[PATCH bpf-next v6 0/2] tracing: Fix kprobe attachment when module shadows vmlinux symbol

[PATCH bpf-next v6 0/2] tracing: Fix kprobe attachment when module shadows vmlinux symbol

[Andrey Grodzovsky]

When a kernel module exports a symbol with the same name as an existing
vmlinux symbol, kprobe attachment fails with -EADDRNOTAVAIL because
number_of_same_symbols() counts matches across both vmlinux and all
loaded modules, returning a count greater than 1.

This series takes a different approach from v1-v5, which implemented a
libbpf-side fallback parsing /proc/kallsyms and retrying with the
absolute address. That approach was rejected (Andrii Nakryiko, Ihor
Solodrai) because ambiguous symbol resolution does not belong in libbpf,
and because it did not cover the kprobe_multi path.

Following Ihor's suggestion, this series fixes the root cause in the
kernel: when an unqualified symbol name is given and the symbol is found
in vmlinux, prefer the vmlinux symbol and do not scan loaded modules.
This makes the skeleton auto-attach path work transparently with no
libbpf changes needed.

Patch 1: Kernel fix - return vmlinux-only count from
         number_of_same_symbols() when the symbol is found in vmlinux,
         preventing module shadows from causing -EADDRNOTAVAIL.
Patch 2: Selftests using bpf_fentry_shadow_test which exists in both
         vmlinux and bpf_testmod - tests unqualified (vmlinux) and
         MOD:SYM (module) attachment across all four attach modes, plus
         kprobe_multi with the duplicate symbol.

Changes since v5 [1]:
  - Selftest: use existing bpf_fentry_shadow_test (vmlinux + bpf_testmod)
    instead of a new bpf_testmod_dup_sym.ko test module (Jiri Olsa).
  - Selftest: add MOD:SYM qualification test for module shadow attachment
    (Jiri Olsa).
  - Selftest: add kprobe_multi dup_sym test in kprobe_multi_test.c
    (Jiri Olsa).

[1] https://lore.kernel.org/bpf/20260406193158.754498-1-andrey.grodzovsky@crowdstrike.com/

Andrey Grodzovsky (2):
  tracing: Prefer vmlinux symbols over module symbols for unqualified
    kprobes
  selftests/bpf: Add tests for kprobe attachment with duplicate symbols

 kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c                   |  7 ++
 .../selftests/bpf/prog_tests/attach_probe.c   | 68 +++++++++++++++++++
 .../bpf/prog_tests/kprobe_multi_test.c        | 39 +++++++++++
 3 files changed, 114 insertions(+)

-- 
2.34.1

[PATCH bpf-next v6 1/2] tracing: Prefer vmlinux symbols over module symbols for unqualified kprobes

[Andrey Grodzovsky]

When an unqualified kprobe target exists in both vmlinux and a loaded
module, number_of_same_symbols() returns a count greater than 1,
causing kprobe attachment to fail with -EADDRNOTAVAIL even though the
vmlinux symbol is unambiguous.

When no module qualifier is given and the symbol is found in vmlinux,
return the vmlinux-only count without scanning loaded modules. This
preserves the existing behavior for all other cases:
- Symbol only in a module: vmlinux count is 0, falls through to module
  scan as before.
- Symbol qualified with MOD:SYM: mod != NULL, unchanged path.
- Symbol ambiguous within vmlinux itself: count > 1 is returned as-is.

Fixes: 926fe783c8a6 ("tracing/kprobes: Fix symbol counting logic by looking at modules as well")
Fixes: 9d8616034f16 ("tracing/kprobes: Add symbol counting check when module loads")
Suggested-by: Ihor Solodrai <ihor.solodrai@linux.dev>
Acked-by: Jiri Olsa <jolsa@kernel.org>
Signed-off-by: Andrey Grodzovsky <andrey.grodzovsky@crowdstrike.com>
---
 kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c | 7 +++++++
 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+)

diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c b/kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c
index a5dbb72528e0..99c41ea8b6d7 100644
--- a/kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c
+++ b/kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c
@@ -765,6 +765,13 @@ static unsigned int number_of_same_symbols(const char *mod, const char *func_nam
 	if (!mod)
 		kallsyms_on_each_match_symbol(count_symbols, func_name, &ctx.count);
 
+	/* If the symbol is found in vmlinux, use vmlinux resolution only.
+	 * This prevents module symbols from shadowing vmlinux symbols
+	 * and causing -EADDRNOTAVAIL for unqualified kprobe targets.
+	 */
+	if (!mod && ctx.count > 0)
+		return ctx.count;
+
 	module_kallsyms_on_each_symbol(mod, count_mod_symbols, &ctx);
 
 	return ctx.count;
-- 
2.34.1

Re: [PATCH bpf-next v6 1/2] tracing: Prefer vmlinux symbols over module symbols for unqualified kprobes

[Ihor Solodrai]

On 4/7/26 9:51 AM, Andrey Grodzovsky wrote:
> When an unqualified kprobe target exists in both vmlinux and a loaded
> module, number_of_same_symbols() returns a count greater than 1,
> causing kprobe attachment to fail with -EADDRNOTAVAIL even though the
> vmlinux symbol is unambiguous.
> 
> When no module qualifier is given and the symbol is found in vmlinux,
> return the vmlinux-only count without scanning loaded modules. This
> preserves the existing behavior for all other cases:
> - Symbol only in a module: vmlinux count is 0, falls through to module
>   scan as before.
> - Symbol qualified with MOD:SYM: mod != NULL, unchanged path.
> - Symbol ambiguous within vmlinux itself: count > 1 is returned as-is.
> 
> Fixes: 926fe783c8a6 ("tracing/kprobes: Fix symbol counting logic by looking at modules as well")
> Fixes: 9d8616034f16 ("tracing/kprobes: Add symbol counting check when module loads")
> Suggested-by: Ihor Solodrai <ihor.solodrai@linux.dev>
> Acked-by: Jiri Olsa <jolsa@kernel.org>
> Signed-off-by: Andrey Grodzovsky <andrey.grodzovsky@crowdstrike.com>
> ---
>  kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c | 7 +++++++
>  1 file changed, 7 insertions(+)
> 
> diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c b/kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c
> index a5dbb72528e0..99c41ea8b6d7 100644
> --- a/kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c
> +++ b/kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c
> @@ -765,6 +765,13 @@ static unsigned int number_of_same_symbols(const char *mod, const char *func_nam
>  	if (!mod)
>  		kallsyms_on_each_match_symbol(count_symbols, func_name, &ctx.count);
>  
> +	/* If the symbol is found in vmlinux, use vmlinux resolution only.
> +	 * This prevents module symbols from shadowing vmlinux symbols
> +	 * and causing -EADDRNOTAVAIL for unqualified kprobe targets.
> +	 */
> +	if (!mod && ctx.count > 0)
> +		return ctx.count;

Nice to see this actually works.

Acked-by: Ihor Solodrai <ihor.solodrai@linux.dev>

> +
>  	module_kallsyms_on_each_symbol(mod, count_mod_symbols, &ctx);
>  
>  	return ctx.count;

Re: [PATCH bpf-next v6 1/2] tracing: Prefer vmlinux symbols over module symbols for unqualified kprobes

[Alexei Starovoitov]

On Tue, Apr 7, 2026 at 9:52 AM Andrey Grodzovsky
<andrey.grodzovsky@crowdstrike.com> wrote:
>
> When an unqualified kprobe target exists in both vmlinux and a loaded
> module, number_of_same_symbols() returns a count greater than 1,
> causing kprobe attachment to fail with -EADDRNOTAVAIL even though the
> vmlinux symbol is unambiguous.
>
> When no module qualifier is given and the symbol is found in vmlinux,
> return the vmlinux-only count without scanning loaded modules. This
> preserves the existing behavior for all other cases:
> - Symbol only in a module: vmlinux count is 0, falls through to module
>   scan as before.
> - Symbol qualified with MOD:SYM: mod != NULL, unchanged path.
> - Symbol ambiguous within vmlinux itself: count > 1 is returned as-is.
>
> Fixes: 926fe783c8a6 ("tracing/kprobes: Fix symbol counting logic by looking at modules as well")
> Fixes: 9d8616034f16 ("tracing/kprobes: Add symbol counting check when module loads")
> Suggested-by: Ihor Solodrai <ihor.solodrai@linux.dev>
> Acked-by: Jiri Olsa <jolsa@kernel.org>
> Signed-off-by: Andrey Grodzovsky <andrey.grodzovsky@crowdstrike.com>
> ---
>  kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c | 7 +++++++
>  1 file changed, 7 insertions(+)
>
> diff --git a/kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c b/kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c
> index a5dbb72528e0..99c41ea8b6d7 100644
> --- a/kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c
> +++ b/kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c
> @@ -765,6 +765,13 @@ static unsigned int number_of_same_symbols(const char *mod, const char *func_nam
>         if (!mod)
>                 kallsyms_on_each_match_symbol(count_symbols, func_name, &ctx.count);
>
> +       /* If the symbol is found in vmlinux, use vmlinux resolution only.
> +        * This prevents module symbols from shadowing vmlinux symbols
> +        * and causing -EADDRNOTAVAIL for unqualified kprobe targets.
> +        */

Please do not use networking style comments in the new code.
Same applies to selftests.

pw-bot: cr

[PATCH bpf-next v6 2/2] selftests/bpf: Add tests for kprobe attachment with duplicate symbols

[Andrey Grodzovsky]

bpf_fentry_shadow_test exists in both vmlinux (net/bpf/test_run.c) and
bpf_testmod (bpf_testmod.c), creating a duplicate symbol condition when
bpf_testmod is loaded. Add subtests that verify kprobe behavior with
this duplicate symbol:

In attach_probe:
- dup-sym-{default,legacy,perf,link}: unqualified attach succeeds
  across all four modes, preferring vmlinux over module shadow.
- dup-sym-module-{default,legacy,perf,link}: MOD:SYM qualification
  (bpf_testmod:bpf_fentry_shadow_test) attaches to the module version.

In kprobe_multi_test:
- dup_sym: kprobe_multi attach with kprobe and kretprobe succeeds.

Signed-off-by: Andrey Grodzovsky <andrey.grodzovsky@crowdstrike.com>
---
 .../selftests/bpf/prog_tests/attach_probe.c   | 68 +++++++++++++++++++
 .../bpf/prog_tests/kprobe_multi_test.c        | 39 +++++++++++
 2 files changed, 107 insertions(+)

diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/attach_probe.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/attach_probe.c
index 12a841afda68..2d52547c395e 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/attach_probe.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/attach_probe.c
@@ -197,6 +197,65 @@ static void test_attach_kprobe_legacy_by_addr_reject(void)
 	test_attach_probe_manual__destroy(skel);
 }
 
+/* bpf_fentry_shadow_test exists in both vmlinux (net/bpf/test_run.c) and
+ * bpf_testmod (bpf_testmod.c). When bpf_testmod is loaded the symbol is
+ * duplicated. Test that kprobe attachment handles this correctly:
+ * - Unqualified name ("bpf_fentry_shadow_test") attaches to vmlinux.
+ * - MOD:SYM name ("bpf_testmod:bpf_fentry_shadow_test") attaches to module.
+ *
+ * Note: bpf_fentry_shadow_test is not invoked via test_run, so we only
+ * verify that attach and detach succeed without triggering the probe.
+ */
+static void test_attach_probe_dup_sym(enum probe_attach_mode attach_mode)
+{
+	DECLARE_LIBBPF_OPTS(bpf_kprobe_opts, kprobe_opts);
+	struct bpf_link *kprobe_link, *kretprobe_link;
+	struct test_attach_probe_manual *skel;
+
+	skel = test_attach_probe_manual__open_and_load();
+	if (!ASSERT_OK_PTR(skel, "skel_dup_sym_open_and_load"))
+		return;
+
+	kprobe_opts.attach_mode = attach_mode;
+
+	/* Unqualified: should attach to vmlinux symbol */
+	kprobe_opts.retprobe = false;
+	kprobe_link = bpf_program__attach_kprobe_opts(skel->progs.handle_kprobe,
+						      "bpf_fentry_shadow_test",
+						      &kprobe_opts);
+	if (!ASSERT_OK_PTR(kprobe_link, "attach_kprobe_vmlinux"))
+		goto cleanup;
+	bpf_link__destroy(kprobe_link);
+
+	kprobe_opts.retprobe = true;
+	kretprobe_link = bpf_program__attach_kprobe_opts(skel->progs.handle_kretprobe,
+							 "bpf_fentry_shadow_test",
+							 &kprobe_opts);
+	if (!ASSERT_OK_PTR(kretprobe_link, "attach_kretprobe_vmlinux"))
+		goto cleanup;
+	bpf_link__destroy(kretprobe_link);
+
+	/* MOD:SYM qualified: should attach to module symbol */
+	kprobe_opts.retprobe = false;
+	kprobe_link = bpf_program__attach_kprobe_opts(skel->progs.handle_kprobe,
+						      "bpf_testmod:bpf_fentry_shadow_test",
+						      &kprobe_opts);
+	if (!ASSERT_OK_PTR(kprobe_link, "attach_kprobe_module"))
+		goto cleanup;
+	bpf_link__destroy(kprobe_link);
+
+	kprobe_opts.retprobe = true;
+	kretprobe_link = bpf_program__attach_kprobe_opts(skel->progs.handle_kretprobe,
+							 "bpf_testmod:bpf_fentry_shadow_test",
+							 &kprobe_opts);
+	if (!ASSERT_OK_PTR(kretprobe_link, "attach_kretprobe_module"))
+		goto cleanup;
+	bpf_link__destroy(kretprobe_link);
+
+cleanup:
+	test_attach_probe_manual__destroy(skel);
+}
+
 /* attach uprobe/uretprobe long event name testings */
 static void test_attach_uprobe_long_event_name(void)
 {
@@ -559,6 +618,15 @@ void test_attach_probe(void)
 	if (test__start_subtest("kprobe-legacy-by-addr-reject"))
 		test_attach_kprobe_legacy_by_addr_reject();
 
+	if (test__start_subtest("dup-sym-default"))
+		test_attach_probe_dup_sym(PROBE_ATTACH_MODE_DEFAULT);
+	if (test__start_subtest("dup-sym-legacy"))
+		test_attach_probe_dup_sym(PROBE_ATTACH_MODE_LEGACY);
+	if (test__start_subtest("dup-sym-perf"))
+		test_attach_probe_dup_sym(PROBE_ATTACH_MODE_PERF);
+	if (test__start_subtest("dup-sym-link"))
+		test_attach_probe_dup_sym(PROBE_ATTACH_MODE_LINK);
+
 	if (test__start_subtest("auto"))
 		test_attach_probe_auto(skel);
 	if (test__start_subtest("kprobe-sleepable"))
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/kprobe_multi_test.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/kprobe_multi_test.c
index 78c974d4ea33..d89650e31fd3 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/kprobe_multi_test.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/kprobe_multi_test.c
@@ -633,6 +633,43 @@ static void test_attach_write_ctx(void)
 }
 #endif
 
+/* Test kprobe_multi handles shadow symbols (vmlinux + module duplicate).
+ * bpf_fentry_shadow_test exists in both vmlinux and bpf_testmod.
+ * kprobe_multi resolves via ftrace_lookup_symbols() which finds the
+ * vmlinux symbol first and stops, so this should always succeed.
+ */
+static void test_attach_probe_dup_sym(void)
+{
+	LIBBPF_OPTS(bpf_kprobe_multi_opts, opts);
+	const char *syms[1] = { "bpf_fentry_shadow_test" };
+	struct kprobe_multi *skel = NULL;
+	struct bpf_link *link1 = NULL, *link2 = NULL;
+
+	skel = kprobe_multi__open_and_load();
+	if (!ASSERT_OK_PTR(skel, "kprobe_multi__open_and_load"))
+		goto cleanup;
+
+	skel->bss->pid = getpid();
+	opts.syms = syms;
+	opts.cnt = ARRAY_SIZE(syms);
+
+	link1 = bpf_program__attach_kprobe_multi_opts(skel->progs.test_kprobe_manual,
+						      NULL, &opts);
+	if (!ASSERT_OK_PTR(link1, "attach_kprobe_multi_dup_sym"))
+		goto cleanup;
+
+	opts.retprobe = true;
+	link2 = bpf_program__attach_kprobe_multi_opts(skel->progs.test_kretprobe_manual,
+						      NULL, &opts);
+	if (!ASSERT_OK_PTR(link2, "attach_kretprobe_multi_dup_sym"))
+		goto cleanup;
+
+cleanup:
+	bpf_link__destroy(link2);
+	bpf_link__destroy(link1);
+	kprobe_multi__destroy(skel);
+}
+
 void serial_test_kprobe_multi_bench_attach(void)
 {
 	if (test__start_subtest("kernel"))
@@ -676,5 +713,7 @@ void test_kprobe_multi_test(void)
 		test_unique_match();
 	if (test__start_subtest("attach_write_ctx"))
 		test_attach_write_ctx();
+	if (test__start_subtest("dup_sym"))
+		test_attach_probe_dup_sym();
 	RUN_TESTS(kprobe_multi_verifier);
 }
-- 
2.34.1