[PATCH v4 4/4] selftests/pidfd: add CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL tests

From: Christian Brauner

Date: Mon Feb 23 2026 - 05:45:32 EST


Add tests for the new CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL clone3() flag:

- autokill_sets_no_new_privs: child created with CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL
has no_new_privs set, parent does not
- autoreap_no_new_privs_unset: plain CLONE_AUTOREAP child does not get
no_new_privs (only CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL sets it)
- autokill_basic: child blocks in pause(), parent closes clone3 pidfd,
child is killed and autoreaped
- autokill_requires_pidfd: CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL without CLONE_PIDFD
fails with EINVAL
- autokill_requires_autoreap: CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL without
CLONE_AUTOREAP fails with EINVAL
- autokill_rejects_thread: CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL with CLONE_THREAD fails
with EINVAL
- autokill_pidfd_open_no_effect: closing a pidfd_open() fd does not kill
the child, closing the clone3 pidfd does

Signed-off-by: Christian Brauner <brauner@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
.../testing/selftests/pidfd/pidfd_autoreap_test.c | 286 +++++++++++++++++++++
1 file changed, 286 insertions(+)

diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/pidfd/pidfd_autoreap_test.c b/tools/testing/selftests/pidfd/pidfd_autoreap_test.c
index 9e52a16239ea..9037542eef2a 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/pidfd/pidfd_autoreap_test.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/pidfd/pidfd_autoreap_test.c
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@
#define CLONE_AUTOREAP 0x400000000ULL
#endif

+#ifndef CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL
+#define CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL 0x800000000ULL
+#endif
+
static pid_t create_autoreap_child(int *pidfd)
{
struct __clone_args args = {
@@ -504,4 +508,286 @@ TEST(autoreap_no_inherit)
close(pidfd);
}

+/*
+ * Helper: create a child with CLONE_PIDFD | CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL | CLONE_AUTOREAP.
+ */
+static pid_t create_autokill_child(int *pidfd)
+{
+ struct __clone_args args = {
+ .flags = CLONE_PIDFD | CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL |
+ CLONE_AUTOREAP,
+ .exit_signal = 0,
+ .pidfd = ptr_to_u64(pidfd),
+ };
+
+ return sys_clone3(&args, sizeof(args));
+}
+
+/*
+ * Test that CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL sets no_new_privs on the child.
+ * The child checks via prctl(PR_GET_NO_NEW_PRIVS) and reports back.
+ * The parent must NOT have no_new_privs set afterwards.
+ */
+TEST(autokill_sets_no_new_privs)
+{
+ struct pidfd_info info = { .mask = PIDFD_INFO_EXIT };
+ int pidfd = -1, ret;
+ struct pollfd pfd;
+ pid_t pid;
+
+ /* Ensure parent does not already have no_new_privs. */
+ ret = prctl(PR_GET_NO_NEW_PRIVS, 0, 0, 0, 0);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 0) {
+ TH_LOG("Parent already has no_new_privs set, cannot run test");
+ }
+
+ pid = create_autokill_child(&pidfd);
+ if (pid < 0 && errno == EINVAL)
+ SKIP(return, "CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL not supported");
+ ASSERT_GE(pid, 0);
+
+ if (pid == 0) {
+ /*
+ * Child: check no_new_privs. Exit 0 if set, 1 if not.
+ */
+ ret = prctl(PR_GET_NO_NEW_PRIVS, 0, 0, 0, 0);
+ _exit(ret == 1 ? 0 : 1);
+ }
+
+ ASSERT_GE(pidfd, 0);
+
+ /* Parent must still NOT have no_new_privs. */
+ ret = prctl(PR_GET_NO_NEW_PRIVS, 0, 0, 0, 0);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 0) {
+ TH_LOG("Parent got no_new_privs after creating autokill child");
+ }
+
+ /* Wait for child to exit. */
+ pfd.fd = pidfd;
+ pfd.events = POLLIN;
+ ret = poll(&pfd, 1, 5000);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 1);
+
+ /* Verify child exited with 0 (no_new_privs was set). */
+ ret = ioctl(pidfd, PIDFD_GET_INFO, &info);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 0);
+ ASSERT_TRUE(info.mask & PIDFD_INFO_EXIT);
+ ASSERT_TRUE(WIFEXITED(info.exit_code));
+ ASSERT_EQ(WEXITSTATUS(info.exit_code), 0) {
+ TH_LOG("Child did not have no_new_privs set");
+ }
+
+ close(pidfd);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Test that a plain CLONE_AUTOREAP child does NOT get no_new_privs.
+ * Only CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL should set it.
+ */
+TEST(autoreap_no_new_privs_unset)
+{
+ struct pidfd_info info = { .mask = PIDFD_INFO_EXIT };
+ int pidfd = -1, ret;
+ struct pollfd pfd;
+ pid_t pid;
+
+ pid = create_autoreap_child(&pidfd);
+ if (pid < 0 && errno == EINVAL)
+ SKIP(return, "CLONE_AUTOREAP not supported");
+ ASSERT_GE(pid, 0);
+
+ if (pid == 0) {
+ /*
+ * Child: check no_new_privs. Exit 0 if NOT set, 1 if set.
+ */
+ ret = prctl(PR_GET_NO_NEW_PRIVS, 0, 0, 0, 0);
+ _exit(ret == 0 ? 0 : 1);
+ }
+
+ ASSERT_GE(pidfd, 0);
+
+ pfd.fd = pidfd;
+ pfd.events = POLLIN;
+ ret = poll(&pfd, 1, 5000);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 1);
+
+ ret = ioctl(pidfd, PIDFD_GET_INFO, &info);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 0);
+ ASSERT_TRUE(info.mask & PIDFD_INFO_EXIT);
+ ASSERT_TRUE(WIFEXITED(info.exit_code));
+ ASSERT_EQ(WEXITSTATUS(info.exit_code), 0) {
+ TH_LOG("Plain autoreap child unexpectedly has no_new_privs");
+ }
+
+ close(pidfd);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Basic autokill test: child blocks in pause(), parent closes the
+ * clone3 pidfd, child should be killed and autoreaped.
+ */
+TEST(autokill_basic)
+{
+ int pidfd = -1, pollfd_fd = -1, ret;
+ struct pollfd pfd;
+ pid_t pid;
+
+ pid = create_autokill_child(&pidfd);
+ if (pid < 0 && errno == EINVAL)
+ SKIP(return, "CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL not supported");
+ ASSERT_GE(pid, 0);
+
+ if (pid == 0) {
+ pause();
+ _exit(1);
+ }
+
+ ASSERT_GE(pidfd, 0);
+
+ /*
+ * Open a second pidfd via pidfd_open() so we can observe the
+ * child's death after closing the clone3 pidfd.
+ */
+ pollfd_fd = sys_pidfd_open(pid, 0);
+ ASSERT_GE(pollfd_fd, 0);
+
+ /* Close the clone3 pidfd — this should trigger autokill. */
+ close(pidfd);
+
+ /* Wait for the child to die via the pidfd_open'd fd. */
+ pfd.fd = pollfd_fd;
+ pfd.events = POLLIN;
+ ret = poll(&pfd, 1, 5000);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 1);
+ ASSERT_TRUE(pfd.revents & POLLIN);
+
+ /* Child should be autoreaped — no zombie. */
+ usleep(100000);
+ ret = waitpid(pid, NULL, WNOHANG);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, -1);
+ ASSERT_EQ(errno, ECHILD);
+
+ close(pollfd_fd);
+}
+
+/*
+ * CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL without CLONE_PIDFD must fail with EINVAL.
+ */
+TEST(autokill_requires_pidfd)
+{
+ struct __clone_args args = {
+ .flags = CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL | CLONE_AUTOREAP,
+ .exit_signal = 0,
+ };
+ pid_t pid;
+
+ pid = sys_clone3(&args, sizeof(args));
+ ASSERT_EQ(pid, -1);
+ ASSERT_EQ(errno, EINVAL);
+}
+
+/*
+ * CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL without CLONE_AUTOREAP must fail with EINVAL.
+ */
+TEST(autokill_requires_autoreap)
+{
+ struct __clone_args args = {
+ .flags = CLONE_PIDFD | CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL,
+ .exit_signal = SIGCHLD,
+ };
+ int pidfd = -1;
+ pid_t pid;
+
+ args.pidfd = ptr_to_u64(&pidfd);
+
+ pid = sys_clone3(&args, sizeof(args));
+ ASSERT_EQ(pid, -1);
+ ASSERT_EQ(errno, EINVAL);
+}
+
+/*
+ * CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL with CLONE_THREAD must fail with EINVAL.
+ */
+TEST(autokill_rejects_thread)
+{
+ struct __clone_args args = {
+ .flags = CLONE_PIDFD | CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL |
+ CLONE_AUTOREAP | CLONE_THREAD |
+ CLONE_SIGHAND | CLONE_VM,
+ .exit_signal = 0,
+ };
+ int pidfd = -1;
+ pid_t pid;
+
+ args.pidfd = ptr_to_u64(&pidfd);
+
+ pid = sys_clone3(&args, sizeof(args));
+ ASSERT_EQ(pid, -1);
+ ASSERT_EQ(errno, EINVAL);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Test that only the clone3 pidfd triggers autokill, not pidfd_open().
+ * Close the pidfd_open'd fd first — child should survive.
+ * Then close the clone3 pidfd — child should be killed and autoreaped.
+ */
+TEST(autokill_pidfd_open_no_effect)
+{
+ int pidfd = -1, open_fd = -1, ret;
+ struct pollfd pfd;
+ pid_t pid;
+
+ pid = create_autokill_child(&pidfd);
+ if (pid < 0 && errno == EINVAL)
+ SKIP(return, "CLONE_PIDFD_AUTOKILL not supported");
+ ASSERT_GE(pid, 0);
+
+ if (pid == 0) {
+ pause();
+ _exit(1);
+ }
+
+ ASSERT_GE(pidfd, 0);
+
+ /* Open a second pidfd via pidfd_open(). */
+ open_fd = sys_pidfd_open(pid, 0);
+ ASSERT_GE(open_fd, 0);
+
+ /*
+ * Close the pidfd_open'd fd — child should survive because
+ * only the clone3 pidfd has autokill.
+ */
+ close(open_fd);
+ usleep(200000);
+
+ /* Verify child is still alive by polling the clone3 pidfd. */
+ pfd.fd = pidfd;
+ pfd.events = POLLIN;
+ ret = poll(&pfd, 1, 0);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 0) {
+ TH_LOG("Child died after closing pidfd_open fd — should still be alive");
+ }
+
+ /* Open another observation fd before triggering autokill. */
+ open_fd = sys_pidfd_open(pid, 0);
+ ASSERT_GE(open_fd, 0);
+
+ /* Now close the clone3 pidfd — this triggers autokill. */
+ close(pidfd);
+
+ pfd.fd = open_fd;
+ pfd.events = POLLIN;
+ ret = poll(&pfd, 1, 5000);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, 1);
+ ASSERT_TRUE(pfd.revents & POLLIN);
+
+ /* Child should be autoreaped — no zombie. */
+ usleep(100000);
+ ret = waitpid(pid, NULL, WNOHANG);
+ ASSERT_EQ(ret, -1);
+ ASSERT_EQ(errno, ECHILD);
+
+ close(open_fd);
+}
+
TEST_HARNESS_MAIN

--
2.47.3