[PATCH v2] arm64: Restrict pagetable teardown to avoid false warning

[PATCH v2] arm64: Restrict pagetable teardown to avoid false warning

[Dev Jain]

Commit 9c006972c3fe removes the pxd_present() checks because the caller
checks pxd_present(). But, in case of vmap_try_huge_pud(), the caller only
checks pud_present(); pud_free_pmd_page() recurses on each pmd through
pmd_free_pte_page(), wherein the pmd may be none. Thus it is possible to
hit a warning in the latter, since pmd_none => !pmd_table(). Thus, add
a pmd_present() check in pud_free_pmd_page().

This problem was found by code inspection.

This patch is based on 6.15-rc6.

Fixes: 9c006972c3fe (arm64: mmu: drop pXd_present() checks from pXd_free_pYd_table())

Cc: <stable@vger.kernel.org>
Reported-by: Ryan Roberts <ryan.roberts@arm.com> 
Signed-off-by: Dev Jain <dev.jain@arm.com>
---
v1->v2:
 - Enforce check in caller

 arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c | 3 ++-
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c b/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
index ea6695d53fb9..5b1f4cd238ca 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
+++ b/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
@@ -1286,7 +1286,8 @@ int pud_free_pmd_page(pud_t *pudp, unsigned long addr)
 	next = addr;
 	end = addr + PUD_SIZE;
 	do {
-		pmd_free_pte_page(pmdp, next);
+		if (pmd_present(*pmdp))
+			pmd_free_pte_page(pmdp, next);
 	} while (pmdp++, next += PMD_SIZE, next != end);
 
 	pud_clear(pudp);
-- 
2.30.2

Re: [PATCH v2] arm64: Restrict pagetable teardown to avoid false warning

[Ryan Roberts]

On 18/05/2025 10:54, Dev Jain wrote:
> Commit 9c006972c3fe removes the pxd_present() checks because the caller

nit: please use the standard format for describing commits: Commit 9c006972c3fe
("arm64: mmu: drop pXd_present() checks from pXd_free_pYd_table()")

> checks pxd_present(). But, in case of vmap_try_huge_pud(), the caller only
> checks pud_present(); pud_free_pmd_page() recurses on each pmd through
> pmd_free_pte_page(), wherein the pmd may be none. Thus it is possible to
> hit a warning in the latter, since pmd_none => !pmd_table(). Thus, add
> a pmd_present() check in pud_free_pmd_page().
> 
> This problem was found by code inspection.
> 
> This patch is based on 6.15-rc6.

nit: please remove this to below the "---", its not part of the commit log.

> 
> Fixes: 9c006972c3fe (arm64: mmu: drop pXd_present() checks from pXd_free_pYd_table())
> 

nit: remove empty line; the tags should all be in a single block with no empty
lines.

> Cc: <stable@vger.kernel.org>
> Reported-by: Ryan Roberts <ryan.roberts@arm.com> 
> Signed-off-by: Dev Jain <dev.jain@arm.com>
> ---
> v1->v2:
>  - Enforce check in caller
> 
>  arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c | 3 ++-
>  1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
> 
> diff --git a/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c b/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
> index ea6695d53fb9..5b1f4cd238ca 100644
> --- a/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
> +++ b/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
> @@ -1286,7 +1286,8 @@ int pud_free_pmd_page(pud_t *pudp, unsigned long addr)
>  	next = addr;
>  	end = addr + PUD_SIZE;
>  	do {
> -		pmd_free_pte_page(pmdp, next);
> +		if (pmd_present(*pmdp))

pmd_free_pte_page() is using READ_ONCE() to access the *pmdp to ensure it can't
be torn. I suspect we don't technically need that in these functions because
there can be no race with a writer. But the arm64 arch code always uses
READ_ONCE() for dereferencing pgtable entries for safely. Perhaps we should be
consistent here?

		if (pmd_present(READ_ONCE(*pmdp)))

> +			pmd_free_pte_page(pmdp, next);
>  	} while (pmdp++, next += PMD_SIZE, next != end);
>  
>  	pud_clear(pudp);

Re: [PATCH v2] arm64: Restrict pagetable teardown to avoid false warning

[David Hildenbrand]

On 19.05.25 11:08, Ryan Roberts wrote:
> On 18/05/2025 10:54, Dev Jain wrote:
>> Commit 9c006972c3fe removes the pxd_present() checks because the caller
> 
> nit: please use the standard format for describing commits: Commit 9c006972c3fe
> ("arm64: mmu: drop pXd_present() checks from pXd_free_pYd_table()")
> 
>> checks pxd_present(). But, in case of vmap_try_huge_pud(), the caller only
>> checks pud_present(); pud_free_pmd_page() recurses on each pmd through
>> pmd_free_pte_page(), wherein the pmd may be none. Thus it is possible to
>> hit a warning in the latter, since pmd_none => !pmd_table(). Thus, add
>> a pmd_present() check in pud_free_pmd_page().
>>
>> This problem was found by code inspection.
>>
>> This patch is based on 6.15-rc6.
> 
> nit: please remove this to below the "---", its not part of the commit log.
> 
>>
>> Fixes: 9c006972c3fe (arm64: mmu: drop pXd_present() checks from pXd_free_pYd_table())
>>
> 
> nit: remove empty line; the tags should all be in a single block with no empty
> lines.
> 
>> Cc: <stable@vger.kernel.org>
>> Reported-by: Ryan Roberts <ryan.roberts@arm.com>
>> Signed-off-by: Dev Jain <dev.jain@arm.com>
>> ---
>> v1->v2:
>>   - Enforce check in caller
>>
>>   arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c | 3 ++-
>>   1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
>>
>> diff --git a/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c b/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
>> index ea6695d53fb9..5b1f4cd238ca 100644
>> --- a/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
>> +++ b/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
>> @@ -1286,7 +1286,8 @@ int pud_free_pmd_page(pud_t *pudp, unsigned long addr)
>>   	next = addr;
>>   	end = addr + PUD_SIZE;
>>   	do {
>> -		pmd_free_pte_page(pmdp, next);
>> +		if (pmd_present(*pmdp))
> 
> pmd_free_pte_page() is using READ_ONCE() to access the *pmdp to ensure it can't
> be torn. I suspect we don't technically need that in these functions because
> there can be no race with a writer.

Yeah, if there is no proper locking in place the function would already 
seriously mess up (double freeing etc).

> But the arm64 arch code always uses
> READ_ONCE() for dereferencing pgtable entries for safely. Perhaps we should be
> consistent here?

mm/vmalloc.c:   if (pmd_present(*pmd) && !pmd_free_pte_page(pmd, addr))


:)

Acked-by: David Hildenbrand <david@redhat.com>

-- 
Cheers,

David / dhildenb

Re: [PATCH v2] arm64: Restrict pagetable teardown to avoid false warning

[Ryan Roberts]

On 19/05/2025 13:16, David Hildenbrand wrote:
> On 19.05.25 11:08, Ryan Roberts wrote:
>> On 18/05/2025 10:54, Dev Jain wrote:
>>> Commit 9c006972c3fe removes the pxd_present() checks because the caller
>>
>> nit: please use the standard format for describing commits: Commit 9c006972c3fe
>> ("arm64: mmu: drop pXd_present() checks from pXd_free_pYd_table()")
>>
>>> checks pxd_present(). But, in case of vmap_try_huge_pud(), the caller only
>>> checks pud_present(); pud_free_pmd_page() recurses on each pmd through
>>> pmd_free_pte_page(), wherein the pmd may be none. Thus it is possible to
>>> hit a warning in the latter, since pmd_none => !pmd_table(). Thus, add
>>> a pmd_present() check in pud_free_pmd_page().
>>>
>>> This problem was found by code inspection.
>>>
>>> This patch is based on 6.15-rc6.
>>
>> nit: please remove this to below the "---", its not part of the commit log.
>>
>>>
>>> Fixes: 9c006972c3fe (arm64: mmu: drop pXd_present() checks from
>>> pXd_free_pYd_table())
>>>
>>
>> nit: remove empty line; the tags should all be in a single block with no empty
>> lines.
>>
>>> Cc: <stable@vger.kernel.org>
>>> Reported-by: Ryan Roberts <ryan.roberts@arm.com>
>>> Signed-off-by: Dev Jain <dev.jain@arm.com>
>>> ---
>>> v1->v2:
>>>   - Enforce check in caller
>>>
>>>   arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c | 3 ++-
>>>   1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
>>>
>>> diff --git a/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c b/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
>>> index ea6695d53fb9..5b1f4cd238ca 100644
>>> --- a/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
>>> +++ b/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
>>> @@ -1286,7 +1286,8 @@ int pud_free_pmd_page(pud_t *pudp, unsigned long addr)
>>>       next = addr;
>>>       end = addr + PUD_SIZE;
>>>       do {
>>> -        pmd_free_pte_page(pmdp, next);
>>> +        if (pmd_present(*pmdp))
>>
>> pmd_free_pte_page() is using READ_ONCE() to access the *pmdp to ensure it can't
>> be torn. I suspect we don't technically need that in these functions because
>> there can be no race with a writer.
> 
> Yeah, if there is no proper locking in place the function would already
> seriously mess up (double freeing etc).

Indeed; there is no locking, but this portion of the vmalloc VA space has been
allocated to us exclusively, so we know there can be no one else racing.

> 
>> But the arm64 arch code always uses
>> READ_ONCE() for dereferencing pgtable entries for safely. Perhaps we should be
>> consistent here?
> 
> mm/vmalloc.c:   if (pmd_present(*pmd) && !pmd_free_pte_page(pmd, addr))

Yes, I saw that. I know that we don't technically need READ_ONCE(). I'm just
proposng that for arm64 code we should be consistent with what it already does.
See Commit 20a004e7b017 ("arm64: mm: Use READ_ONCE/WRITE_ONCE when accessing
page tables")

Thanks,
Ryan

> 
> 
> :)
> 
> Acked-by: David Hildenbrand <david@redhat.com>
> 

Re: [PATCH v2] arm64: Restrict pagetable teardown to avoid false warning

[David Hildenbrand]

On 19.05.25 14:47, Ryan Roberts wrote:
> On 19/05/2025 13:16, David Hildenbrand wrote:
>> On 19.05.25 11:08, Ryan Roberts wrote:
>>> On 18/05/2025 10:54, Dev Jain wrote:
>>>> Commit 9c006972c3fe removes the pxd_present() checks because the caller
>>>
>>> nit: please use the standard format for describing commits: Commit 9c006972c3fe
>>> ("arm64: mmu: drop pXd_present() checks from pXd_free_pYd_table()")
>>>
>>>> checks pxd_present(). But, in case of vmap_try_huge_pud(), the caller only
>>>> checks pud_present(); pud_free_pmd_page() recurses on each pmd through
>>>> pmd_free_pte_page(), wherein the pmd may be none. Thus it is possible to
>>>> hit a warning in the latter, since pmd_none => !pmd_table(). Thus, add
>>>> a pmd_present() check in pud_free_pmd_page().
>>>>
>>>> This problem was found by code inspection.
>>>>
>>>> This patch is based on 6.15-rc6.
>>>
>>> nit: please remove this to below the "---", its not part of the commit log.
>>>
>>>>
>>>> Fixes: 9c006972c3fe (arm64: mmu: drop pXd_present() checks from
>>>> pXd_free_pYd_table())
>>>>
>>>
>>> nit: remove empty line; the tags should all be in a single block with no empty
>>> lines.
>>>
>>>> Cc: <stable@vger.kernel.org>
>>>> Reported-by: Ryan Roberts <ryan.roberts@arm.com>
>>>> Signed-off-by: Dev Jain <dev.jain@arm.com>
>>>> ---
>>>> v1->v2:
>>>>    - Enforce check in caller
>>>>
>>>>    arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c | 3 ++-
>>>>    1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
>>>>
>>>> diff --git a/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c b/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
>>>> index ea6695d53fb9..5b1f4cd238ca 100644
>>>> --- a/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
>>>> +++ b/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
>>>> @@ -1286,7 +1286,8 @@ int pud_free_pmd_page(pud_t *pudp, unsigned long addr)
>>>>        next = addr;
>>>>        end = addr + PUD_SIZE;
>>>>        do {
>>>> -        pmd_free_pte_page(pmdp, next);
>>>> +        if (pmd_present(*pmdp))
>>>
>>> pmd_free_pte_page() is using READ_ONCE() to access the *pmdp to ensure it can't
>>> be torn. I suspect we don't technically need that in these functions because
>>> there can be no race with a writer.
>>
>> Yeah, if there is no proper locking in place the function would already
>> seriously mess up (double freeing etc).
> 
> Indeed; there is no locking, but this portion of the vmalloc VA space has been
> allocated to us exclusively, so we know there can be no one else racing.
> 
>>
>>> But the arm64 arch code always uses
>>> READ_ONCE() for dereferencing pgtable entries for safely. Perhaps we should be
>>> consistent here?
>>
>> mm/vmalloc.c:   if (pmd_present(*pmd) && !pmd_free_pte_page(pmd, addr))
> 
> Yes, I saw that. I know that we don't technically need READ_ONCE(). I'm just
> proposng that for arm64 code we should be consistent with what it already does.
> See Commit 20a004e7b017 ("arm64: mm: Use READ_ONCE/WRITE_ONCE when accessing
> page tables")

The more READ_ONCE() we add, the less the compiler can optimize (e.g., 
when inlining). Apparently, for no good reason in this page table 
handling code, because there cannot be concurrent changes that would 
turn it !present etc.

Anyhow, something for the arm maintainers to decide.

-- 
Cheers,

David / dhildenb

Re: [PATCH v2] arm64: Restrict pagetable teardown to avoid false warning

[Dev Jain]

On 19/05/2025 13:16, David Hildenbrand wrote:
> On 19.05.25 11:08, Ryan Roberts wrote:
>> On 18/05/2025 10:54, Dev Jain wrote:
>>> Commit 9c006972c3fe removes the pxd_present() checks because the caller
>>
>> nit: please use the standard format for describing commits: Commit 9c006972c3fe
>> ("arm64: mmu: drop pXd_present() checks from pXd_free_pYd_table()")
>>
>>> checks pxd_present(). But, in case of vmap_try_huge_pud(), the caller only
>>> checks pud_present(); pud_free_pmd_page() recurses on each pmd through
>>> pmd_free_pte_page(), wherein the pmd may be none. Thus it is possible to
>>> hit a warning in the latter, since pmd_none => !pmd_table(). Thus, add
>>> a pmd_present() check in pud_free_pmd_page().
>>>
>>> This problem was found by code inspection.
>>>
>>> This patch is based on 6.15-rc6.
>>
>> nit: please remove this to below the "---", its not part of the commit log.
>>
>>>
>>> Fixes: 9c006972c3fe (arm64: mmu: drop pXd_present() checks from
>>> pXd_free_pYd_table())
>>>
>>
>> nit: remove empty line; the tags should all be in a single block with no empty
>> lines.
>>
>>> Cc: <stable@vger.kernel.org>
>>> Reported-by: Ryan Roberts <ryan.roberts@arm.com>
>>> Signed-off-by: Dev Jain <dev.jain@arm.com>
>>> ---
>>> v1->v2:
>>>   - Enforce check in caller
>>>
>>>   arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c | 3 ++-
>>>   1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
>>>
>>> diff --git a/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c b/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
>>> index ea6695d53fb9..5b1f4cd238ca 100644
>>> --- a/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
>>> +++ b/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
>>> @@ -1286,7 +1286,8 @@ int pud_free_pmd_page(pud_t *pudp, unsigned long addr)
>>>       next = addr;
>>>       end = addr + PUD_SIZE;
>>>       do {
>>> -        pmd_free_pte_page(pmdp, next);
>>> +        if (pmd_present(*pmdp))
>>
>> pmd_free_pte_page() is using READ_ONCE() to access the *pmdp to ensure it can't
>> be torn. I suspect we don't technically need that in these functions because
>> there can be no race with a writer.
> 
> Yeah, if there is no proper locking in place the function would already
> seriously mess up (double freeing etc).

Indeed; there is no locking, but this portion of the vmalloc VA space has been
allocated to us exclusively, so we know there can be no one else racing.

> 
>> But the arm64 arch code always uses
>> READ_ONCE() for dereferencing pgtable entries for safely. Perhaps we should be
>> consistent here?
> 
> mm/vmalloc.c:   if (pmd_present(*pmd) && !pmd_free_pte_page(pmd, addr))

Yes, I saw that. I know that we don't technically need READ_ONCE(). I'm just
proposng that for arm64 code we should be consistent with what it already does.
See Commit 20a004e7b017 ("arm64: mm: Use READ_ONCE/WRITE_ONCE when accessing
page tables")

So I'll just use pmdp_get()? (Hopefully my reply comes fine, I am replying
from the terminal)

Thanks,
Ryan

> 
> 
> :)
> 
> Acked-by: David Hildenbrand <david@redhat.com>
> 

Re: [PATCH v2] arm64: Restrict pagetable teardown to avoid false warning

[David Hildenbrand]

On 20.05.25 11:05, Dev Jain wrote:
> On 19/05/2025 13:16, David Hildenbrand wrote:
>> On 19.05.25 11:08, Ryan Roberts wrote:
>>> On 18/05/2025 10:54, Dev Jain wrote:
>>>> Commit 9c006972c3fe removes the pxd_present() checks because the caller
>>>
>>> nit: please use the standard format for describing commits: Commit 9c006972c3fe
>>> ("arm64: mmu: drop pXd_present() checks from pXd_free_pYd_table()")
>>>
>>>> checks pxd_present(). But, in case of vmap_try_huge_pud(), the caller only
>>>> checks pud_present(); pud_free_pmd_page() recurses on each pmd through
>>>> pmd_free_pte_page(), wherein the pmd may be none. Thus it is possible to
>>>> hit a warning in the latter, since pmd_none => !pmd_table(). Thus, add
>>>> a pmd_present() check in pud_free_pmd_page().
>>>>
>>>> This problem was found by code inspection.
>>>>
>>>> This patch is based on 6.15-rc6.
>>>
>>> nit: please remove this to below the "---", its not part of the commit log.
>>>
>>>>
>>>> Fixes: 9c006972c3fe (arm64: mmu: drop pXd_present() checks from
>>>> pXd_free_pYd_table())
>>>>
>>>
>>> nit: remove empty line; the tags should all be in a single block with no empty
>>> lines.
>>>
>>>> Cc: <stable@vger.kernel.org>
>>>> Reported-by: Ryan Roberts <ryan.roberts@arm.com>
>>>> Signed-off-by: Dev Jain <dev.jain@arm.com>
>>>> ---
>>>> v1->v2:
>>>>    - Enforce check in caller
>>>>
>>>>    arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c | 3 ++-
>>>>    1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
>>>>
>>>> diff --git a/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c b/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
>>>> index ea6695d53fb9..5b1f4cd238ca 100644
>>>> --- a/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
>>>> +++ b/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
>>>> @@ -1286,7 +1286,8 @@ int pud_free_pmd_page(pud_t *pudp, unsigned long addr)
>>>>        next = addr;
>>>>        end = addr + PUD_SIZE;
>>>>        do {
>>>> -        pmd_free_pte_page(pmdp, next);
>>>> +        if (pmd_present(*pmdp))
>>>
>>> pmd_free_pte_page() is using READ_ONCE() to access the *pmdp to ensure it can't
>>> be torn. I suspect we don't technically need that in these functions because
>>> there can be no race with a writer.
>>
>> Yeah, if there is no proper locking in place the function would already
>> seriously mess up (double freeing etc).
> 
> Indeed; there is no locking, but this portion of the vmalloc VA space has been
> allocated to us exclusively, so we know there can be no one else racing.
> 
>>
>>> But the arm64 arch code always uses
>>> READ_ONCE() for dereferencing pgtable entries for safely. Perhaps we should be
>>> consistent here?
>>
>> mm/vmalloc.c:   if (pmd_present(*pmd) && !pmd_free_pte_page(pmd, addr))
> 
> Yes, I saw that. I know that we don't technically need READ_ONCE(). I'm just
> proposng that for arm64 code we should be consistent with what it already does.
> See Commit 20a004e7b017 ("arm64: mm: Use READ_ONCE/WRITE_ONCE when accessing
> page tables")
> 
> So I'll just use pmdp_get()?

Maybe that's the cleanest approach. Likely also common code should use 
that at some point @Ryan?

-- 
Cheers,

David / dhildenb

Re: [PATCH v2] arm64: Restrict pagetable teardown to avoid false warning

[Ryan Roberts]

On 20/05/2025 10:10, David Hildenbrand wrote:
> On 20.05.25 11:05, Dev Jain wrote:
>> On 19/05/2025 13:16, David Hildenbrand wrote:
>>> On 19.05.25 11:08, Ryan Roberts wrote:
>>>> On 18/05/2025 10:54, Dev Jain wrote:
>>>>> Commit 9c006972c3fe removes the pxd_present() checks because the caller
>>>>
>>>> nit: please use the standard format for describing commits: Commit 9c006972c3fe
>>>> ("arm64: mmu: drop pXd_present() checks from pXd_free_pYd_table()")
>>>>
>>>>> checks pxd_present(). But, in case of vmap_try_huge_pud(), the caller only
>>>>> checks pud_present(); pud_free_pmd_page() recurses on each pmd through
>>>>> pmd_free_pte_page(), wherein the pmd may be none. Thus it is possible to
>>>>> hit a warning in the latter, since pmd_none => !pmd_table(). Thus, add
>>>>> a pmd_present() check in pud_free_pmd_page().
>>>>>
>>>>> This problem was found by code inspection.
>>>>>
>>>>> This patch is based on 6.15-rc6.
>>>>
>>>> nit: please remove this to below the "---", its not part of the commit log.
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Fixes: 9c006972c3fe (arm64: mmu: drop pXd_present() checks from
>>>>> pXd_free_pYd_table())
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> nit: remove empty line; the tags should all be in a single block with no empty
>>>> lines.
>>>>
>>>>> Cc: <stable@vger.kernel.org>
>>>>> Reported-by: Ryan Roberts <ryan.roberts@arm.com>
>>>>> Signed-off-by: Dev Jain <dev.jain@arm.com>
>>>>> ---
>>>>> v1->v2:
>>>>>    - Enforce check in caller
>>>>>
>>>>>    arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c | 3 ++-
>>>>>    1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
>>>>>
>>>>> diff --git a/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c b/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
>>>>> index ea6695d53fb9..5b1f4cd238ca 100644
>>>>> --- a/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
>>>>> +++ b/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
>>>>> @@ -1286,7 +1286,8 @@ int pud_free_pmd_page(pud_t *pudp, unsigned long addr)
>>>>>        next = addr;
>>>>>        end = addr + PUD_SIZE;
>>>>>        do {
>>>>> -        pmd_free_pte_page(pmdp, next);
>>>>> +        if (pmd_present(*pmdp))
>>>>
>>>> pmd_free_pte_page() is using READ_ONCE() to access the *pmdp to ensure it can't
>>>> be torn. I suspect we don't technically need that in these functions because
>>>> there can be no race with a writer.
>>>
>>> Yeah, if there is no proper locking in place the function would already
>>> seriously mess up (double freeing etc).
>>
>> Indeed; there is no locking, but this portion of the vmalloc VA space has been
>> allocated to us exclusively, so we know there can be no one else racing.
>>
>>>
>>>> But the arm64 arch code always uses
>>>> READ_ONCE() for dereferencing pgtable entries for safely. Perhaps we should be
>>>> consistent here?
>>>
>>> mm/vmalloc.c:   if (pmd_present(*pmd) && !pmd_free_pte_page(pmd, addr))
>>
>> Yes, I saw that. I know that we don't technically need READ_ONCE(). I'm just
>> proposng that for arm64 code we should be consistent with what it already does.
>> See Commit 20a004e7b017 ("arm64: mm: Use READ_ONCE/WRITE_ONCE when accessing
>> page tables")
>>
>> So I'll just use pmdp_get()?
> 
> Maybe that's the cleanest approach. 

Yeah let's do that.

> Likely also common code should use that at
> some point @Ryan?

This is a bit of a can of worms... :)

Potted history: I converted all non-arch and arm64 code to use ptep_get() a
while back. That was necessary because for contpte mappings, arm64 needs to do
more than just read the pte, so that provided the needed hook.

Anshuman had a go at converting all generic code to use pXdp_get() last year as
a means to help arm64 move to supporting 128-bit pgtables - the arm64 compiler
doesn't gurrantee to emit ldp ("load pair") when dereferencing a 128-bit type
but it does guarrantee to emit ldr ("load register") when dereferencing a 64-bit
type, so we don't get single-copy atomicity for *pmdp with 128-bit pgtables but
we do for 64-bit. So we thought we would just convert all the accesses to
pXdp_get() which would allow us to wrap and make the guarrantee.

Some places (GUP, ...) were already using READ_ONCE() so we thought we would
just default pXdp_get() to READ_ONCE() (even for the previously *pmdp case). But
that caused issues with folded pgtable levels; the compiler was no longer able
to optimize out the loads and arm32 and powerpc complained.

We looked at implementing pXdp_get() as either READ_ONCE(*pXdp) or *pXdp
depending on if the level was folded, but I never really convinced myself that
it was definitely safe for cases that were previously unconditionally
READ_ONCE(*pXdp).

So that leaves us with needing 2 variants of the accessors, which is horrible IMHO.

But ultimately I don't think the vast majority of existing *pXdp accesses even
need single-copy atomicity guarrantees, so perhaps from the arm64 128-bit
pgtables PoV it simpler just to leave it all as is and make READ_ONCE() work
with 128-bit types (but that has a downside because arm64 can only support the
required READ_ONCE() semantics if the HW supports it, which we don't know until
boot time. READ_ONCE() wants the compiler to raise an error if trying to use it
with an unsupported type).

In general, it would be nice to use accessors everywhere, but I haven't figured
how to make it all work with a single accessor per level so I'm now trying to
side step it.

In hindsight I'm not sure you really asked for all this detail :)

Thanks,
Ryan

Re: [PATCH v2] arm64: Restrict pagetable teardown to avoid false warning

[Dev Jain]

On 19/05/25 6:17 pm, Ryan Roberts wrote:
> On 19/05/2025 13:16, David Hildenbrand wrote:
>> On 19.05.25 11:08, Ryan Roberts wrote:
>>> On 18/05/2025 10:54, Dev Jain wrote:
>>>> Commit 9c006972c3fe removes the pxd_present() checks because the caller
>>>
>>> nit: please use the standard format for describing commits: Commit 9c006972c3fe
>>> ("arm64: mmu: drop pXd_present() checks from pXd_free_pYd_table()")
>>>
>>>> checks pxd_present(). But, in case of vmap_try_huge_pud(), the caller only
>>>> checks pud_present(); pud_free_pmd_page() recurses on each pmd through
>>>> pmd_free_pte_page(), wherein the pmd may be none. Thus it is possible to
>>>> hit a warning in the latter, since pmd_none => !pmd_table(). Thus, add
>>>> a pmd_present() check in pud_free_pmd_page().
>>>>
>>>> This problem was found by code inspection.
>>>>
>>>> This patch is based on 6.15-rc6.
>>>
>>> nit: please remove this to below the "---", its not part of the commit log.
>>>
>>>>
>>>> Fixes: 9c006972c3fe (arm64: mmu: drop pXd_present() checks from
>>>> pXd_free_pYd_table())
>>>>
>>>
>>> nit: remove empty line; the tags should all be in a single block with no empty
>>> lines.
>>>
>>>> Cc: <stable@vger.kernel.org>
>>>> Reported-by: Ryan Roberts <ryan.roberts@arm.com>
>>>> Signed-off-by: Dev Jain <dev.jain@arm.com>
>>>> ---
>>>> v1->v2:
>>>>    - Enforce check in caller
>>>>
>>>>    arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c | 3 ++-
>>>>    1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
>>>>
>>>> diff --git a/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c b/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
>>>> index ea6695d53fb9..5b1f4cd238ca 100644
>>>> --- a/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
>>>> +++ b/arch/arm64/mm/mmu.c
>>>> @@ -1286,7 +1286,8 @@ int pud_free_pmd_page(pud_t *pudp, unsigned long addr)
>>>>        next = addr;
>>>>        end = addr + PUD_SIZE;
>>>>        do {
>>>> -        pmd_free_pte_page(pmdp, next);
>>>> +        if (pmd_present(*pmdp))
>>>
>>> pmd_free_pte_page() is using READ_ONCE() to access the *pmdp to ensure it can't
>>> be torn. I suspect we don't technically need that in these functions because
>>> there can be no race with a writer.
>>
>> Yeah, if there is no proper locking in place the function would already
>> seriously mess up (double freeing etc).
> 
> Indeed; there is no locking, but this portion of the vmalloc VA space has been
> allocated to us exclusively, so we know there can be no one else racing.
> 
>>
>>> But the arm64 arch code always uses
>>> READ_ONCE() for dereferencing pgtable entries for safely. Perhaps we should be
>>> consistent here?
>>
>> mm/vmalloc.c:   if (pmd_present(*pmd) && !pmd_free_pte_page(pmd, addr))
> 
> Yes, I saw that. I know that we don't technically need READ_ONCE(). I'm just
> proposng that for arm64 code we should be consistent with what it already does.
> See Commit 20a004e7b017 ("arm64: mm: Use READ_ONCE/WRITE_ONCE when accessing
> page tables")

(Sorry for the spam, managed to import the mbox into thunderbird)
So we can just pmdp_get() here?

> 
> Thanks,
> Ryan
> 
>>
>>
>> :)
>>
>> Acked-by: David Hildenbrand <david@redhat.com>
>>
>