netdev - Re: Intel ixgbe: uninitialized variable use in ixgbe_non_sfp_link

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Date:	Sun, 08 Jan 2012 21:07:28 -0800
From:	Jeff Kirsher <jeffrey.t.kirsher@...el.com>
To:	Jesper Juhl <jj@...osbits.net>,
	"Skidmore, Donald C" <donald.c.skidmore@...el.com>
Cc:	e1000-devel Mailing List <e1000-devel@...ts.sourceforge.net>,
	"David S. Miller" <davem@...emloft.net>,
	Jesse Brandeburg <jesse.brandeburg@...el.com>,
	netdev <netdev@...r.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: Intel ixgbe: uninitialized variable use in
 ixgbe_non_sfp_link_config()

On Sun, 2012-01-08 at 22:21 +0100, Jesper Juhl wrote:
> Hi
> 
> In ixgbe_non_sfp_link_config(), the variable 'negotiation' is declared
> without initializer and unless we take the true branch in the 'if
> ((!autoneg) && (hw->mac.ops.get_link_capabilities))' statement it will
> remain uninitialized when it is subsequently read in the 'ret =
> hw->mac.ops.setup_link(hw, autoneg, negotiation, link_up)' statement.
> 
> The test of 'ret' after the 'if ((!autoneg) &&
> (hw->mac.ops.get_link_capabilities))' statement also looks fairly
> pointless if we do not take the true branch, since then 'ret' will not
> have been changed since the previous identical test.
> 
> The correct fix escapes me since I don't really know this code (and don't 
> plan to spend the time to get to know it), but I thought I'd just report 
> what I had noticed and then someone else can hopefully come up with a good 
> fix :-)
> 
> 
> PS. Please CC me on replies.
> 

Adding netdev mailing list and Don Skidmore (ixgbe maintainer)
Removed Bruce Allan (e1000e maintainer)

I see the potential issue you are referring to, I will defer to Don to
either explain the reasoning in the logic or suggest a fix.

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