linux-kernel - Re: [FIX bpf,perf] bpf,perf: return EOPNOTSUPP for bpf handler on PERF_COUNT_SW

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Message-ID: <20201117075334.GJ3121392@hirez.programming.kicks-ass.net>
Date:   Tue, 17 Nov 2020 08:53:34 +0100
From:   Peter Zijlstra <peterz@...radead.org>
To:     Martin KaFai Lau <kafai@...com>
Cc:     Florian Lehner <dev@...-flo.net>, bpf@...r.kernel.org,
        netdev@...r.kernel.org, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
        ast@...nel.org, daniel@...earbox.net, andrii@...nel.org,
        john.fastabend@...il.com, mingo@...hat.com, acme@...nel.org
Subject: Re: [FIX bpf,perf] bpf,perf: return EOPNOTSUPP for bpf handler on
 PERF_COUNT_SW_DUMMY

On Mon, Nov 16, 2020 at 01:02:09PM -0800, Martin KaFai Lau wrote:
> On Mon, Nov 16, 2020 at 07:37:52PM +0100, Florian Lehner wrote:
> > bpf handlers for perf events other than tracepoints, kprobes or uprobes
> > are attached to the overflow_handler of the perf event.
> > 
> > Perf events of type software/dummy are placeholder events. So when
> > attaching a bpf handle to an overflow_handler of such an event, the bpf
> > handler will not be triggered.
> > 
> > This fix returns the error EOPNOTSUPP to indicate that attaching a bpf
> > handler to a perf event of type software/dummy is not supported.
> > 
> > Signed-off-by: Florian Lehner <dev@...-flo.net>
> It is missing a Fixes tag.

I don't think it actually fixes anything. worse it could break things.

Atatching a bpf filter to a dummy event is pointless, but harmless. We
allow it now, disallowing it will break whatever programs out there are
doing harmless silly things.

I really don't see the point of this patch. It grows the kernel code for
absolutely no distinguishable benefit.