Re: [PATCH RFC] kvm: write protect memory after slot swap

Jan Kiszka
2010-10-25T11:41:45Z

Am 25.10.2010 11:32, Avi Kivity wrote:
> On 10/25/2010 03:21 AM, Michael S. Tsirkin wrote:
>> I have observed the following bug trigger:
>>
>> 1. userspace calls GET_DIRTY_LOG
>> 2. kvm_mmu_slot_remove_write_access is called and makes a page ro
>> 3. page fault happens and makes the page writeable
>> fault is logged in the bitmap appropriately
>> 4. kvm_vm_ioctl_get_dirty_log swaps slot pointers
>>
>> a lot of time passes
>>
>> 5. guest writes into the page
>> 6. userspace calls GET_DIRTY_LOG
>>
>> At point (5), bitmap is clean and page is writeable,
>> thus, guest modification of memory is not logged
>> and GET_DIRTY_LOG returns an empty bitmap.
>>
>> The rule is that all pages are either dirty in the current bitmap,
>> or write-protected, which is violated here.
>>
>> It seems that just moving kvm_mmu_slot_remove_write_access down
>> to after the slot pointer swap should fix this bug.
>>
>> Warning: completely untested.
>> Please comment.
>> Note: fix will be needed for -stable etc.
>
> Excellent catch, I stared at this code for a while and didn't see the
> bug. Patch applied.
>

BTW, while this was an annoying one for graphic emulation, wasn't it
potentially lethal for live migration?

The issue looks like is was introduced with the switch to SRCU, so every
kernel since 2.6.34 should be affected, correct?

Jan

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