linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH 2/2] x86, microcode: Make reload interface per system

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:	Thu, 21 Jun 2012 01:32:31 +0200
From:	Borislav Petkov <bp@...64.org>
To:	"H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@...or.com>
Cc:	Borislav Petkov <bp@...64.org>,
	Henrique de Moraes Holschuh <hmh@....eng.br>,
	Peter Zijlstra <peterz@...radead.org>,
	"Yu, Fenghua" <fenghua.yu@...el.com>, X86-ML <x86@...nel.org>,
	Ingo Molnar <mingo@...nel.org>,
	Thomas Gleixner <tglx@...utronix.de>,
	LKML <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
	Andreas Herrmann <andreas.herrmann3@....com>
Subject: Re: [PATCH 2/2] x86, microcode: Make reload interface per system

On Wed, Jun 20, 2012 at 04:27:58PM -0700, H. Peter Anvin wrote:
> On 06/20/2012 04:23 PM, Borislav Petkov wrote:
> > On Wed, Jun 20, 2012 at 04:10:18PM -0700, H. Peter Anvin wrote:
> >> I'm wondering about the new format... it seems to potentially make it
> >> harder to do the proper retaining of compatible CPU microcodes.
> > 
> > .. and if you don't split the blob, you have all the ucode patches in
> > one package. So are there any advantages in splitting the single blob?
> > 
> 
> Not that I know of.  IMO the driver can, and should, be the one doing
> the pruning.

Which means that

static enum ucode_state request_microcode_fw(int cpu, struct device *device)
{
        char name[30];

	...

        sprintf(name, "intel-ucode/%02x-%02x-%02x",
                c->x86, c->x86_model, c->x86_mask);

needs to be changed to the name of the microcode blob you guys use for
distributing and we can drop the OLD INTERFACE and there'll be no need
for userspace tools doing anything with the ucode patches.

-- 
Regards/Gruss,
Boris.

Advanced Micro Devices GmbH
Einsteinring 24, 85609 Dornach
GM: Alberto Bozzo
Reg: Dornach, Landkreis Muenchen
HRB Nr. 43632 WEEE Registernr: 129 19551
--
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/