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Message-ID: <77216C33-487F-459D-8BAB-5DB0D7097386@zytor.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Dec 2025 12:11:46 -0800
From: "H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@...or.com>
To: Brian Gerst <brgerst@...il.com>, ellyndra <ellyesparza8@...il.com>
CC: Peter Zijlstra <peterz@...radead.org>, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
luto@...nel.org, tglx@...utronix.de, mingo@...hat.com, bp@...en8.de,
dave.hansen@...ux.intel.com, x86@...nel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH v2] x86/syscall: make sys_call helpers static
On December 20, 2025 10:21:49 AM PST, Brian Gerst <brgerst@...il.com> wrote:
>On Sat, Dec 20, 2025 at 12:45 PM ellyndra <ellyesparza8@...il.com> wrote:
>>
>> On Sat, Dec 20, 2025 at 2:10 PM Brian Gerst <brgerst@...il.com> wrote:
>> >
>> > On Sat, Dec 20, 2025 at 11:52 AM ellyndra <ellyesparza8@...il.com> wrote:
>> > >
>> > > On Sat, Dec 20, 2025 at 11:32 AM Brian Gerst <brgerst@...il.com> wrote:
>> > > >
>> > > > On Sat, Dec 20, 2025 at 9:10 AM Peter Zijlstra <peterz@...radead.org> wrote:
>> > > > >
>> > > > > On Sat, Dec 20, 2025 at 08:50:31AM -0500, Brian Gerst wrote:
>> > > > > > On Thu, Dec 18, 2025 at 10:01 AM ellyndra <ellyesparza8@...il.com> wrote:
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > Make 'x64_sys_call()' 'x32_sys_call()' and 'ia32_sys_call()' static to
>> > > > > > > prevent them from being resolved via kallsyms and by extension kprobes.
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > These functions contain the final calls to the syscall handlers, having
>> > > > > > > access to their address can be used to hook this calls altering their
>> > > > > > > behavior. Preventing symbol visibility limits the area of such attacks.
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > Suggested-by: Peter Zijlstra <peterz@...radead.org>
>> > > > > > > Signed-off-by: Elly I Esparza <ellyesparza8@...il.com>
>> > > > > > > ---
>> > > > > > > arch/x86/entry/syscall_32.c | 6 ++++--
>> > > > > > > arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c | 12 ++++++++----
>> > > > > > > arch/x86/include/asm/syscall.h | 8 --------
>> > > > > > > 3 files changed, 12 insertions(+), 14 deletions(-)
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > diff --git a/arch/x86/entry/syscall_32.c b/arch/x86/entry/syscall_32.c
>> > > > > > > index 2b15ea17bb7c..28c9a99fb2de 100644
>> > > > > > > --- a/arch/x86/entry/syscall_32.c
>> > > > > > > +++ b/arch/x86/entry/syscall_32.c
>> > > > > > > @@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ const sys_call_ptr_t sys_call_table[] = {
>> > > > > > > #endif
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > #define __SYSCALL(nr, sym) case nr: return __ia32_##sym(regs);
>> > > > > > > -long ia32_sys_call(const struct pt_regs *regs, unsigned int nr)
>> > > > > > > +static __always_inline long ia32_sys_call(const struct pt_regs *regs, unsigned int nr)
>> > > > > > > {
>> > > > > > > switch (nr) {
>> > > > > > > #include <asm/syscalls_32.h>
>> > > > > > > @@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ early_param("ia32_emulation", ia32_emulation_override_cmdline);
>> > > > > > > /*
>> > > > > > > * Invoke a 32-bit syscall. Called with IRQs on in CT_STATE_KERNEL.
>> > > > > > > */
>> > > > > > > -static __always_inline void do_syscall_32_irqs_on(struct pt_regs *regs, int nr)
>> > > > > > > +static noinstr void do_syscall_32_irqs_on(struct pt_regs *regs, int nr)
>> > > > > > > {
>> > > > > > > /*
>> > > > > > > * Convert negative numbers to very high and thus out of range
>> > > > > > > @@ -78,12 +78,14 @@ static __always_inline void do_syscall_32_irqs_on(struct pt_regs *regs, int nr)
>> > > > > > > */
>> > > > > > > unsigned int unr = nr;
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > + instrumentation_begin();
>> > > > > > > if (likely(unr < IA32_NR_syscalls)) {
>> > > > > > > unr = array_index_nospec(unr, IA32_NR_syscalls);
>> > > > > > > regs->ax = ia32_sys_call(regs, unr);
>> > > > > > > } else if (nr != -1) {
>> > > > > > > regs->ax = __ia32_sys_ni_syscall(regs);
>> > > > > > > }
>> > > > > > > + instrumentation_end();
>> > > > > > > }
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > #ifdef CONFIG_IA32_EMULATION
>> > > > > > > diff --git a/arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c b/arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c
>> > > > > > > index b6e68ea98b83..55ad274f57f5 100644
>> > > > > > > --- a/arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c
>> > > > > > > +++ b/arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c
>> > > > > > > @@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ const sys_call_ptr_t sys_call_table[] = {
>> > > > > > > #undef __SYSCALL
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > #define __SYSCALL(nr, sym) case nr: return __x64_##sym(regs);
>> > > > > > > -long x64_sys_call(const struct pt_regs *regs, unsigned int nr)
>> > > > > > > +static __always_inline long x64_sys_call(const struct pt_regs *regs, unsigned int nr)
>> > > > > > > {
>> > > > > > > switch (nr) {
>> > > > > > > #include <asm/syscalls_64.h>
>> > > > > > > @@ -40,15 +40,17 @@ long x64_sys_call(const struct pt_regs *regs, unsigned int nr)
>> > > > > > > }
>> > > > > > > }
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > -#ifdef CONFIG_X86_X32_ABI
>> > > > > > > -long x32_sys_call(const struct pt_regs *regs, unsigned int nr)
>> > > > > > > +static __always_inline long x32_sys_call(const struct pt_regs *regs, unsigned int nr)
>> > > > > > > {
>> > > > > > > +#ifdef CONFIG_X86_X32_ABI
>> > > > > > > switch (nr) {
>> > > > > > > #include <asm/syscalls_x32.h>
>> > > > > > > default: return __x64_sys_ni_syscall(regs);
>> > > > > > > }
>> > > > > > > -}
>> > > > > > > +#else
>> > > > > > > + return __x64_sys_ni_syscall(regs);
>> > > > > > > #endif
>> > > > > > > +}
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > static __always_inline bool do_syscall_x64(struct pt_regs *regs, int nr)
>> > > > > > > {
>> > > > > > > @@ -58,11 +60,13 @@ static __always_inline bool do_syscall_x64(struct pt_regs *regs, int nr)
>> > > > > > > */
>> > > > > > > unsigned int unr = nr;
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > + instrumentation_begin();
>> > > > > > > if (likely(unr < NR_syscalls)) {
>> > > > > > > unr = array_index_nospec(unr, NR_syscalls);
>> > > > > > > regs->ax = x64_sys_call(regs, unr);
>> > > > > > > return true;
>> > > > > > > }
>> > > > > > > + instrumentation_end();
>> > > > > > > return false;
>> > > > > > > }
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/syscall.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/syscall.h
>> > > > > > > index c10dbb74cd00..59a406074dc0 100644
>> > > > > > > --- a/arch/x86/include/asm/syscall.h
>> > > > > > > +++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/syscall.h
>> > > > > > > @@ -20,14 +20,6 @@
>> > > > > > > typedef long (*sys_call_ptr_t)(const struct pt_regs *);
>> > > > > > > extern const sys_call_ptr_t sys_call_table[];
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > -/*
>> > > > > > > - * These may not exist, but still put the prototypes in so we
>> > > > > > > - * can use IS_ENABLED().
>> > > > > > > - */
>> > > > > > > -extern long ia32_sys_call(const struct pt_regs *, unsigned int nr);
>> > > > > > > -extern long x32_sys_call(const struct pt_regs *, unsigned int nr);
>> > > > > > > -extern long x64_sys_call(const struct pt_regs *, unsigned int nr);
>> > > > > > > -
>> > > > > > > /*
>> > > > > > > * Only the low 32 bits of orig_ax are meaningful, so we return int.
>> > > > > > > * This importantly ignores the high bits on 64-bit, so comparisons
>> > > > > > > --
>> > > > > > > 2.43.0
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > > The main benefit of having the switch in a discrete function is that
>> > > > > > it allows the compiler to do tail-call optimizations, reducing text
>> > > > > > size. Isn't it possible to blacklist functions from kprobes?
>> > > > >
>> > > > > Ofcourse. But I'm not sure I understand your concern. Both
>> > > > > x{64,32}_sys_call() only have a single caller, inlining them avoids the
>> > > > > whole call, tail or otherwise, how is that a bad thing?
>> > > > >
>> > > >
>> > > > text data bss dec hex filename
>> > > > 13194 128 0 13322 340a
>> > > > arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.o
>> > > > 10239 136 0 10375 2887
>> > > > arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.o.orig
>> > > >
>> > > > That's a 3k increase in text size when it's inlined.
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > > Brian Gerst
>> > >
>> > > I just check size too and agree with Brian. Regarding
>> > > blacklisting, that was the original idea, it has the added problem
>> > > of kallsyms_lookup_name() being available to bypass the blacklist.
>> > >
>> > > Is this fine for next version then?
>> > >
>> > > diff --git a/arch/x86/entry/syscall_32.c b/arch/x86/entry/syscall_32.c
>> > > index 2b15ea17bb7c..75d34d2c8067 100644
>> > > --- a/arch/x86/entry/syscall_32.c
>> > > +++ b/arch/x86/entry/syscall_32.c
>> > > @@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
>> > > // SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
>> > > /* 32-bit system call dispatch */
>> > >
>> > > +#include <linux/kprobes.h>
>> > > #include <linux/linkage.h>
>> > > #include <linux/sys.h>
>> > > #include <linux/cache.h>
>> > > @@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ long ia32_sys_call(const struct pt_regs *regs,
>> > > unsigned int nr)
>> > > default: return __ia32_sys_ni_syscall(regs);
>> > > }
>> > > }
>> > > +NOKPROBE_SYMBOL(ia32_sys_call)
>> > >
>> > > static __always_inline int syscall_32_enter(struct pt_regs *regs)
>> > > {
>> > > diff --git a/arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c b/arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c
>> > > index b6e68ea98b83..1e8045a499d4 100644
>> > > --- a/arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c
>> > > +++ b/arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c
>> > > @@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
>> > > // SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
>> > > /* 64-bit system call dispatch */
>> > >
>> > > +#include <linux/kprobes.h>
>> > > #include <linux/linkage.h>
>> > > #include <linux/sys.h>
>> > > #include <linux/cache.h>
>> > > @@ -39,6 +40,7 @@ long x64_sys_call(const struct pt_regs *regs, unsigned int nr)
>> > > default: return __x64_sys_ni_syscall(regs);
>> > > }
>> > > }
>> > > +NOKPROBE_SYMBOL(x64_sys_call)
>> > >
>> > > #ifdef CONFIG_X86_X32_ABI
>> > > long x32_sys_call(const struct pt_regs *regs, unsigned int nr)
>> > > @@ -48,6 +50,7 @@ long x32_sys_call(const struct pt_regs *regs, unsigned int nr)
>> > > default: return __x64_sys_ni_syscall(regs);
>> > > }
>> > > }
>> > > +NOKPROBE_SYMBOL(x32_sys_call)
>> > > #endif
>> > >
>> > > static __always_inline bool do_syscall_x64(struct pt_regs *regs, int nr)
>> > > diff --git a/kernel/kallsyms.c b/kernel/kallsyms.c
>> > > index 1e7635864124..13a7c0fdb5da 100644
>> > > --- a/kernel/kallsyms.c
>> > > +++ b/kernel/kallsyms.c
>> > > @@ -234,6 +234,7 @@ unsigned long kallsyms_lookup_name(const char *name)
>> > >
>> > > return module_kallsyms_lookup_name(name);
>> > > }
>> > > +NOKPROBE_SYMBOL(kallsyms_lookup_name)
>> > >
>> > > /*
>> > > * Iterate over all symbols in vmlinux. For symbols from modules use
>> >
>> > Hardening isn't my area of expertise, but what prevents hooking
>> > individual syscalls in the same manner?
>> >
>> >
>> > Brian Gerst
>>
>> You can probably still alter syscall handlers if that's what you mean
>> but that would require more effort and it's more prone to failure.
>>
>> Hooking is generally done by changing the address of a branch since
>> it's more reliable and easier to clean up. The aim was to eliminate
>> that low-effort popular attack vector.
>
>Inlining doesn't really fix that. It just moves the target branch to
>another function.
>
3K for inlining in one of the hottest paths in the system doesn't seem unreasonable, though, if the performance is neutral or better.
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