[PATCH RFC 1/5] objtool: Remove ANNOTATE_IGNORE_ALTERNATIVE from CLAC/STAC

From: Josh Poimboeuf
Date: Tue Apr 08 2025 - 04:23:46 EST


ANNOTATE_IGNORE_ALTERNATIVE adds additional noise to the code generated
by CLAC/STAC alternatives, hurting readability for those whose read
uaccess-related code generation on a regular basis.

Remove the annotation specifically for the "NOP patched with CLAC/STAC"
case in favor of a manual check.

Leave the other uses of that annotation in place as they're less common
and more difficult to detect.

Suggested-by: Linus Torvalds <torvalds@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Josh Poimboeuf <jpoimboe@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
arch/x86/include/asm/smap.h | 12 ++++++------
tools/objtool/check.c | 30 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-
2 files changed, 35 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)

diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/smap.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/smap.h
index 55a5e656e4b9..4f84d421d1cf 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/smap.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/smap.h
@@ -16,23 +16,23 @@
#ifdef __ASSEMBLER__

#define ASM_CLAC \
- ALTERNATIVE __stringify(ANNOTATE_IGNORE_ALTERNATIVE), "clac", X86_FEATURE_SMAP
+ ALTERNATIVE "", "clac", X86_FEATURE_SMAP

#define ASM_STAC \
- ALTERNATIVE __stringify(ANNOTATE_IGNORE_ALTERNATIVE), "stac", X86_FEATURE_SMAP
+ ALTERNATIVE "", "stac", X86_FEATURE_SMAP

#else /* __ASSEMBLER__ */

static __always_inline void clac(void)
{
/* Note: a barrier is implicit in alternative() */
- alternative(ANNOTATE_IGNORE_ALTERNATIVE "", "clac", X86_FEATURE_SMAP);
+ alternative("", "clac", X86_FEATURE_SMAP);
}

static __always_inline void stac(void)
{
/* Note: a barrier is implicit in alternative() */
- alternative(ANNOTATE_IGNORE_ALTERNATIVE "", "stac", X86_FEATURE_SMAP);
+ alternative("", "stac", X86_FEATURE_SMAP);
}

static __always_inline unsigned long smap_save(void)
@@ -59,9 +59,9 @@ static __always_inline void smap_restore(unsigned long flags)

/* These macros can be used in asm() statements */
#define ASM_CLAC \
- ALTERNATIVE(ANNOTATE_IGNORE_ALTERNATIVE "", "clac", X86_FEATURE_SMAP)
+ ALTERNATIVE("", "clac", X86_FEATURE_SMAP)
#define ASM_STAC \
- ALTERNATIVE(ANNOTATE_IGNORE_ALTERNATIVE "", "stac", X86_FEATURE_SMAP)
+ ALTERNATIVE("", "stac", X86_FEATURE_SMAP)

#define ASM_CLAC_UNSAFE \
ALTERNATIVE("", ANNOTATE_IGNORE_ALTERNATIVE "clac", X86_FEATURE_SMAP)
diff --git a/tools/objtool/check.c b/tools/objtool/check.c
index 69f94bc47499..b649049b6a11 100644
--- a/tools/objtool/check.c
+++ b/tools/objtool/check.c
@@ -3505,6 +3505,34 @@ static struct instruction *next_insn_to_validate(struct objtool_file *file,
return next_insn_same_sec(file, alt_group->orig_group->last_insn);
}

+static bool skip_alt_group(struct instruction *insn)
+{
+ struct instruction *alt_insn = insn->alts ? insn->alts->insn : NULL;
+
+ /* ANNOTATE_IGNORE_ALTERNATIVE */
+ if (insn->alt_group && insn->alt_group->ignore)
+ return true;
+
+ /*
+ * For NOP patched with CLAC/STAC, only follow the latter to avoid
+ * impossible code paths combining patched CLAC with unpatched STAC
+ * or vice versa.
+ *
+ * ANNOTATE_IGNORE_ALTERNATIVE could have been used here, but Linus
+ * requested not to do that to avoid hurting .s file readability
+ * around CLAC/STAC alternative sites.
+ */
+
+ if (!alt_insn)
+ return false;
+
+ /* Don't override ASM_{CLAC,STAC}_UNSAFE */
+ if (alt_insn->alt_group && alt_insn->alt_group->ignore)
+ return false;
+
+ return alt_insn->type == INSN_CLAC || alt_insn->type == INSN_STAC;
+}
+
/*
* Follow the branch starting at the given instruction, and recursively follow
* any other branches (jumps). Meanwhile, track the frame pointer state at
@@ -3625,7 +3653,7 @@ static int validate_branch(struct objtool_file *file, struct symbol *func,
}
}

- if (insn->alt_group && insn->alt_group->ignore)
+ if (skip_alt_group(insn))
return 0;

if (handle_insn_ops(insn, next_insn, &state))
--
2.49.0