linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH v3 26/26] coco/tdx-host: Set and document TDX Module update expectations

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Message-ID: <6977e73a7a121_30951002f@dwillia2-mobl4.notmuch>
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2026 14:14:18 -0800
From: <dan.j.williams@...el.com>
To: Chao Gao <chao.gao@...el.com>, <linux-coco@...ts.linux.dev>,
	<linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>, <kvm@...r.kernel.org>, <x86@...nel.org>
CC: <reinette.chatre@...el.com>, <ira.weiny@...el.com>, <kai.huang@...el.com>,
	<dan.j.williams@...el.com>, <yilun.xu@...ux.intel.com>, <sagis@...gle.com>,
	<vannapurve@...gle.com>, <paulmck@...nel.org>, <nik.borisov@...e.com>,
	<zhenzhong.duan@...el.com>, <seanjc@...gle.com>,
	<rick.p.edgecombe@...el.com>, <kas@...nel.org>,
	<dave.hansen@...ux.intel.com>, <vishal.l.verma@...el.com>, Chao Gao
	<chao.gao@...el.com>
Subject: Re: [PATCH v3 26/26] coco/tdx-host: Set and document TDX Module
 update expectations

Chao Gao wrote:
> In rare cases, TDX Module updates may cause TD management operations to
> fail if they occur during phases of the TD lifecycle that are sensitive
> to update compatibility.

No. The TDX Module wants to be able to claim that some updates are
compatible when they are not. If Linux takes on additional exclusions it
modestly increases the scope of changes that can be included in an
update. It is not possible to claim "rare" if module updates routinely
include that problematic scope.

> But not all combinations of P-SEAMLDR, kernel, and TDX Module have the
> capability to detect and prevent said incompatibilities. Completely
> disabling TDX Module updates on platforms without the capability would
> be overkill, as these incompatibility cases are rare and can be
> addressed by userspace through coordinated scheduling of updates and TD
> management operations.

"Completely disabling" is not the tradeoff. The tradeoff is whether or
not the TDX Module meets Linux compatible update requirements or not.

> To set clear expectations for TDX Module updates, expose the capability
> to detect and prevent these incompatibility cases via sysfs and
> document the compatibility criteria and indications when those criteria
> are violated.

Linux derives no benefit from a "compat_capable" kernel ABI. Yes, the
internals must export the error condition on collision. I am not
debating that nor revisiting the decision of pre-update-fail, vs
post-collision-notify. However, if the module violates the Linux
expectations that is the module's issue to document or preclude. The
fact that the compatibility contract is ambiguous to the kernel is a
feature. It puts the onus squarely on module updates to be documented
(or tools updated to understand) as meeting or violating Linux
compatibility expectations.

> Signed-off-by: Chao Gao <chao.gao@...el.com>
> ---
> v3:
>  - new, based on a reference patch from Dan Williams

One of the details that is missing is the protocol (module documentation
or tooling) to determine ahead of time if an update is compatible. That
obviates the need for "compat_capable" ABI which serves no long term
purpose. Specifically, the expectation is "run non-compatible updates at
your own operational risk".

So, remove "compat_capable" ABI. Amend the "error" ABI documentation
with the details for avoiding failures and the risk of running updates
on configurations that support update but not collision avoidance.

> ---
>  .../ABI/testing/sysfs-devices-faux-tdx-host   | 45 +++++++++++++++++++
>  drivers/virt/coco/tdx-host/tdx-host.c         | 13 ++++++
>  2 files changed, 58 insertions(+)
[..]
> 
> +What:		/sys/devices/faux/tdx_host/firmware/seamldr_upload/error
> +Contact:	linux-coco@...ts.linux.dev
> +Description:	(RO) See Documentation/ABI/testing/sysfs-class-firmware for
> +		baseline expectations for this file. Updates that fail
> +		compatibility checks end with the "device-busy" error in the
> +		<STATUS>:<ERROR> format of this attribute. When this is
> +		signalled current TDs and the current TDX Module stay running.

This wants something like
---
See version_select_and_load.py [1] documentation for how to detect
compatible updates and whether the current platform components catch
errors or let them leak and cause potential TD attestation failures.

[1]: https://github.com/intel/confidential-computing.tdx.tdx-module.binaries/blob/main/version_select_and_load.py
---

...although I do not immediately see any help text or Documentation for
that tool.