linux-kernel - Re: [RFC][PATCH 0/4] ftrace: Use -mfentry when supported (this is for x86

lists.openwall.net		lists / announce owl-users owl-dev john-users john-dev passwdqc-users yescrypt popa3d-users / oss-security kernel-hardening musl sabotage tlsify passwords / crypt-dev xvendor / Bugtraq Full-Disclosure linux-kernel linux-netdev linux-ext4 linux-hardening linux-cve-announce PHC
Open Source and information security mailing list archives

Hash Suite: Windows password security audit tool. GUI, reports in PDF.

[<prev] [next>] [<thread-prev] [thread-next>] [day] [month] [year] [list]

Date:	Fri, 18 Feb 2011 18:02:54 -0500
From:	Steven Rostedt <rostedt@...dmis.org>
To:	"H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@...or.com>
Cc:	Andi Kleen <andi@...stfloor.org>,
	Dominique Toupin <dominique.toupin@...csson.com>,
	Mathieu Desnoyers <mathieu.desnoyers@...icios.com>,
	Masami Hiramatsu <masami.hiramatsu.pt@...achi.com>,
	"linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org" <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
	Ingo Molnar <mingo@...e.hu>,
	Andrew Morton <akpm@...ux-foundation.org>,
	Thomas Gleixner <tglx@...utronix.de>,
	Frederic Weisbecker <fweisbec@...il.com>,
	"2nddept-manager@....hitachi.co.jp" 
	<2nddept-manager@....hitachi.co.jp>
Subject: Re: [RFC][PATCH 0/4] ftrace: Use -mfentry when supported (this is
 for x86_64 right now)

On Fri, 2011-02-18 at 14:45 -0800, H. Peter Anvin wrote:

> We should also be able to use the breakpoint hack to avoid holding all
> the CPUs.  They still need to be interrupted, but that skips the
> rendezvous operation.

As this is about the ftrace code, I'm in the process of analyzing and
updating how the function tracer works. I can look to see if I can
design it so we don't have to always use stop_machine() if a breakpoint
method is in place.

Basically what is needed is to convert a "nop" into a "call" or maybe
the other way around, safely.

Now is it safe to insert a breakpoint (usually a byte I believe), modify
the rest of the instruction and then replace the breakpoint to the new
code? Since the instruction that is being replaced or the instruction
being added is always a nop, the breakpoint handler needs to do nothing
but return to the location after the nop/call.

Is there any synchronization that needs to be done when doing this? Or
can it just be:

	insert_breakpoint();
	update_instruction();
	remove_breakpoint();

Because we need to do this for 22,000 calls in a row.

-- Steve

--
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@...r.kernel.org
More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at  http://www.tux.org/lkml/