linux-kernel - RE: [char-misc] mei: trace: treat reg parameter as string

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Message-ID: <CY5PR11MB6366D9AF6D2BF29743346FF2ED87A@CY5PR11MB6366.namprd11.prod.outlook.com>
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2026 10:59:26 +0000
From: "Usyskin, Alexander" <alexander.usyskin@...el.com>
To: Greg Kroah-Hartman <gregkh@...uxfoundation.org>
CC: "Abliyev, Reuven" <reuven.abliyev@...el.com>,
	"linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org" <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>
Subject: RE: [char-misc] mei: trace: treat reg parameter as string

> Subject: Re: [char-misc] mei: trace: treat reg parameter as string
> 
> On Sun, Jan 04, 2026 at 10:20:44AM +0200, Alexander Usyskin wrote:
> > Process the reg string parameter in secure way.
> >
> 
> I'm sorry, but I don't understand this changelog text.  What exactly is
> this doing?  Why is a string "better" than a char *?
> 
> thanks,
> 
> greg k-h

Sorry, I'm bad in changelogs, trying to improve...

The string wrapper checks sanity of parameters and prevents internal kernel data leaks.
Newer kernels refuse to emit event with plain char*, without the wrapper.
See https://elixir.bootlin.com/linux/v6.19-rc3/source/kernel/trace/trace.c#L3785

- - 
Thanks,
Sasha