Re: [PATCH] mm: implement and use vma_is_faulted(), silence KCSAN

["Lorenzo Stoakes (ARM)" <ljs@kernel.org>]

On Wed, Sep 09, 2026 at 06:24:52PM +0200, David Hildenbrand (Arm) wrote:
> On 9/9/26 18:14, Lorenzo Stoakes (ARM) wrote:
> > Provide a function to abstract the common task of checking whether
> > a VMA is faulted in or not.
> >
> > A VMA or mmap lock must be held when calling this function. For an attached
> > VMA the transitions between unfaulted/faulted state are:
> >
> >        Transition        |              VMA/mmap Lock state
> >  ------------------------|-----------------------------------------------
> >    unfaulted to faulted  | write lock OR read lock + mm->page_table_lock
> >    faulted to unfaulted  | write lock
> >
> > So vma_is_faulted() never provides a false positive (the lock precludes
> > it), but if only a read lock is held, a negative result must be re-checked
> > with mm->page_table_lock held.
> >
> > Detached VMAs cannot be concurrently manipulated as they are removed from
> > the maple tree so require no guarantees.
> >
> > Use data_race() to silence KCSAN about non-existent data races between
> > concurrent vma->anon_vma read/write on optimistic fault tests.
> >
> > Also while here, const-ify vma_is_attached(), vma_assert_stabilised() and
> > dependants.
> >
> > Finally, update the core VMA merge/split, rmap, mremap, KSM and fault
> > preparation callers which test vma->anon_vma directly to use
> > vma_is_faulted() instead.
> >
> > Note that the lockless read in reusable_anon_vma() is doing more than
> > checking whether the VMA is faulted - it is returning the anon_vma to be
> > used on fault, so this check is not altered.
> >
> > There is one odd one out - file_backed_vma_is_retractable() - which holds
> > neither a VMA nor mmap lock and is stabilised by the file rmap lock only.
> >
> > Therefore just add a comment to explain why the direct vma->anon_vma check
> > is required.
> >
> > Reported-by: Guilherme Giacomo Simoes <trintaeoitogc@gmail.com>
> > Closes: https://lore.kernel.org/all/20260829100034.423064-1-trintaeoitogc@gmail.com/
> > Closes: https://lore.kernel.org/all/20260909115723.528501-1-trintaeoitogc@gmail.com/
> > Signed-off-by: Lorenzo Stoakes (ARM) <ljs@kernel.org>
> > ---
>
>
> Is vma_is_faulted() really the right thing to use when wanting to say that we
> (likely) faulted in an anon page?
>
> I think that's highly confusing, considering just MAP_SHARED mappings where that
> will never be true.

Hmm, yeah.

I mean there's nowhere you'd do this check where you weren't checking something
that couldn't at least in theory be anon-faulted. But it's confusing vs. shared
you're right.

vma_is_anon_faulted()?

>
> --
> Cheers,
>
> David

--
Cheers, Lorenzo