linux-kernel - Re: alpha: Checking source code positions for the setting of error codes

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:   Wed, 18 Jan 2017 16:41:10 +0100
From:   SF Markus Elfring <elfring@...rs.sourceforge.net>
To:     Al Viro <viro@...IV.linux.org.uk>, linux-alpha@...r.kernel.org
Cc:     Ivan Kokshaysky <ink@...assic.park.msu.ru>,
        Jan-Benedict Glaw <jbglaw@...-owl.de>,
        Matt Turner <mattst88@...il.com>,
        Nicolas Pitre <nicolas.pitre@...aro.org>,
        Richard Cochran <richardcochran@...il.com>,
        Richard Henderson <rth@...ddle.net>,
        Thomas Gleixner <tglx@...utronix.de>,
        LKML <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
        kernel-janitors@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: alpha: Checking source code positions for the setting of error
 codes

>> A local variable was set to an error code in two cases before a concrete
>> error situation was detected. Thus move the corresponding assignment into
>> an if branch to indicate a software failure there.
>>
>> This issue was detected by using the Coccinelle software.
> 
> Why the hell is that an issue?

* Can misplaced variable assignments result in unwanted run time consequences
  because of the previous approach for a control flow specification?

* How do you think about to achieve that error codes will only be set
  after a specific software failure was detected?


> It's a common enough idiom,

Are corresponding implementation details worth for another look?


> and while these functions are far from being hot paths,
> blind patches like that are very much to be discouraged.  NAK.

Thanks for your feedback.

Regards,
Markus