcb: /* retf */
- insn->type = INSN_CONTEXT_SWITCH;
+ insn->type = INSN_SYSRET;
break;
case 0xe0: /* loopne */
@@ -721,7 +725,7 @@ int arch_decode_instruction(struct objtool_file *file, const struct section *sec
} else if (modrm_reg == 5) {
/* jmpf */
- insn->type = INSN_CONTEXT_SWITCH;
+ insn->type = INSN_SYSRET;
} else if (modrm_reg == 6) {
diff --git a/tools/objtool/check.c b/tools/objtool/check.c
index c81b070ca495..2c703b960420 100644
--- a/tools/objtool/check.c
+++ b/tools/objtool/check.c
@@ -3684,7 +3684,8 @@ static int validate_branch(struct objtool_file *file, struct symbol *func,
break;
- case INSN_CONTEXT_SWITCH:
+ case INSN_SYSCALL:
+ case INSN_SYSRET:
if (func) {
if (!next_insn || !next_insn->hint) {
WARN_INSN(insn, "unsupported instruction in callable function");
@@ -3886,7 +3887,8 @@ static int validate_unret(struct objtool_file *file, struct instruction *insn)
WARN_INSN(insn, "RET before UNTRAIN");
return 1;
- case INSN_CONTEXT_SWITCH:
+ case INSN_SYSCALL:
+ case INSN_SYSRET:
if (insn_func(insn))
break;
return 0;
diff --git a/tools/objtool/include/objtool/arch.h b/tools/objtool/include/objtool/arch.h
index 089a1acc48a8..01ef6f415adf 100644
--- a/tools/objtool/include/objtool/arch.h
+++ b/tools/objtool/include/objtool/arch.h
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ enum insn_type {
INSN_CALL,
INSN_CALL_DYNAMIC,
INSN_RETURN,
- INSN_CONTEXT_SWITCH,
+ INSN_SYSCALL,
+ INSN_SYSRET,
INSN_BUG,
INSN_NOP,
INSN_STAC,
--
2.49.0