linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH v3 2/3] intel_idle: Sync up the SPEC_CTRL MSR value to x86_spec_ctrl

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, 22 Jun 2023 08:34:59 -0400
From:   Waiman Long <longman@...hat.com>
To:     Peter Zijlstra <peterz@...radead.org>,
        Josh Poimboeuf <jpoimboe@...nel.org>
Cc:     Thomas Gleixner <tglx@...utronix.de>,
        Ingo Molnar <mingo@...hat.com>, Borislav Petkov <bp@...en8.de>,
        Dave Hansen <dave.hansen@...ux.intel.com>,
        "H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@...or.com>,
        Pawan Gupta <pawan.kumar.gupta@...ux.intel.com>,
        Jacob Pan <jacob.jun.pan@...ux.intel.com>,
        Len Brown <lenb@...nel.org>, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
        x86@...nel.org, linux-pm@...r.kernel.org,
        Robin Jarry <rjarry@...hat.com>, Joe Mario <jmario@...hat.com>
Subject: Re: [PATCH v3 2/3] intel_idle: Sync up the SPEC_CTRL MSR value to
 x86_spec_ctrl_current


On 6/22/23 05:40, Peter Zijlstra wrote:
> On Wed, Jun 21, 2023 at 10:46:33PM -0700, Josh Poimboeuf wrote:
>> On Wed, Jun 21, 2023 at 08:36:02PM -0400, Waiman Long wrote:
>>> When intel_idle_ibrs() is called, it modifies the SPEC_CTRL MSR to
>>> 0 in order disable IBRS. However, the new MSR value isn't reflected
>>> in x86_spec_ctrl_current which is at odd with the other code that
>>> keep track of its state in that percpu variable. Fix that by updating
>>> x86_spec_ctrl_current percpu value to always match the content of the
>>> SPEC_CTRL MSR.
>> Is this fixing an actual bug or is there some other reason for doing
>> this?
> No actual bug, he did this for his debugfs file -- which is no longer
> part of the series. With that on, you can observe the
> x86_spec_ctrl_current value while idle.

Right. That is the main reason as I want the SPEC_CTRL MSRs value to be 
observable by some external mean:-)

Regards,
Longman