linux-kernel - RE: [PATCH 2/2] rcu-tasks: Make synchronize_rcu_tasks

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:   Thu, 14 Jul 2022 01:53:20 +0000
From:   "Zhang, Qiang1" <qiang1.zhang@...el.com>
To:     "paulmck@...nel.org" <paulmck@...nel.org>
CC:     "frederic@...nel.org" <frederic@...nel.org>,
        "quic_neeraju@...cinc.com" <quic_neeraju@...cinc.com>,
        "joel@...lfernandes.org" <joel@...lfernandes.org>,
        "rcu@...r.kernel.org" <rcu@...r.kernel.org>,
        "linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org" <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>
Subject: RE: [PATCH 2/2] rcu-tasks: Make synchronize_rcu_tasks_generic()
 no-ops on early booting


On Tue, Jul 12, 2022 at 04:26:06PM +0800, Zqiang wrote:
> When the rcu_scheduler_active variable is RCU_SCHEDULER_INACTIVE and not
> yet converted to RCU_SCHEDULER_INIT, there is only idle task, any legal
> call synchronize_rcu_tasks_generic() is a quiescent state. this commit
> make synchronize_rcu_tasks_generic() no-ops when the rcu_scheduler_active
> variable is RCU_SCHEDULER_INACTIVE.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Zqiang <qiang1.zhang@...el.com>
> ---

>It looks like this would be a good way to provide early boot access
>to synchronize_rcu_tasks(), synchronize_rcu_tasks_rude(), and
>synchronize_rcu_tasks_trace().
>
>But do we really need early boot access to these functions?  As in has
>the below WARN_ON() actually triggered?

when the rcu_scheduler_active variable is RCU_SCHEDULER_INACTIVE,
invoke synchronize_rcu_tasks_generic(), in addition to triggering a warning, 
also need to make it return directly, if not, the rcu_tasks_one_gp() will be
called directly, but due to the rtp structure's -> pregp_func is not initialized,
A null pointer bug will appear.

But like said, I don't see the need to call synchronize_rcu_tasks_generic() on 
early booting.  maybe this change is  not necessary.

Thanks
Zqiang

>
>And if it has triggered, and in a context that means that these functions
>really are needed during early boot, how should the testing strategy
>change to test these at the relevant portions of the boot sequence?
>
>>From what I know, hitting these during early boot would indicate that
>something was removing a trace during early boot, and I know of no way
>to make that happen.  Hence my skepticism.  ;-)
>
>But *if* this was really needed, this looks to be a reasonable way to
>implement it.
>
>							Thanx, Paul

>  kernel/rcu/tasks.h | 5 +++--
>  1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/kernel/rcu/tasks.h b/kernel/rcu/tasks.h
> index 469bf2a3b505..0237e765c28e 100644
> --- a/kernel/rcu/tasks.h
> +++ b/kernel/rcu/tasks.h
> @@ -560,8 +560,9 @@ static int __noreturn rcu_tasks_kthread(void *arg)
>  static void synchronize_rcu_tasks_generic(struct rcu_tasks *rtp)
>  {
>  	/* Complain if the scheduler has not started.  */
> -	WARN_ONCE(rcu_scheduler_active == RCU_SCHEDULER_INACTIVE,
> -			 "synchronize_rcu_tasks called too soon");
> +	if (WARN_ONCE(rcu_scheduler_active == RCU_SCHEDULER_INACTIVE,
> +			 "synchronize_rcu_tasks called too soon"))
> +		return;
>  
>  	// If the grace-period kthread is running, use it.
>  	if (READ_ONCE(rtp->kthread_ptr)) {
> -- 
> 2.25.1
>