linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH v9 04/11] HID: asus: fortify keyboard handshake

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Message-ID: <967761fb-3f55-4d51-be0b-23ad03258eff@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2025 15:15:36 +0100
From: Denis Benato <benato.denis96@...il.com>
To: Antheas Kapenekakis <lkml@...heas.dev>,
 platform-driver-x86@...r.kernel.org, linux-input@...r.kernel.org
Cc: linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, Jiri Kosina <jikos@...nel.org>,
 Benjamin Tissoires <bentiss@...nel.org>,
 Corentin Chary <corentin.chary@...il.com>, "Luke D . Jones"
 <luke@...nes.dev>, Hans de Goede <hansg@...nel.org>,
 Ilpo Järvinen <ilpo.jarvinen@...ux.intel.com>
Subject: Re: [PATCH v9 04/11] HID: asus: fortify keyboard handshake


On 11/20/25 10:46, Antheas Kapenekakis wrote:
> Handshaking with an Asus device involves sending it a feature report
> with the string "ASUS Tech.Inc." and then reading it back to verify the
> handshake was successful, under the feature ID the interaction will
> take place.
>
> Currently, the driver only does the first part. Add the readback to
> verify the handshake was successful. As this could cause breakages,
> allow the verification to fail with a dmesg error until we verify
> all devices work with it (they seem to).
>
> Since the response is more than 16 bytes, increase the buffer size
> to 64 as well to avoid overflow errors.
>
> Signed-off-by: Antheas Kapenekakis <lkml@...heas.dev>
> ---
>  drivers/hid/hid-asus.c | 32 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++---
>  1 file changed, 29 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/drivers/hid/hid-asus.c b/drivers/hid/hid-asus.c
> index 6de402d215d0..5149dc7edfc5 100644
> --- a/drivers/hid/hid-asus.c
> +++ b/drivers/hid/hid-asus.c
> @@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ MODULE_DESCRIPTION("Asus HID Keyboard and TouchPad");
>  #define FEATURE_REPORT_ID 0x0d
>  #define INPUT_REPORT_ID 0x5d
>  #define FEATURE_KBD_REPORT_ID 0x5a
> -#define FEATURE_KBD_REPORT_SIZE 16
> +#define FEATURE_KBD_REPORT_SIZE 64
>  #define FEATURE_KBD_LED_REPORT_ID1 0x5d
>  #define FEATURE_KBD_LED_REPORT_ID2 0x5e
>  
> @@ -394,14 +394,40 @@ static int asus_kbd_set_report(struct hid_device *hdev, const u8 *buf, size_t bu
>  
>  static int asus_kbd_init(struct hid_device *hdev, u8 report_id)
>  {
> +	/*
> +	 * The handshake is first sent as a set_report, then retrieved
> +	 * from a get_report. They should be equal.
> +	 */
>  	const u8 buf[] = { report_id, 0x41, 0x53, 0x55, 0x53, 0x20, 0x54,
>  		     0x65, 0x63, 0x68, 0x2e, 0x49, 0x6e, 0x63, 0x2e, 0x00 };
> +	u8 *readbuf;
>  	int ret;
>  
>  	ret = asus_kbd_set_report(hdev, buf, sizeof(buf));
> -	if (ret < 0)
> -		hid_err(hdev, "Asus failed to send init command: %d\n", ret);
> +	if (ret < 0) {
> +		hid_err(hdev, "Asus failed to send handshake: %d\n", ret);
> +		return ret;
> +	}
> +
> +	readbuf = kzalloc(FEATURE_KBD_REPORT_SIZE, GFP_KERNEL);
I see my suggestion to use __free here didn't materialize in code using
it even after Ilpo kindly wrote how to correctly use it.

I think you can move the readbuf assignment right below buf and
take into account what Ilpo said.

I don't expect new variables will be added here ever again,
but I agree with Ilpo that it's a good idea here to write code
accounting for that possibility.

It is my understanding that who proposes patches is expected to
resolve discussions when changes are proposed or to take into
account requested changes and submit a modified version.
> +	if (!readbuf)
> +		return -ENOMEM;
> +
> +	ret = hid_hw_raw_request(hdev, report_id, readbuf,
> +				 FEATURE_KBD_REPORT_SIZE, HID_FEATURE_REPORT,
> +				 HID_REQ_GET_REPORT);
> +	if (ret < 0) {
> +		hid_err(hdev, "Asus failed to receive handshake ack: %d\n", ret);
> +	} else if (memcmp(readbuf, buf, sizeof(buf)) != 0) {
> +		hid_warn(hdev, "Asus handshake returned invalid response: %*ph\n",
> +			FEATURE_KBD_REPORT_SIZE, readbuf);
> +		/*
> +		 * Do not return error if handshake is wrong until this is
> +		 * verified to work for all devices.
> +		 */
> +	}
>  
> +	kfree(readbuf);
>  	return ret;
>  }
>