Re: [PATCH bpf-next v6 08/17] bpf: Reject stack arguments in non-JITed programs

sashiko-bot
2026-04-19T18:21:49Z

Sashiko AI review found 2 potential issue(s):
- [High] The loop in `bpf_fixup_call_args()` incorrectly rejects main BPF programs with >5 arguments in their BTF signature when JIT is disabled, even though main programs do not actually use stack arguments.
- [High] Standalone global functions with stack arguments can incorrectly fall back to the interpreter if JIT compilation fails, leading to a kernel panic.
--

commit f56b0fedf39a845476910805e073f6b2d3a4ad82
Author: Yonghong Song <yonghong.song@linux.dev>

bpf: Reject stack arguments in non-JITed programs

The interpreter does not understand the bpf register r11 (BPF_REG_PARAMS)
used for stack argument addressing. So reject interpreter usage if stack
arguments are used either in the main program or any subprogram.

> diff --git a/kernel/bpf/core.c b/kernel/bpf/core.c
> index ae10b9ca018df..ec8523e6e4eb4 100644
> --- a/kernel/bpf/core.c
> +++ b/kernel/bpf/core.c
> @@ -2599,7 +2599,7 @@ struct bpf_prog *__bpf_prog_select_runtime(struct bpf_verifier_env *env, struct
> goto finalize;
>
> if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_BPF_JIT_ALWAYS_ON) ||
> - bpf_prog_has_kfunc_call(fp))
> + bpf_prog_has_kfunc_call(fp) || fp->aux->stack_arg_depth)
> jit_needed = true;

When loading a standalone global function (env->subprog_cnt <= 1) with >5
arguments, bpf_jit_subprogs() sets fp->aux->stack_arg_depth to 0 (the
outgoing_stack_arg_depth). If JIT is requested, bpf_fixup_call_args() will
exit early, bypassing the newly added loop that checks
incoming_stack_arg_depth.

Because fp->aux->stack_arg_depth has been cleared to 0, jit_needed evaluates
to false here.

If JIT compilation subsequently fails (e.g., due to memory limits or
unsupported instructions), does the kernel silently fall back to the
interpreter instead of rejecting the program?

If executed, the interpreter encounters instructions utilizing BPF_REG_PARAMS
(r11, mapped to regs[11]), which is initialized to 0 in the interpreter's
stack frame. Could dereferencing this register to read stack arguments
result in a NULL pointer dereference and cause a kernel panic?

> diff --git a/kernel/bpf/fixups.c b/kernel/bpf/fixups.c
> index c4e0224ad2f2e..3c9a82823913e 100644
> --- a/kernel/bpf/fixups.c
> +++ b/kernel/bpf/fixups.c
> @@ -1411,6 +1411,12 @@ int bpf_fixup_call_args(struct bpf_verifier_env *env)
> verbose(env, "calling kernel functions are not allowed in non-JITed programs\n");
> return -EINVAL;
> }
> + for (i = 0; i < env->subprog_cnt; i++) {
> + if (env->subprog_info[i].incoming_stack_arg_depth) {

When verifying the main BPF program (i = 0), if the provided BTF signature
has >5 arguments, the verifier sets
env->subprog_info[0].incoming_stack_arg_depth > 0.

Although the verifier subsequently realizes this signature doesn't match the
expected single ctx argument and marks the BTF info as unreliable, it never
clears the incoming_stack_arg_depth.

Because this loop starts at i = 0 and unconditionally checks
incoming_stack_arg_depth, will it reject the entire program if JIT is
disabled (e.g., via sysctl net.core.bpf_jit_enable=0), even though main
programs do not actually use stack arguments?

Does this break backwards compatibility for existing valid BPF programs with
6+ argument BTF signatures that used to load successfully?

> + verbose(env, "stack args are not supported in non-JITed programs\n");
> + return -EINVAL;
> + }
> + }

--
Sashiko AI review · https://sashiko.dev/#/patchset/20260419163316.731019-1-yonghong.song@linux.dev?part=8