linux-kernel - [PATCH v2 3/4] scripts/misc-check: check missing #include <linux/export.h> when W=1

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 for Android: free password hash cracker in your pocket

[<prev] [next>] [<thread-prev] [thread-next>] [day] [month] [year] [list]

Message-ID: <20250601133230.4085512-3-masahiroy@kernel.org>
Date: Sun,  1 Jun 2025 22:31:29 +0900
From: Masahiro Yamada <masahiroy@...nel.org>
To: linux-kbuild@...r.kernel.org
Cc: linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
	Masahiro Yamada <masahiroy@...nel.org>
Subject: [PATCH v2 3/4] scripts/misc-check: check missing #include <linux/export.h> when W=1

The problem was described in commit 5b20755b7780 ("init: move THIS_MODULE
from <linux/export.h> to <linux/init.h>").

To summarize it again here: <linux/export.h> is included by most C files,
even though only some of them actually export symbols. This is because
some headers, such as include/linux/{module.h,linkage}, needlessly
include <linux/export.h>.

I have added a more detailed explanation in the comments of
scripts/misc-check.

This problem will be fixed in two steps:

 1. Add #include <linux/export.h> to C files that use EXPORT_SYMBOL()
 2. Remove #include <linux/export.h> from header files that do not use
    EXPORT_SYMBOL()

This commit addresses step 1; scripts/misc-check will warn about *.[ch]
files that use EXPORT_SYMBOL() but do not include <linux/export.h>.
This check is only triggered when the kernel is built with W=1.

We need to fix 4000+ files. I hope others will help with this effort.

Signed-off-by: Masahiro Yamada <masahiroy@...nel.org>
---

Changes in v2:
 - Fix out-of-tree build

 scripts/misc-check | 43 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 43 insertions(+)

diff --git a/scripts/misc-check b/scripts/misc-check
index 21551d721079..edc0e44d96de 100755
--- a/scripts/misc-check
+++ b/scripts/misc-check
@@ -9,4 +9,47 @@ check_tracked_ignored_files () {
 		sed 's/$/: warning: ignored by one of the .gitignore files/' >&2
 }
 
+# Check for missing #include <linux/export.h>
+#
+# The rule for including <linux/export.h> is very simple:
+# Include <linux/export.h> only when you use EXPORT_SYMBOL(). That's it.
+#
+# However, some headers include <linux/export.h> even though they are completely
+# unrelated to EXPORT_SYMBOL().
+#
+# One example is include/linux/module.h. Please note <linux/module.h> and
+# <linux/export.h> are orthogonal. <linux/module.h> should be included by files
+# that can be compiled as modules. In other words, <linux/module.h> should be
+# included by EXPORT_SYMBOL consumers. In contrast, <linux/export.h> should be
+# included from EXPORT_SYMBOL providers, which may or may not be modular.
+# Hence, include/linux/module.h should *not* include <linux/export.h>.
+#
+# Another example is include/linux/linkage.h, which is completely unrelated to
+# EXPORT_SYMBOL(). Worse, it is included by most C files, which means, most C
+# files end up including <linux/export.h>, even though only some of them
+# actually export symbols. Hence, include/linux/linkage.h should *not* include
+# <linux/export.h>.
+#
+# Before fixing such headers, we must ensure that C files using EXPORT_SYMBOL()
+# include <linux/export.h> directly, since many C files currently rely on
+# <linux/export.h> being included indirectly (likely, via <linux/linkage> etc.).
+#
+# Therefore, this check.
+#
+# The problem is simple - the warned files use EXPORT_SYMBOL(), but do not
+# include <linux/export.h>. Please add #include <linux/export.h> to them.
+#
+# If the included headers are sorted alphabetically, please insert
+# <linux/export.h> in the appropriate position to maintain the sort order.
+# For this reason, this script only checks missing <linux/export.h>, but
+# does not automatically fix it.
+check_missing_include_linux_export_h () {
+
+	git -C "${srctree:-.}" grep --files-with-matches -E 'EXPORT_SYMBOL((_NS)?(_GPL)?|_GPL_FOR_MODULES)\(.*\)' \
+	    -- '*.[ch]' :^tools/ :^include/linux/export.h |
+	xargs git -C "${srctree:-.}" grep --files-without-match '#include[[:space:]]*<linux/export\.h>' |
+	xargs printf "%s: warning: EXPORT_SYMBOL() is used, but #include <linux/export.h> is missing\n" >&2
+}
+
 check_tracked_ignored_files
+check_missing_include_linux_export_h
-- 
2.43.0