Date:   Tue, 13 Jun 2023 14:26:53 +0200
From:   David Hildenbrand <david@...hat.com>
To:     Rick Edgecombe <rick.p.edgecombe@...el.com>, x86@...nel.org,
        "H . Peter Anvin" <hpa@...or.com>,
        Thomas Gleixner <tglx@...utronix.de>,
        Ingo Molnar <mingo@...hat.com>, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
        linux-doc@...r.kernel.org, linux-mm@...ck.org,
        linux-arch@...r.kernel.org, linux-api@...r.kernel.org,
        Arnd Bergmann <arnd@...db.de>,
        Andy Lutomirski <luto@...nel.org>,
        Balbir Singh <bsingharora@...il.com>,
        Borislav Petkov <bp@...en8.de>,
        Cyrill Gorcunov <gorcunov@...il.com>,
        Dave Hansen <dave.hansen@...ux.intel.com>,
        Eugene Syromiatnikov <esyr@...hat.com>,
        Florian Weimer <fweimer@...hat.com>,
        "H . J . Lu" <hjl.tools@...il.com>, Jann Horn <jannh@...gle.com>,
        Jonathan Corbet <corbet@....net>,
        Kees Cook <keescook@...omium.org>,
        Mike Kravetz <mike.kravetz@...cle.com>,
        Nadav Amit <nadav.amit@...il.com>,
        Oleg Nesterov <oleg@...hat.com>, Pavel Machek <pavel@....cz>,
        Peter Zijlstra <peterz@...radead.org>,
        Randy Dunlap <rdunlap@...radead.org>,
        Weijiang Yang <weijiang.yang@...el.com>,
        "Kirill A . Shutemov" <kirill.shutemov@...ux.intel.com>,
        John Allen <john.allen@....com>, kcc@...gle.com,
        eranian@...gle.com, rppt@...nel.org, jamorris@...ux.microsoft.com,
        dethoma@...rosoft.com, akpm@...ux-foundation.org,
        Andrew.Cooper3@...rix.com, christina.schimpe@...el.com,
        debug@...osinc.com, szabolcs.nagy@....com,
        torvalds@...ux-foundation.org, broonie@...nel.org
Cc:     linux-alpha@...r.kernel.org, linux-snps-arc@...ts.infradead.org,
        linux-arm-kernel@...ts.infradead.org, linux-csky@...r.kernel.org,
        linux-hexagon@...r.kernel.org, linux-ia64@...r.kernel.org,
        loongarch@...ts.linux.dev, linux-m68k@...ts.linux-m68k.org,
        Michal Simek <monstr@...str.eu>,
        Dinh Nguyen <dinguyen@...nel.org>, linux-mips@...r.kernel.org,
        openrisc@...ts.librecores.org, linux-parisc@...r.kernel.org,
        linuxppc-dev@...ts.ozlabs.org, linux-riscv@...ts.infradead.org,
        linux-s390@...r.kernel.org, linux-sh@...r.kernel.org,
        sparclinux@...r.kernel.org, linux-um@...ts.infradead.org,
        Linus Torvalds <torvalds@...uxfoundation.org>
Subject: Re: [PATCH v9 01/42] mm: Rename arch pte_mkwrite()'s to
 pte_mkwrite_novma()

On 13.06.23 02:10, Rick Edgecombe wrote:
> The x86 Shadow stack feature includes a new type of memory called shadow
> stack. This shadow stack memory has some unusual properties, which requires
> some core mm changes to function properly.
> 
> One of these unusual properties is that shadow stack memory is writable,
> but only in limited ways. These limits are applied via a specific PTE
> bit combination. Nevertheless, the memory is writable, and core mm code
> will need to apply the writable permissions in the typical paths that
> call pte_mkwrite(). Future patches will make pte_mkwrite() take a VMA, so
> that the x86 implementation of it can know whether to create regular
> writable memory or shadow stack memory.
> 
> But there are a couple of challenges to this. Modifying the signatures of
> each arch pte_mkwrite() implementation would be error prone because some
> are generated with macros and would need to be re-implemented. Also, some
> pte_mkwrite() callers operate on kernel memory without a VMA.
> 
> So this can be done in a three step process. First pte_mkwrite() can be
> renamed to pte_mkwrite_novma() in each arch, with a generic pte_mkwrite()
> added that just calls pte_mkwrite_novma(). Next callers without a VMA can
> be moved to pte_mkwrite_novma(). And lastly, pte_mkwrite() and all callers
> can be changed to take/pass a VMA.
> 
> Start the process by renaming pte_mkwrite() to pte_mkwrite_novma() and
> adding the pte_mkwrite() wrapper in linux/pgtable.h. Apply the same
> pattern for pmd_mkwrite(). Since not all archs have a pmd_mkwrite_novma(),
> create a new arch config HAS_HUGE_PAGE that can be used to tell if
> pmd_mkwrite() should be defined. Otherwise in the !HAS_HUGE_PAGE cases the
> compiler would not be able to find pmd_mkwrite_novma().
> 
> No functional change.
> 
> Cc: linux-doc@...r.kernel.org
> Cc: linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
> Cc: linux-alpha@...r.kernel.org
> Cc: linux-snps-arc@...ts.infradead.org
> Cc: linux-arm-kernel@...ts.infradead.org
> Cc: linux-csky@...r.kernel.org
> Cc: linux-hexagon@...r.kernel.org
> Cc: linux-ia64@...r.kernel.org
> Cc: loongarch@...ts.linux.dev
> Cc: linux-m68k@...ts.linux-m68k.org
> Cc: Michal Simek <monstr@...str.eu>
> Cc: Dinh Nguyen <dinguyen@...nel.org>
> Cc: linux-mips@...r.kernel.org
> Cc: openrisc@...ts.librecores.org
> Cc: linux-parisc@...r.kernel.org
> Cc: linuxppc-dev@...ts.ozlabs.org
> Cc: linux-riscv@...ts.infradead.org
> Cc: linux-s390@...r.kernel.org
> Cc: linux-sh@...r.kernel.org
> Cc: sparclinux@...r.kernel.org
> Cc: linux-um@...ts.infradead.org
> Cc: linux-arch@...r.kernel.org
> Cc: linux-mm@...ck.org
> Suggested-by: Linus Torvalds <torvalds@...uxfoundation.org>
> Signed-off-by: Rick Edgecombe <rick.p.edgecombe@...el.com>
> Link: https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/CAHk-=wiZjSu7c9sFYZb3q04108stgHff2wfbokGCCgW7riz+8Q@mail.gmail.com/
> ---
> Hi Non-x86 Arch’s,
> 
> x86 has a feature that allows for the creation of a special type of
> writable memory (shadow stack) that is only writable in limited specific
> ways. Previously, changes were proposed to core MM code to teach it to
> decide when to create normally writable memory or the special shadow stack
> writable memory, but David Hildenbrand suggested[0] to change
> pXX_mkwrite() to take a VMA, so awareness of shadow stack memory can be
> moved into x86 code. Later Linus suggested a less error-prone way[1] to go
> about this after the first attempt had a bug.
> 
> Since pXX_mkwrite() is defined in every arch, it requires some tree-wide
> changes. So that is why you are seeing some patches out of a big x86
> series pop up in your arch mailing list. There is no functional change.
> After this refactor, the shadow stack series goes on to use the arch
> helpers to push arch memory details inside arch/x86 and other arch's
> with upcoming shadow stack features.
> 
> Testing was just 0-day build testing.
> 
> Hopefully that is enough context. Thanks!
> 
> [0] https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/0e29a2d0-08d8-bcd6-ff26-4bea0e4037b0@redhat.com/
> [1] https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/CAHk-=wiZjSu7c9sFYZb3q04108stgHff2wfbokGCCgW7riz+8Q@mail.gmail.com/
> ---

Acked-by: David Hildenbrand <david@...hat.com>

-- 
Cheers,

David / dhildenb

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