linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH 2/3] x86: add some better documentation for probe_kernel

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Message-ID: <CALCETrXNUCzE3V-Ef3yXNjojp3V_Z-idfMDdYb3T5bq-EbcOLA@mail.gmail.com>
Date:	Fri, 22 Jul 2016 11:10:16 -0700
From:	Andy Lutomirski <luto@...capital.net>
To:	Dave Hansen <dave@...1.net>
Cc:	"linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org" <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
	X86 ML <x86@...nel.org>,
	Dave Hansen <dave.hansen@...ux.intel.com>
Subject: Re: [PATCH 2/3] x86: add some better documentation for probe_kernel_address()

On Jul 22, 2016 11:03 AM, "Dave Hansen" <dave@...1.net> wrote:
>
>
> From: Dave Hansen <dave.hansen@...ux.intel.com>
>
> probe_kernel_address() has an unfortunate name since it is used
> to probe kernel *and* userspace addresses.  Add a comment
> explaining some of the situation to help the next developer who
> might make the silly assumption that it is for probing kernel
> addresses.

This can't work on architectures like s390 that have separate,
overlapping user and kernel address spaces.  Maybe we should fix x86
to stop abusing it and use get_user instead.  (In which case, your new
function should be called get_user_insn_byte or similar.)

--Andy