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Date:   Mon, 23 Oct 2023 15:30:59 -0700
From:   Pawan Gupta <pawan.kumar.gupta@linux.intel.com>
To:     Josh Poimboeuf <jpoimboe@kernel.org>
Cc:     Thomas Gleixner <tglx@linutronix.de>,
        Ingo Molnar <mingo@redhat.com>, Borislav Petkov <bp@alien8.de>,
        Dave Hansen <dave.hansen@linux.intel.com>, x86@kernel.org,
        "H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@zytor.com>,
        Peter Zijlstra <peterz@infradead.org>,
        Andy Lutomirski <luto@kernel.org>,
        Jonathan Corbet <corbet@lwn.net>,
        Sean Christopherson <seanjc@google.com>,
        Paolo Bonzini <pbonzini@redhat.com>, tony.luck@intel.com,
        ak@linux.intel.com, tim.c.chen@linux.intel.com,
        linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, linux-doc@vger.kernel.org,
        kvm@vger.kernel.org,
        Alyssa Milburn <alyssa.milburn@linux.intel.com>,
        Daniel Sneddon <daniel.sneddon@linux.intel.com>,
        antonio.gomez.iglesias@linux.intel.com,
        Dave Hansen <dave.hansen@intel.com>
Subject: Re: [PATCH  2/6] x86/entry_64: Add VERW just before userspace
 transition
Message-ID: <20231023223059.4p7l474o5w3sdjuc@desk>
References: <20231020-delay-verw-v1-0-cff54096326d@linux.intel.com>
 <20231020-delay-verw-v1-2-cff54096326d@linux.intel.com>
 <20231023183521.zdlrfxvsdxftpxly@treble>
 <20231023210410.6oj7ekelf5puoud6@desk>
 <20231023214752.2d75h2m64yw6qzcw@treble>
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On Mon, Oct 23, 2023 at 02:47:52PM -0700, Josh Poimboeuf wrote:
> > > >  	/*
> > > >  	 * RSP now points to an ordinary IRET frame, except that the page
> > > >  	 * is read-only and RSP[31:16] are preloaded with the userspace
> > > > @@ -1502,6 +1511,9 @@ nmi_restore:
> > > >  	std
> > > >  	movq	$0, 5*8(%rsp)		/* clear "NMI executing" */
> > > >  
> > > > +	/* Mitigate CPU data sampling attacks .e.g. MDS */
> > > > +	USER_CLEAR_CPU_BUFFERS
> > > > +
> > > >  	/*
> > > >  	 * iretq reads the "iret" frame and exits the NMI stack in a
> > > >  	 * single instruction.  We are returning to kernel mode, so this
> > > 
> > > This isn't needed here.  This is the NMI return-to-kernel path.
> > 
> > Yes, the VERW here can be omitted. But probably need to check if an NMI
> > occuring between VERW and ring transition will still execute VERW after
> > the NMI.
> 
> That window does exist, though I'm not sure it's worth worrying about.

I am in favor of omitting the VERW here, unless someone objects with a
rationale. IMO, precisely timing the NMIs in such a narrow window is
impractical.