From: "Xin Li (Intel)" <xin@zytor.com>
To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, linux-kselftest@vger.kernel.org
Cc: tglx@linutronix.de, mingo@redhat.com, bp@alien8.de,
dave.hansen@linux.intel.com, x86@kernel.org, hpa@zytor.com,
shuah@kernel.org, andrew.cooper3@citrix.com,
sohil.mehta@intel.com
Subject: [PATCH v4 1/2] x86/fred/signal: Prevent single-step upon ERETU completion
Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2025 11:10:19 -0700 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <20250605181020.590459-2-xin@zytor.com> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <20250605181020.590459-1-xin@zytor.com>
Clear the software event flag in the augmented SS to prevent infinite
SIGTRAP handler loop if the trap flag (TF) is set without an external
debugger attached.
Following is a typical single-stepping flow for a user process:
1) The user process is prepared for single-stepping by setting
RFLAGS.TF = 1.
2) When any instruction in user space completes, a #DB is triggered.
3) The kernel handles the #DB and returns to user space, invoking the
SIGTRAP handler with RFLAGS.TF = 0.
4) After the SIGTRAP handler finishes, the user process performs a
sigreturn syscall, restoring the original state, including
RFLAGS.TF = 1.
5) Goto step 2.
According to the FRED specification:
A) Bit 17 in the augmented SS is designated as the software event
flag, which is set to 1 for FRED event delivery of SYSCALL,
SYSENTER, or INT n.
B) If bit 17 of the augmented SS is 1 and ERETU would result in
RFLAGS.TF = 1, a single-step trap will be pending upon completion
of ERETU.
In step 4) above, the software event flag is set upon the sigreturn
syscall, and its corresponding ERETU would restore RFLAGS.TF = 1.
This combination causes a pending single-step trap upon completion of
ERETU. Therefore, another #DB is triggered before any user space
instruction is executed, which leads to an infinite loop in which the
SIGTRAP handler keeps being invoked on the same user space IP.
Suggested-by: H. Peter Anvin (Intel) <hpa@zytor.com>
Signed-off-by: Xin Li (Intel) <xin@zytor.com>
Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org
---
Change in v3:
*) Use "#ifdef CONFIG_X86_FRED" instead of IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_X86_FRED)
(Intel LKP).
Change in v2:
*) Remove the check cpu_feature_enabled(X86_FEATURE_FRED), because
regs->fred_ss.swevent will always be 0 otherwise (H. Peter Anvin).
---
arch/x86/include/asm/sighandling.h | 22 ++++++++++++++++++++++
arch/x86/kernel/signal_32.c | 4 ++++
arch/x86/kernel/signal_64.c | 4 ++++
3 files changed, 30 insertions(+)
diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/sighandling.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/sighandling.h
index e770c4fc47f4..b8481d33ba8e 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/sighandling.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/sighandling.h
@@ -24,4 +24,26 @@ int ia32_setup_rt_frame(struct ksignal *ksig, struct pt_regs *regs);
int x64_setup_rt_frame(struct ksignal *ksig, struct pt_regs *regs);
int x32_setup_rt_frame(struct ksignal *ksig, struct pt_regs *regs);
+/*
+ * To prevent infinite SIGTRAP handler loop if the trap flag (TF) is set
+ * without an external debugger attached, clear the software event flag in
+ * the augmented SS, ensuring no single-step trap is pending upon ERETU
+ * completion.
+ *
+ * Note, this function should be called in sigreturn() before the original
+ * state is restored to make sure the TF is read from the entry frame.
+ */
+static __always_inline void prevent_single_step_upon_eretu(struct pt_regs *regs)
+{
+ /*
+ * If the trap flag (TF) is set, i.e., the sigreturn() SYSCALL instruction
+ * is being single-stepped, do not clear the software event flag in the
+ * augmented SS, thus a debugger won't skip over the following instruction.
+ */
+#ifdef CONFIG_X86_FRED
+ if (!(regs->flags & X86_EFLAGS_TF))
+ regs->fred_ss.swevent = 0;
+#endif
+}
+
#endif /* _ASM_X86_SIGHANDLING_H */
diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/signal_32.c b/arch/x86/kernel/signal_32.c
index 98123ff10506..42bbc42bd350 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/signal_32.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/signal_32.c
@@ -152,6 +152,8 @@ SYSCALL32_DEFINE0(sigreturn)
struct sigframe_ia32 __user *frame = (struct sigframe_ia32 __user *)(regs->sp-8);
sigset_t set;
+ prevent_single_step_upon_eretu(regs);
+
if (!access_ok(frame, sizeof(*frame)))
goto badframe;
if (__get_user(set.sig[0], &frame->sc.oldmask)
@@ -175,6 +177,8 @@ SYSCALL32_DEFINE0(rt_sigreturn)
struct rt_sigframe_ia32 __user *frame;
sigset_t set;
+ prevent_single_step_upon_eretu(regs);
+
frame = (struct rt_sigframe_ia32 __user *)(regs->sp - 4);
if (!access_ok(frame, sizeof(*frame)))
diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/signal_64.c b/arch/x86/kernel/signal_64.c
index ee9453891901..d483b585c6c6 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/signal_64.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/signal_64.c
@@ -250,6 +250,8 @@ SYSCALL_DEFINE0(rt_sigreturn)
sigset_t set;
unsigned long uc_flags;
+ prevent_single_step_upon_eretu(regs);
+
frame = (struct rt_sigframe __user *)(regs->sp - sizeof(long));
if (!access_ok(frame, sizeof(*frame)))
goto badframe;
@@ -366,6 +368,8 @@ COMPAT_SYSCALL_DEFINE0(x32_rt_sigreturn)
sigset_t set;
unsigned long uc_flags;
+ prevent_single_step_upon_eretu(regs);
+
frame = (struct rt_sigframe_x32 __user *)(regs->sp - 8);
if (!access_ok(frame, sizeof(*frame)))
--
2.49.0
next prev parent reply other threads:[~2025-06-05 18:11 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 7+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2025-06-05 18:10 [PATCH v4 0/2] x86/fred: " Xin Li (Intel)
2025-06-05 18:10 ` Xin Li (Intel) [this message]
2025-06-05 18:46 ` [PATCH v4 1/2] x86/fred/signal: " H. Peter Anvin
2025-06-05 18:10 ` [PATCH v4 2/2] selftests/x86: Add a test to detect infinite sigtrap handler loop Xin Li (Intel)
2025-06-05 19:32 ` [PATCH v4 0/2] x86/fred: Prevent single-step upon ERETU completion Sohil Mehta
2025-06-05 21:51 ` Sohil Mehta
2025-06-12 18:12 ` Xin Li
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