linux-kernel - [PATCH 3/3] Documentation: KVM: add API issues section

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:   Tue, 22 Mar 2022 12:07:12 +0100
From:   Paolo Bonzini <pbonzini@...hat.com>
To:     linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, kvm@...r.kernel.org
Cc:     mlevitsk@...hat.com, jmattson@...gle.com
Subject: [PATCH 3/3] Documentation: KVM: add API issues section

Add a section to document all the different ways in which the KVM API sucks.

I am sure there are way more, give people a place to vent so that userspace
authors are aware.

Signed-off-by: Paolo Bonzini <pbonzini@...hat.com>
---
 Documentation/virt/kvm/api.rst | 46 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 46 insertions(+)

diff --git a/Documentation/virt/kvm/api.rst b/Documentation/virt/kvm/api.rst
index 9f3172376ec3..8787fcd3b23f 100644
--- a/Documentation/virt/kvm/api.rst
+++ b/Documentation/virt/kvm/api.rst
@@ -7575,3 +7575,49 @@ The argument to KVM_ENABLE_CAP is also a bitmask, and must be a subset
 of the result of KVM_CHECK_EXTENSION.  KVM will forward to userspace
 the hypercalls whose corresponding bit is in the argument, and return
 ENOSYS for the others.
+
+9. Known KVM API problems
+=========================
+
+In some cases, KVM's API has some inconsistencies or common pitfalls
+that userspace need to be aware of.  This section details some of
+these issues.
+
+Most of them are architecture specific, so the section is split by
+architecture.
+
+9.1. x86
+--------
+
+``KVM_GET_SUPPORTED_CPUID`` issues
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+In general, ``KVM_GET_SUPPORTED_CPUID`` is designed so that it is possible
+to take its result and pass it directly to ``KVM_SET_CPUID2``.  This section
+documents some cases in which that requires some care.
+
+Local APIC features
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+CPU[EAX=1]:ECX[21] (X2APIC) is reported by ``KVM_GET_SUPPORTED_CPUID``,
+but it can only be enabled if ``KVM_CREATE_IRQCHIP`` or
+``KVM_ENABLE_CAP(KVM_CAP_IRQCHIP_SPLIT)`` are used to enable in-kernel emulation of
+the local APIC.
+
+The same is true for the ``KVM_FEATURE_PV_UNHALT`` paravirtualized feature.
+
+CPU[EAX=1]:ECX[24] (TSC_DEADLINE) is not reported by ``KVM_GET_SUPPORTED_CPUID``.
+It can be enabled if ``KVM_CAP_TSC_DEADLINE_TIMER`` is present and the kernel
+has enabled in-kernel emulation of the local APIC.
+
+Obsolete ioctls and capabilities
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+KVM_CAP_DISABLE_QUIRKS does not let userspace know which quirks are actually
+available.  Use ``KVM_CHECK_EXTENSION(KVM_CAP_DISABLE_QUIRKS2)`` instead if
+available.
+
+Ordering of KVM_GET_*/KVM_SET_* ioctls
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+TBD
-- 
2.35.1