linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH 6/7] x86/spec_ctrl: Add sysctl knobs to enable/disable SPEC

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]

Message-ID: <f66779eb-cba2-ea03-e84f-91d3512709ed@intel.com>
Date:   Thu, 4 Jan 2018 10:36:30 -0800
From:   Dave Hansen <dave.hansen@...el.com>
To:     Borislav Petkov <bp@...en8.de>,
        Tim Chen <tim.c.chen@...ux.intel.com>
Cc:     Thomas Gleixner <tglx@...utronix.de>,
        Andy Lutomirski <luto@...nel.org>,
        Linus Torvalds <torvalds@...ux-foundation.org>,
        Greg KH <gregkh@...uxfoundation.org>,
        Andrea Arcangeli <aarcange@...hat.com>,
        Andi Kleen <ak@...ux.intel.com>,
        Arjan Van De Ven <arjan.van.de.ven@...el.com>,
        linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH 6/7] x86/spec_ctrl: Add sysctl knobs to enable/disable
 SPEC_CTRL feature

On 01/04/2018 10:33 AM, Borislav Petkov wrote:
>> 2. At run time
>>     echo 0 > /sys/kernel/debug/ibrs_enabled will turn off IBRS
>>     echo 1 > /sys/kernel/debug/ibrs_enabled will turn on IBRS in kernel
>>     echo 2 > /sys/kernel/debug/ibrs_enabled will turn on IBRS in both userspace and kernel
> I am not sure that tristate is really needed. What's wrong with on/off
> only?

Lots of things:

Distros have the tri-state already deployed.
Paranoid people want "IBRS always" aka "ibrs 2".
Future CPUs may have cheap-enough IBRS to not be worth switching it.