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Date:   Fri, 1 Apr 2022 10:42:48 -0700
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Subject: Re: [PATCH v6 1/2] x86/delay: Fix the wrong asm constraint in
 `delay_loop()`
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To:     Ammar Faizi <ammarfaizi2@gnuweeb.org>,
        Borislav Petkov <bp@alien8.de>,
        Thomas Gleixner <tglx@linutronix.de>
Cc:     Alviro Iskandar Setiawan <alviro.iskandar@gnuweeb.org>,
        Dave Hansen <dave.hansen@linux.intel.com>,
        "H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@zytor.com>, Ingo Molnar <mingo@redhat.com>,
        Tony Luck <tony.luck@intel.com>,
        Yazen Ghannam <yazen.ghannam@amd.com>,
        Linux Edac Mailing List <linux-edac@vger.kernel.org>,
        Linux Kernel Mailing List <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>,
        Stable Kernel <stable@vger.kernel.org>,
        GNU/Weeb Mailing List <gwml@vger.gnuweeb.org>,
        x86 Mailing List <x86@kernel.org>,
        David Laight <David.Laight@ACULAB.COM>,
        Jiri Hladky <hladky.jiri@googlemail.com>
References: <20220329104705.65256-1-ammarfaizi2@gnuweeb.org>
 <20220329104705.65256-2-ammarfaizi2@gnuweeb.org>
From:   Dave Hansen <dave.hansen@intel.com>
In-Reply-To: <20220329104705.65256-2-ammarfaizi2@gnuweeb.org>
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On 3/29/22 03:47, Ammar Faizi wrote:
> The asm constraint does not reflect that the asm statement can modify
> the value of @loops. But the asm statement in delay_loop() does modify
> the @loops.
> 
> Specifiying the wrong constraint may lead to undefined behavior, it may
> clobber random stuff (e.g. local variable, important temporary value in
> regs, etc.). This is especially dangerous when the compiler decides to
> inline the function and since it doesn't know that the value gets
> modified, it might decide to use it from a register directly without
> reloading it.
> 
> Fix this by changing the constraint from "a" (as an input) to "+a" (as
> an input and output).

Was this found by inspection or was it causing real-world problems?