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Date:   Tue, 25 Oct 2022 10:46:22 +0700
From:   Bagas Sanjaya <bagasdotme@gmail.com>
To:     "Guilherme G. Piccoli" <gpiccoli@igalia.com>
Cc:     x86@kernel.org, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, tglx@linutronix.de,
        mingo@redhat.com, bp@alien8.de, dave.hansen@linux.intel.com,
        hpa@zytor.com, luto@kernel.org, corbet@lwn.net,
        linux-doc@vger.kernel.org, kernel-dev@igalia.com,
        kernel@gpiccoli.net, Fenghua Yu <fenghua.yu@intel.com>,
        Joshua Ashton <joshua@froggi.es>,
        Melissa Wen <mwen@igalia.com>,
        Paul Gofman <pgofman@codeweavers.com>,
        Pavel Machek <pavel@denx.de>,
        Pierre-Loup Griffais <pgriffais@valvesoftware.com>,
        Tony Luck <tony.luck@intel.com>,
        Zebediah Figura <zfigura@codeweavers.com>,
        Andre Almeida <andrealmeid@igalia.com>
Subject: Re: [PATCH V3] x86/split_lock: Add sysctl to control the misery mode
Message-ID: <Y1dcDmmIu8gSX4Rb@debian.me>
References: <20221024200254.635256-1-gpiccoli@igalia.com>
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On Mon, Oct 24, 2022 at 05:02:54PM -0300, Guilherme G. Piccoli wrote:
> +split_lock_mitigate (x86 only)
> +=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
> +
> +On x86, each "split lock" imposes a system-wide performance penalty. On =
larger
> +systems, large numbers of split locks from unprivileged users can result=
 in
> +denials of service to well-behaved and potentially more important users.
> +

DoS which harms legitimate users?

> +The kernel mitigates these bad users by detecting split locks and imposi=
ng
> +penalties: forcing them to wait and only allowing one core to execute sp=
lit
> +locks at a time.
> +
> +These mitigations can make those bad applications unbearably slow. Setti=
ng
> +split_lock_mitigate=3D0 may restore some application performance, but wi=
ll also
> +increase system exposure to denial of service attacks from split lock us=
ers.
> +
> +=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
> +0 Disable the mitigation mode - just warns the split lock on kernel log
> +  and exposes the system to denials of service from the split lockers.
> +1 Enable the mitigation mode (this is the default) - penalizes the split
> +  lockers with intentional performance degradation.
> +=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
> +
> +

The prose can be improved:

---- >8 ----

diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/kernel.rst b/Documentation/ad=
min-guide/sysctl/kernel.rst
index c2c64c1b706ff6..cdc5b75adb4633 100644
--- a/Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/kernel.rst
+++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/kernel.rst
@@ -1319,22 +1319,21 @@ split_lock_mitigate (x86 only)
=20
 On x86, each "split lock" imposes a system-wide performance penalty. On la=
rger
 systems, large numbers of split locks from unprivileged users can result in
-denials of service to well-behaved and potentially more important users.
+denials of service attack.
=20
-The kernel mitigates these bad users by detecting split locks and imposing
+The kernel mitigates that condition by detecting split locks and imposing
 penalties: forcing them to wait and only allowing one core to execute split
 locks at a time.
=20
-These mitigations can make those bad applications unbearably slow. Setting
-split_lock_mitigate=3D0 may restore some application performance, but will=
 also
-increase system exposure to denial of service attacks from split lock user=
s.
+These mitigations can make applications which rely on split locks unbearab=
ly
+slow. Setting split_lock_mitigate=3D0 may restore performance, but will al=
so
+increase likelihood of DoS caused by split locks.
=20
-=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
-0 Disable the mitigation mode - just warns the split lock on kernel log
-  and exposes the system to denials of service from the split lockers.
-1 Enable the mitigation mode (this is the default) - penalizes the split
-  lockers with intentional performance degradation.
-=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
+=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
+0 Disable the mitigation - just warns the split lock on kernel log.
+1 Enable the mitigation (default) - penalizes the split lockers with
+  intentional performance degradation.
+=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
=20
=20
 stack_erasing

Thanks.

--=20
An old man doll... just what I always wanted! - Clara

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