Re: [PATCH v3 7/9] vfio: Use driver_override to avert binding to compromising drivers

Alex Williamson
2017-06-26T19:39:12Z

On Mon, 26 Jun 2017 10:08:55 +0100
Russell King - ARM Linux <linux@armlinux.org.uk> wrote:

> On Tue, Jun 20, 2017 at 09:48:31AM -0600, Alex Williamson wrote:
> > If a device is bound to a non-vfio, non-whitelisted driver while a
> > group is in use, then the integrity of the group is compromised and
> > will result in hitting a BUG_ON. This code tries to avoid this case
> > by mangling driver_override to force a no-match for the driver. The
> > driver-core will either follow-up with a DRIVER_NOT_BOUND (preferred)
> > or BOUND_DRIVER, at which point we can remove the driver_override
> > mangling.
>
> Rather than mangling the driver override string to prevent driver binding,
> I wonder if it would make more sense to allow the BUS_NOTIFY_BIND_DRIVER
> notifier to fail the device probe?
>
> The driver override strings are, after all, exposed to userspace, and
> it strikes me that this kind of mangling is racy - userspace can read
> or change the override string at any time.

Indeed, that looks easier. I sent and RFC, let's see what Greg has to
say. Thanks,

Alex