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: Windows password security audit tool. GUI, reports in PDF.
[<prev] [next>] [<thread-prev] [thread-next>] [day] [month] [year] [list]
Message-ID: <vj3zkp5nbazyp7lyguwdcyawzq23s3ztf6jhnaukslvolqkpeb@t7dppnyn2wg4>
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:50:19 -0500
From: "Liam R. Howlett" <Liam.Howlett@...cle.com>
To: Lorenzo Stoakes <lorenzo.stoakes@...cle.com>
Cc: Andrew Morton <akpm@...ux-foundation.org>,
        David Hildenbrand <david@...nel.org>, Vlastimil Babka <vbabka@...e.cz>,
        Mike Rapoport <rppt@...nel.org>,
        Suren Baghdasaryan <surenb@...gle.com>, Michal Hocko <mhocko@...e.com>,
        Shakeel Butt <shakeel.butt@...ux.dev>, Jann Horn <jannh@...gle.com>,
        linux-mm@...ck.org, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
        linux-rt-devel@...ts.linux.dev, Peter Zijlstra <peterz@...radead.org>,
        Ingo Molnar <mingo@...hat.com>, Will Deacon <will@...nel.org>,
        Boqun Feng <boqun.feng@...il.com>, Waiman Long <longman@...hat.com>,
        Sebastian Andrzej Siewior <bigeasy@...utronix.de>,
        Clark Williams <clrkwllms@...nel.org>,
        Steven Rostedt <rostedt@...dmis.org>
Subject: Re: [PATCH v4 01/10] mm/vma: rename VMA_LOCK_OFFSET to
 VM_REFCNT_EXCLUDE_READERS_FLAG

* Lorenzo Stoakes <lorenzo.stoakes@...cle.com> [260123 15:12]:
> The VMA_LOCK_OFFSET value encodes a flag which vma->vm_refcnt is set to in
> order to indicate that a VMA is in the process of having VMA read-locks
> excluded in __vma_enter_locked() (that is, first checking if there are any
> VMA read locks held, and if there are, waiting on them to be released).
> 
> This happens when a VMA write lock is being established, or a VMA is being
> marked detached and discovers that the VMA reference count is elevated due
> to read-locks temporarily elevating the reference count only to discover a
> VMA write lock is in place.
> 
> The naming does not convey any of this, so rename VMA_LOCK_OFFSET to
> VM_REFCNT_EXCLUDE_READERS_FLAG (with a sensible new prefix to differentiate
> from the newly introduced VMA_*_BIT flags).
> 
> Also rename VMA_REF_LIMIT to VM_REFCNT_LIMIT to make this consistent also.
> 
> Update comments to reflect this.
> 
> No functional change intended.
> 
> Reviewed-by: Suren Baghdasaryan <surenb@...gle.com>
> Signed-off-by: Lorenzo Stoakes <lorenzo.stoakes@...cle.com>

Reviewed-by: Liam R. Howlett <Liam.Howlett@...cle.com>

> ---
>  include/linux/mm_types.h  | 17 +++++++++++++----
>  include/linux/mmap_lock.h | 14 ++++++++------
>  mm/mmap_lock.c            | 17 ++++++++++-------
>  3 files changed, 31 insertions(+), 17 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/include/linux/mm_types.h b/include/linux/mm_types.h
> index 78950eb8926d..bdbf17c4f26b 100644
> --- a/include/linux/mm_types.h
> +++ b/include/linux/mm_types.h
> @@ -752,8 +752,17 @@ static inline struct anon_vma_name *anon_vma_name_alloc(const char *name)
>  }
>  #endif
>  
> -#define VMA_LOCK_OFFSET	0x40000000
> -#define VMA_REF_LIMIT	(VMA_LOCK_OFFSET - 1)
> +/*
> + * While __vma_enter_locked() is working to ensure are no read-locks held on a
> + * VMA (either while acquiring a VMA write lock or marking a VMA detached) we
> + * set the VM_REFCNT_EXCLUDE_READERS_FLAG in vma->vm_refcnt to indiciate to
> + * vma_start_read() that the reference count should be left alone.
> + *
> + * Once the operation is complete, this value is subtracted from vma->vm_refcnt.
> + */
> +#define VM_REFCNT_EXCLUDE_READERS_BIT	(30)
> +#define VM_REFCNT_EXCLUDE_READERS_FLAG	(1U << VM_REFCNT_EXCLUDE_READERS_BIT)
> +#define VM_REFCNT_LIMIT			(VM_REFCNT_EXCLUDE_READERS_FLAG - 1)
>  
>  struct vma_numab_state {
>  	/*
> @@ -935,10 +944,10 @@ struct vm_area_struct {
>  	/*
>  	 * Can only be written (using WRITE_ONCE()) while holding both:
>  	 *  - mmap_lock (in write mode)
> -	 *  - vm_refcnt bit at VMA_LOCK_OFFSET is set
> +	 *  - vm_refcnt bit at VM_REFCNT_EXCLUDE_READERS_FLAG is set
>  	 * Can be read reliably while holding one of:
>  	 *  - mmap_lock (in read or write mode)
> -	 *  - vm_refcnt bit at VMA_LOCK_OFFSET is set or vm_refcnt > 1
> +	 *  - vm_refcnt bit at VM_REFCNT_EXCLUDE_READERS_BIT is set or vm_refcnt > 1
>  	 * Can be read unreliably (using READ_ONCE()) for pessimistic bailout
>  	 * while holding nothing (except RCU to keep the VMA struct allocated).
>  	 *
> diff --git a/include/linux/mmap_lock.h b/include/linux/mmap_lock.h
> index b50416fbba20..5acbd4ba1b52 100644
> --- a/include/linux/mmap_lock.h
> +++ b/include/linux/mmap_lock.h
> @@ -125,12 +125,14 @@ static inline void vma_lock_init(struct vm_area_struct *vma, bool reset_refcnt)
>  static inline bool is_vma_writer_only(int refcnt)
>  {
>  	/*
> -	 * With a writer and no readers, refcnt is VMA_LOCK_OFFSET if the vma
> -	 * is detached and (VMA_LOCK_OFFSET + 1) if it is attached. Waiting on
> -	 * a detached vma happens only in vma_mark_detached() and is a rare
> -	 * case, therefore most of the time there will be no unnecessary wakeup.
> +	 * With a writer and no readers, refcnt is VM_REFCNT_EXCLUDE_READERS_FLAG
> +	 * if the vma is detached and (VM_REFCNT_EXCLUDE_READERS_FLAG + 1) if it is
> +	 * attached. Waiting on a detached vma happens only in
> +	 * vma_mark_detached() and is a rare case, therefore most of the time
> +	 * there will be no unnecessary wakeup.
>  	 */
> -	return (refcnt & VMA_LOCK_OFFSET) && refcnt <= VMA_LOCK_OFFSET + 1;
> +	return (refcnt & VM_REFCNT_EXCLUDE_READERS_FLAG) &&
> +		refcnt <= VM_REFCNT_EXCLUDE_READERS_FLAG + 1;
>  }
>  
>  static inline void vma_refcount_put(struct vm_area_struct *vma)
> @@ -159,7 +161,7 @@ static inline bool vma_start_read_locked_nested(struct vm_area_struct *vma, int
>  
>  	mmap_assert_locked(vma->vm_mm);
>  	if (unlikely(!__refcount_inc_not_zero_limited_acquire(&vma->vm_refcnt, &oldcnt,
> -							      VMA_REF_LIMIT)))
> +							      VM_REFCNT_LIMIT)))
>  		return false;
>  
>  	rwsem_acquire_read(&vma->vmlock_dep_map, 0, 1, _RET_IP_);
> diff --git a/mm/mmap_lock.c b/mm/mmap_lock.c
> index 7421b7ea8001..1d23b48552e9 100644
> --- a/mm/mmap_lock.c
> +++ b/mm/mmap_lock.c
> @@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ static inline int __vma_enter_locked(struct vm_area_struct *vma,
>  		bool detaching, int state)
>  {
>  	int err;
> -	unsigned int tgt_refcnt = VMA_LOCK_OFFSET;
> +	unsigned int tgt_refcnt = VM_REFCNT_EXCLUDE_READERS_FLAG;
>  
>  	mmap_assert_write_locked(vma->vm_mm);
>  
> @@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ static inline int __vma_enter_locked(struct vm_area_struct *vma,
>  	 * If vma is detached then only vma_mark_attached() can raise the
>  	 * vm_refcnt. mmap_write_lock prevents racing with vma_mark_attached().
>  	 */
> -	if (!refcount_add_not_zero(VMA_LOCK_OFFSET, &vma->vm_refcnt))
> +	if (!refcount_add_not_zero(VM_REFCNT_EXCLUDE_READERS_FLAG, &vma->vm_refcnt))
>  		return 0;
>  
>  	rwsem_acquire(&vma->vmlock_dep_map, 0, 0, _RET_IP_);
> @@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ static inline int __vma_enter_locked(struct vm_area_struct *vma,
>  		   refcount_read(&vma->vm_refcnt) == tgt_refcnt,
>  		   state);
>  	if (err) {
> -		if (refcount_sub_and_test(VMA_LOCK_OFFSET, &vma->vm_refcnt)) {
> +		if (refcount_sub_and_test(VM_REFCNT_EXCLUDE_READERS_FLAG, &vma->vm_refcnt)) {
>  			/*
>  			 * The wait failed, but the last reader went away
>  			 * as well.  Tell the caller the VMA is detached.
> @@ -92,7 +92,8 @@ static inline int __vma_enter_locked(struct vm_area_struct *vma,
>  
>  static inline void __vma_exit_locked(struct vm_area_struct *vma, bool *detached)
>  {
> -	*detached = refcount_sub_and_test(VMA_LOCK_OFFSET, &vma->vm_refcnt);
> +	*detached = refcount_sub_and_test(VM_REFCNT_EXCLUDE_READERS_FLAG,
> +					  &vma->vm_refcnt);
>  	rwsem_release(&vma->vmlock_dep_map, _RET_IP_);
>  }
>  
> @@ -180,13 +181,15 @@ static inline struct vm_area_struct *vma_start_read(struct mm_struct *mm,
>  	}
>  
>  	/*
> -	 * If VMA_LOCK_OFFSET is set, __refcount_inc_not_zero_limited_acquire()
> -	 * will fail because VMA_REF_LIMIT is less than VMA_LOCK_OFFSET.
> +	 * If VM_REFCNT_EXCLUDE_READERS_FLAG is set,
> +	 * __refcount_inc_not_zero_limited_acquire() will fail because
> +	 * VM_REFCNT_LIMIT is less than VM_REFCNT_EXCLUDE_READERS_FLAG.
> +	 *
>  	 * Acquire fence is required here to avoid reordering against later
>  	 * vm_lock_seq check and checks inside lock_vma_under_rcu().
>  	 */
>  	if (unlikely(!__refcount_inc_not_zero_limited_acquire(&vma->vm_refcnt, &oldcnt,
> -							      VMA_REF_LIMIT))) {
> +							      VM_REFCNT_LIMIT))) {
>  		/* return EAGAIN if vma got detached from under us */
>  		vma = oldcnt ? NULL : ERR_PTR(-EAGAIN);
>  		goto err;
> -- 
> 2.52.0
> 

Powered by blists - more mailing lists

Powered by Openwall GNU/*/Linux Powered by OpenVZ