2010-01-12 11:09:38

by Dongdong Deng

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Did we really need to clear the IF flag at prepare_singlestep() of x86 kprobes?

Hi Kprobe experts,

I have a doubt about the handling "X86_EFLAGS_IF" at prepare_singlestep(),
Could you give me some suggestions?


arch/x86/kernel/kprobes.c:
406 static void __kprobes prepare_singlestep(struct kprobe *p, struct
pt_regs *regs)
407 {
408    clear_btf();
409    regs->flags |= X86_EFLAGS_TF;
410    regs->flags &= ~X86_EFLAGS_IF;
  ...
}


for 410 line: Kprobe is intend to disable interrupt during the single step.

I think it is enough that just setting X86_EFLAGS_TF as following reasons.


******************
Reason 1: "debug trap" was initalized as an interrupt gate

arch/x86/kernel/traps.c:892: set_intr_gate_ist(1, &debug, DEBUG_STACK);

The "debug trap" was initalized as an interrupt gate, thereby during the
hanld function of debug exceptions, the X86_EFLAGS_IF have been
cleared automatically.


******************
Reason 2: the priority among debug exceptions and interrupts

Intel® 64 and IA-32 Architectures Software Developer’s Manual Volume
3A, page 5-11:

If more than one exception or interrupt is pending at an instruction
boundary, the
processor services them in a predictable order. Table 5-2 shows the
priority among
classes of exception and interrupt sources.
          Table 5-2. Priority Among Simultaneous Exceptions and Interrupts
Priority       Description
1 (Highest)    Hardware Reset and Machine Checks
               - RESET
               - Machine Check
2              Trap on Task Switch
               - T flag in TSS is set
3              External Hardware Interventions
               - FLUSH
               - STOPCLK
               - SMI
               - INIT
4              Traps on the Previous Instruction
               - Breakpoints
               - Debug Trap Exceptions (TF flag set or data/I-O breakpoint)
5             Nonmaskable Interrupts (NMI)
6             Maskable Hardware Interrupts


>From the table we could see debug exceptions lies in priority 4 and
external interrupt lies
in priority 6.

Thereby the processor will handle Debug Trap Exceptions first, then
handle external interrupt.




******************

Combining those reasons: maybe we could remove "regs->flags &= ~X86_EFLAGS_IF;".

(It just a example about X86_EFLAGS_IF and kprobe here.)
diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/kprobes.c b/arch/x86/kernel/kprobes.c
index 5b8c750..dfd719a 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/kprobes.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/kprobes.c
@@ -407,7 +407,6 @@ static void __kprobes prepare_singlestep(struct
kprobe *p, struct pt_regs *regs)
{
       clear_btf();
       regs->flags |= X86_EFLAGS_TF;
-       regs->flags &= ~X86_EFLAGS_IF;
       /* single step inline if the instruction is an int3 */
       if (p->opcode == BREAKPOINT_INSTRUCTION)
               regs->ip = (unsigned long)p->addr;



What do you think about it?

I know I must be make a mistake here, could you correct me?


Thanks,
Dongdong.


2010-01-12 16:06:11

by Arjan van de Ven

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: Did we really need to clear the IF flag at prepare_singlestep() of x86 kprobes?

On Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:09:35 +0800
Dongdong Deng <[email protected]> wrote:

> Hi Kprobe experts,
>
> I have a doubt about the handling "X86_EFLAGS_IF" at
> prepare_singlestep(), Could you give me some suggestions?


iirc it was a security thing; we used to have some exploits
due to the linux-abi entry points which caused a mess, and this
was put there as defensive programming.

I could totally misremember this as well of course.


--
Arjan van de Ven Intel Open Source Technology Centre
For development, discussion and tips for power savings,
visit http://www.lesswatts.org

2010-01-13 05:25:24

by Dongdong Deng

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: Did we really need to clear the IF flag at prepare_singlestep() of x86 kprobes?

On Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 12:06 AM, Arjan van de Ven <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:09:35 +0800
> Dongdong Deng <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Hi Kprobe experts,
>>
>> I have a doubt about the handling "X86_EFLAGS_IF" at
>> prepare_singlestep(), Could you give me some suggestions?
>
>
> iirc it was a security thing; we used to have some exploits
> due to the linux-abi entry points which caused a mess, and this
> was put there as defensive programming.

Hi Arjan,

Thanks for your explain. :)

Do you means that the user will modify the IF? for example: through
"p->pre_handler(p, regs)" .

But I couldn't image the affect that if user modify the IF flag, could
you give me a detail info about security thing?


BTW:

Before linux 2.5, the debug tarp was initalized as trap gate:

linux-2.4.37/arch/i386/kernel/traps.c:966: set_trap_gate(1,&debug);

I know kprobes have a long history, Is it possible that the interrupt
flag of kprobes was introduced at that time?


Thanks,
Dongdong




>
> I could totally misremember this as well of course.
>
>
> --
> Arjan van de Ven        Intel Open Source Technology Centre
> For development, discussion and tips for power savings,
> visit http://www.lesswatts.org
>

2010-01-13 06:18:52

by Masami Hiramatsu

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: Did we really need to clear the IF flag at prepare_singlestep() of x86 kprobes?

Dongdong Deng wrote:
> Hi Kprobe experts,
>
> I have a doubt about the handling "X86_EFLAGS_IF" at prepare_singlestep(),
> Could you give me some suggestions?
>
>
> arch/x86/kernel/kprobes.c:
> 406 static void __kprobes prepare_singlestep(struct kprobe *p, struct
> pt_regs *regs)
> 407 {
> 408 clear_btf();
> 409 regs->flags |= X86_EFLAGS_TF;
> 410 regs->flags &= ~X86_EFLAGS_IF;
> ...
> }
>
>
> for 410 line: Kprobe is intend to disable interrupt during the single step.
>
> I think it is enough that just setting X86_EFLAGS_TF as following reasons.
>
>
> ******************
> Reason 1: "debug trap" was initalized as an interrupt gate
>
> arch/x86/kernel/traps.c:892: set_intr_gate_ist(1, &debug, DEBUG_STACK);
>
> The "debug trap" was initalized as an interrupt gate, thereby during the
> hanld function of debug exceptions, the X86_EFLAGS_IF have been
> cleared automatically.
>
>
> ******************
> Reason 2: the priority among debug exceptions and interrupts
>
> Intel® 64 and IA-32 Architectures Software Developer’s Manual Volume
> 3A, page 5-11:
>
> If more than one exception or interrupt is pending at an instruction
> boundary, the
> processor services them in a predictable order. Table 5-2 shows the
> priority among
> classes of exception and interrupt sources.
> Table 5-2. Priority Among Simultaneous Exceptions and Interrupts
> Priority Description
> 1 (Highest) Hardware Reset and Machine Checks
> - RESET
> - Machine Check
> 2 Trap on Task Switch
> - T flag in TSS is set
> 3 External Hardware Interventions
> - FLUSH
> - STOPCLK
> - SMI
> - INIT
> 4 Traps on the Previous Instruction
> - Breakpoints
> - Debug Trap Exceptions (TF flag set or data/I-O breakpoint)
> 5 Nonmaskable Interrupts (NMI)
> 6 Maskable Hardware Interrupts
>
>
> From the table we could see debug exceptions lies in priority 4 and
> external interrupt lies
> in priority 6.
>
> Thereby the processor will handle Debug Trap Exceptions first, then
> handle external interrupt.

Hi Dongdong,

Hmm, can that be applied on other x86 compat cpus too?
And, when is the debug trap exception actually happened?

1: int3 ->
2: -> pre_kprobe_handler
3: -> prepare_singlestep
4: <- iret
5: execute instruction
6: debug trap ->
7: -> post_kprobe_handler
...

If we have an interrupt before step4, does that interrupt
really executed *after* step5? or step4?

If the processor really tries to execute interrupt
right after step5, your logic seems correct, but if it
is done right after step4, clearing IF seems correct.

Thank you,

--
Masami Hiramatsu

Software Engineer
Hitachi Computer Products (America), Inc.
Software Solutions Division

e-mail: [email protected]

2010-01-14 06:45:48

by Dongdong Deng

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: Did we really need to clear the IF flag at prepare_singlestep() of x86 kprobes?

On Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 2:18 PM, Masami Hiramatsu <[email protected]> wrote:
> Dongdong Deng wrote:
>> Hi Kprobe experts,
>>
>> I have a doubt about the handling "X86_EFLAGS_IF" at prepare_singlestep(),
>> Could you give me some suggestions?
>>
>>
>> arch/x86/kernel/kprobes.c:
>> 406 static void __kprobes prepare_singlestep(struct kprobe *p, struct
>> pt_regs *regs)
>> 407 {
>> 408    clear_btf();
>> 409    regs->flags |= X86_EFLAGS_TF;
>> 410    regs->flags &= ~X86_EFLAGS_IF;
>>   ...
>> }
>>
>>
>> for 410 line: Kprobe is intend to disable interrupt during the single step.
>>
>> I think it is enough that just setting X86_EFLAGS_TF as following reasons.
>>
>>
>> ******************
>> Reason 1: "debug trap" was initalized as an interrupt gate
>>
>> arch/x86/kernel/traps.c:892: set_intr_gate_ist(1, &debug, DEBUG_STACK);
>>
>> The "debug trap" was initalized as an interrupt gate, thereby during the
>> hanld function of debug exceptions, the X86_EFLAGS_IF have been
>> cleared automatically.
>>
>>
>> ******************
>> Reason 2: the priority among debug exceptions and interrupts
>>
>> Intel® 64 and IA-32 Architectures Software Developer’s Manual Volume
>> 3A, page 5-11:
>>
>> If more than one exception or interrupt is pending at an instruction
>> boundary, the
>> processor services them in a predictable order. Table 5-2 shows the
>> priority among
>> classes of exception and interrupt sources.
>>           Table 5-2. Priority Among Simultaneous Exceptions and Interrupts
>> Priority       Description
>> 1 (Highest)    Hardware Reset and Machine Checks
>>                - RESET
>>                - Machine Check
>> 2              Trap on Task Switch
>>                - T flag in TSS is set
>> 3              External Hardware Interventions
>>                - FLUSH
>>                - STOPCLK
>>                - SMI
>>                - INIT
>> 4              Traps on the Previous Instruction
>>                - Breakpoints
>>                - Debug Trap Exceptions (TF flag set or data/I-O breakpoint)
>> 5             Nonmaskable Interrupts (NMI)
>> 6             Maskable Hardware Interrupts
>>
>>
>> From the table we could see debug exceptions lies in priority 4 and
>> external interrupt lies
>> in priority 6.
>>
>> Thereby the processor will handle Debug Trap Exceptions first, then
>> handle external interrupt.
>
> Hi Dongdong,
>
> Hmm, can that be applied on other x86 compat cpus too?
> And, when is the debug trap exception actually happened?

> 1: int3 ->
> 2:  -> pre_kprobe_handler
> 3:  -> prepare_singlestep
> 4: <- iret
> 5: execute instruction
> 6: debug trap ->
> 7: -> post_kprobe_handler
> ...
>
> If we have an interrupt before step4, does that interrupt
> really executed *after* step5? or step4?


Hi Masami,

Thanks for your detail explain, it is the key of my question. :)

I write a test case to proving it.

The test case required run on uniprocessor systems,

My machine is intel Xeon-Dual, so I disable the SMP support when
building kernel.


The test case works.

1: delay a long time during INT3 handler of kprobes.

2: add a printk at the net driver interrupt handler.(I am using
e10000e net-card)

3: startup system

4: using other PC to ping current machine all the while, thereby it
could generate net-card interrupt during INT3.

5: insmod the samples/kprobes/kprobe_example.ko .

6: using the following script to trigger kprobe.

#!/bin/bash
a=0 ; while [ $a != 8000 ]; do(ls ./); a=$(( $a + 1 )); done


Test output result:

# cat /proc/cpuinfo
processor : 0
vendor_id : GenuineIntel
cpu family : 6
model : 15
model name : Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU 5138 @ 2.13GHz
stepping : 11
cpu MHz : 2133.324
cache size : 4096 KB
fpu : yes
fpu_exception : yes
cpuid level : 10
wp : yes
flags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge
mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe
syscall nx lm constant_tsc arch_perfmon pebs bts rep_good nopl pni
monitor ds_cpl vmx est tm2 ssse3 cx16 xtpr dca lahf_lm
bogomips : 4266.64
clflush size : 64
cache_alignment : 64
address sizes : 38 bits physical, 48 bits virtual
power management:

# insmod kprobe_example.ko
Planted kprobe at ffffffff8022df60

# /bin/bash 1.sh
pre_handler: p->addr = 0xffffffff8022df60, ip = ffffffff8022df61, flags = 0x246
prepare_singlestep didn't clear X86_EFLAGS_IF
Got a e1000 intrrupt during kprobe single step!!!!
post_handler: p->addr = 0xffffffff8022df60, ip = ffffffff8022df62, flags = 0x246
pre_handler: p->addr = 0xffffffff8022df60, ip = ffffffff8022df61, flags = 0x246
prepare_singlestep didn't clear X86_EFLAGS_IF
Got a e1000 intrrupt during kprobe single step!!!!
post_handler: p->addr = 0xffffffff8022df60, ip = ffffffff8022df62, flags = 0x246
1.sh kprobe_example.ko
pre_handler: p->addr = 0xffffffff8022df60, ip = ffffffff8022df61, flags = 0x246
prepare_singlestep didn't clear X86_EFLAGS_IF
Got a e1000 intrrupt during kprobe single step!!!!
post_handler: p->addr = 0xffffffff8022df60, ip = ffffffff8022df62, flags = 0x246
1.sh kprobe_example.ko
pre_handler: p->addr = 0xffffffff8022df60, ip = ffffffff8022df61, flags = 0x246
prepare_singlestep didn't clear X86_EFLAGS_IF
Got a e1000 intrrupt during kprobe single step!!!!
post_handler: p->addr = 0xffffffff8022df60, ip = ffffffff8022df62, flags = 0x246
1.sh kprobe_example.ko
pre_handler: p->addr = 0xffffffff8022df60, ip = ffffffff8022df61, flags = 0x246
prepare_singlestep didn't clear X86_EFLAGS_IF
Got a e1000 intrrupt during kprobe single step!!!!
post_handler: p->addr = 0xffffffff8022df60, ip = ffffffff8022df62, flags = 0x246
1.sh kprobe_example.ko


>From the result of test cause, the processor really tries to execute
interrupt right after step4.


>
> If the processor really tries to execute interrupt
> right after step5, your logic seems correct, but if it
> is done right after step4, clearing IF seems correct.

But I couldn't make sure that this test case is suitable or not.
If the test case is OK, my logic seems wrong.


Thank you very much,
Dongdong


>
> Thank you,
>
> --
> Masami Hiramatsu
>
> Software Engineer
> Hitachi Computer Products (America), Inc.
> Software Solutions Division
>
> e-mail: [email protected]
>
>


Attachments:
test_case_kprobe_IF_EFLAGS.patch (3.31 kB)

2010-01-14 20:07:07

by Masami Hiramatsu

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: Did we really need to clear the IF flag at prepare_singlestep() of x86 kprobes?

Dongdong Deng wrote:
> On Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 2:18 PM, Masami Hiramatsu <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Hi Dongdong,
>>
>> Hmm, can that be applied on other x86 compat cpus too?
>> And, when is the debug trap exception actually happened?
>
>> 1: int3 ->
>> 2: -> pre_kprobe_handler
>> 3: -> prepare_singlestep
>> 4: <- iret
>> 5: execute instruction
>> 6: debug trap ->
>> 7: -> post_kprobe_handler
>> ...
>>
>> If we have an interrupt before step4, does that interrupt
>> really executed *after* step5? or step4?
>
>
> Hi Masami,
>
> Thanks for your detail explain, it is the key of my question. :)
>
> I write a test case to proving it.
>
> The test case required run on uniprocessor systems,
>
> My machine is intel Xeon-Dual, so I disable the SMP support when
> building kernel.
>
>
> The test case works.
>
> 1: delay a long time during INT3 handler of kprobes.
>
> 2: add a printk at the net driver interrupt handler.(I am using
> e10000e net-card)
>
> 3: startup system
>
> 4: using other PC to ping current machine all the while, thereby it
> could generate net-card interrupt during INT3.
>
> 5: insmod the samples/kprobes/kprobe_example.ko .
>
> 6: using the following script to trigger kprobe.
>
> #!/bin/bash
> a=0 ; while [ $a != 8000 ]; do(ls ./); a=$(( $a + 1 )); done
>
>
> Test output result:
>
> # cat /proc/cpuinfo
> processor : 0
> vendor_id : GenuineIntel
> cpu family : 6
> model : 15
> model name : Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU 5138 @ 2.13GHz
> stepping : 11
> cpu MHz : 2133.324
> cache size : 4096 KB
> fpu : yes
> fpu_exception : yes
> cpuid level : 10
> wp : yes
> flags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge
> mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe
> syscall nx lm constant_tsc arch_perfmon pebs bts rep_good nopl pni
> monitor ds_cpl vmx est tm2 ssse3 cx16 xtpr dca lahf_lm
> bogomips : 4266.64
> clflush size : 64
> cache_alignment : 64
> address sizes : 38 bits physical, 48 bits virtual
> power management:
>
> # insmod kprobe_example.ko
> Planted kprobe at ffffffff8022df60
>
> # /bin/bash 1.sh
> pre_handler: p->addr = 0xffffffff8022df60, ip = ffffffff8022df61, flags = 0x246
> prepare_singlestep didn't clear X86_EFLAGS_IF
> Got a e1000 intrrupt during kprobe single step!!!!
> post_handler: p->addr = 0xffffffff8022df60, ip = ffffffff8022df62, flags = 0x246
> pre_handler: p->addr = 0xffffffff8022df60, ip = ffffffff8022df61, flags = 0x246
> prepare_singlestep didn't clear X86_EFLAGS_IF
> Got a e1000 intrrupt during kprobe single step!!!!
> post_handler: p->addr = 0xffffffff8022df60, ip = ffffffff8022df62, flags = 0x246
> 1.sh kprobe_example.ko
> pre_handler: p->addr = 0xffffffff8022df60, ip = ffffffff8022df61, flags = 0x246
> prepare_singlestep didn't clear X86_EFLAGS_IF
> Got a e1000 intrrupt during kprobe single step!!!!
> post_handler: p->addr = 0xffffffff8022df60, ip = ffffffff8022df62, flags = 0x246
> 1.sh kprobe_example.ko
> pre_handler: p->addr = 0xffffffff8022df60, ip = ffffffff8022df61, flags = 0x246
> prepare_singlestep didn't clear X86_EFLAGS_IF
> Got a e1000 intrrupt during kprobe single step!!!!
> post_handler: p->addr = 0xffffffff8022df60, ip = ffffffff8022df62, flags = 0x246
> 1.sh kprobe_example.ko
> pre_handler: p->addr = 0xffffffff8022df60, ip = ffffffff8022df61, flags = 0x246
> prepare_singlestep didn't clear X86_EFLAGS_IF
> Got a e1000 intrrupt during kprobe single step!!!!
> post_handler: p->addr = 0xffffffff8022df60, ip = ffffffff8022df62, flags = 0x246
> 1.sh kprobe_example.ko
>
>
> From the result of test cause, the processor really tries to execute
> interrupt right after step4.

Thank you for testing it!

>>
>> If the processor really tries to execute interrupt
>> right after step5, your logic seems correct, but if it
>> is done right after step4, clearing IF seems correct.
>
> But I couldn't make sure that this test case is suitable or not.
> If the test case is OK, my logic seems wrong.

Hmm, your test case seems correct on up, so we can't remove
IF clearing line. But anyway, thank you again for ensuring it!


Thanks,
--
Masami Hiramatsu

Software Engineer
Hitachi Computer Products (America), Inc.
Software Solutions Division

e-mail: [email protected]