From: Will Deacon <will@kernel.org>
To: kvmarm@lists.linux.dev
Cc: mark.rutland@arm.com, linux-arm-kernel@lists.infradead.org,
Will Deacon <will@kernel.org>, Marc Zyngier <maz@kernel.org>,
Oliver Upton <oupton@kernel.org>,
James Clark <james.clark@linaro.org>, Leo Yan <leo.yan@arm.com>,
Suzuki K Poulose <suzuki.poulose@arm.com>,
Fuad Tabba <tabba@google.com>,
Alexandru Elisei <alexandru.elisei@arm.com>,
Yabin Cui <yabinc@google.com>
Subject: [PATCH v2 2/3] KVM: arm64: Disable SPE Profiling Buffer when running in guest context
Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2026 21:21:34 +0000 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <20260227212136.7660-3-will@kernel.org> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <20260227212136.7660-1-will@kernel.org>
The nVHE world-switch code relies on zeroing PMSCR_EL1 to disable
profiling data generation in guest context when SPE is in use by the
host.
Unfortunately, this may leave PMBLIMITR_EL1.E set and consequently we
can end up running in guest/hypervisor context with the Profiling Buffer
enabled. The current "known issues" document for Rev M.a of the Arm ARM
states that this can lead to speculative, out-of-context translations:
| 2.18 D23136:
|
| When the Profiling Buffer is enabled, profiling is not stopped, and
| Discard mode is not enabled, the Statistical Profiling Unit might
| cause speculative translations for the owning translation regime,
| including when the owning translation regime is out-of-context.
In a similar fashion to TRBE, ensure that the Profiling Buffer is
disabled during the nVHE world switch before we start messing with the
stage-2 MMU and trap configuration.
Cc: Marc Zyngier <maz@kernel.org>
Cc: Oliver Upton <oupton@kernel.org>
Cc: James Clark <james.clark@linaro.org>
Cc: Leo Yan <leo.yan@arm.com>
Cc: Suzuki K Poulose <suzuki.poulose@arm.com>
Cc: Fuad Tabba <tabba@google.com>
Cc: Alexandru Elisei <alexandru.elisei@arm.com>
Fixes: f85279b4bd48 ("arm64: KVM: Save/restore the host SPE state when entering/leaving a VM")
Signed-off-by: Will Deacon <will@kernel.org>
---
arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_host.h | 1 +
arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/nvhe/debug-sr.c | 33 ++++++++++++++++++++----------
arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/nvhe/switch.c | 2 +-
3 files changed, 24 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-)
diff --git a/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_host.h b/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_host.h
index 1532ad2b2ec2..d527c77977dd 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_host.h
+++ b/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_host.h
@@ -768,6 +768,7 @@ struct kvm_host_data {
struct kvm_guest_debug_arch regs;
/* Statistical profiling extension */
u64 pmscr_el1;
+ u64 pmblimitr_el1;
/* Self-hosted trace */
u64 trfcr_el1;
u64 trblimitr_el1;
diff --git a/arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/nvhe/debug-sr.c b/arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/nvhe/debug-sr.c
index 3dbdee1148d3..75158a9cd06a 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/nvhe/debug-sr.c
+++ b/arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/nvhe/debug-sr.c
@@ -14,20 +14,20 @@
#include <asm/kvm_hyp.h>
#include <asm/kvm_mmu.h>
-static void __debug_save_spe(u64 *pmscr_el1)
+static void __debug_save_spe(void)
{
- u64 reg;
+ u64 *pmscr_el1, *pmblimitr_el1;
- /* Clear pmscr in case of early return */
- *pmscr_el1 = 0;
+ pmscr_el1 = host_data_ptr(host_debug_state.pmscr_el1);
+ pmblimitr_el1 = host_data_ptr(host_debug_state.pmblimitr_el1);
/*
* At this point, we know that this CPU implements
* SPE and is available to the host.
* Check if the host is actually using it ?
*/
- reg = read_sysreg_s(SYS_PMBLIMITR_EL1);
- if (!(reg & BIT(PMBLIMITR_EL1_E_SHIFT)))
+ *pmblimitr_el1 = read_sysreg_s(SYS_PMBLIMITR_EL1);
+ if (!(*pmblimitr_el1 & BIT(PMBLIMITR_EL1_E_SHIFT)))
return;
/* Yes; save the control register and disable data generation */
@@ -37,18 +37,29 @@ static void __debug_save_spe(u64 *pmscr_el1)
/* Now drain all buffered data to memory */
psb_csync();
+ dsb(nsh);
+
+ /* And disable the profiling buffer */
+ write_sysreg_s(0, SYS_PMBLIMITR_EL1);
+ isb();
}
-static void __debug_restore_spe(u64 pmscr_el1)
+static void __debug_restore_spe(void)
{
- if (!pmscr_el1)
+ u64 pmblimitr_el1 = *host_data_ptr(host_debug_state.pmblimitr_el1);
+
+ if (!(pmblimitr_el1 & BIT(PMBLIMITR_EL1_E_SHIFT)))
return;
/* The host page table is installed, but not yet synchronised */
isb();
+ /* Re-enable the profiling buffer. */
+ write_sysreg_s(pmblimitr_el1, SYS_PMBLIMITR_EL1);
+ isb();
+
/* Re-enable data generation */
- write_sysreg_el1(pmscr_el1, SYS_PMSCR);
+ write_sysreg_el1(*host_data_ptr(host_debug_state.pmscr_el1), SYS_PMSCR);
}
static void __trace_do_switch(u64 *saved_trfcr, u64 new_trfcr)
@@ -177,7 +188,7 @@ void __debug_save_host_buffers_nvhe(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
{
/* Disable and flush SPE data generation */
if (host_data_test_flag(HAS_SPE))
- __debug_save_spe(host_data_ptr(host_debug_state.pmscr_el1));
+ __debug_save_spe();
/* Disable BRBE branch records */
if (host_data_test_flag(HAS_BRBE))
@@ -195,7 +206,7 @@ void __debug_switch_to_guest(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
void __debug_restore_host_buffers_nvhe(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
{
if (host_data_test_flag(HAS_SPE))
- __debug_restore_spe(*host_data_ptr(host_debug_state.pmscr_el1));
+ __debug_restore_spe();
if (host_data_test_flag(HAS_BRBE))
__debug_restore_brbe(*host_data_ptr(host_debug_state.brbcr_el1));
if (__trace_needs_switch())
diff --git a/arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/nvhe/switch.c b/arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/nvhe/switch.c
index f00688e69d88..9b6e87dac3b9 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/nvhe/switch.c
+++ b/arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/nvhe/switch.c
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ int __kvm_vcpu_run(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
* We're about to restore some new MMU state. Make sure
* ongoing page-table walks that have started before we
* trapped to EL2 have completed. This also synchronises the
- * above disabling of BRBE and SPE.
+ * above disabling of BRBE.
*
* See DDI0487I.a D8.1.5 "Out-of-context translation regimes",
* rule R_LFHQG and subsequent information statements.
--
2.53.0.473.g4a7958ca14-goog
next prev parent reply other threads:[~2026-02-27 21:22 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 14+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2026-02-27 21:21 [PATCH v2 0/3] KVM: arm64: Fix SPE and TRBE nVHE world switch Will Deacon
2026-02-27 21:21 ` [PATCH v2 1/3] KVM: arm64: Disable TRBE Trace Buffer Unit when running in guest context Will Deacon
2026-03-03 9:23 ` Suzuki K Poulose
2026-03-03 17:39 ` Leo Yan
2026-03-25 19:27 ` Fuad Tabba
2026-03-26 12:49 ` Will Deacon
2026-02-27 21:21 ` Will Deacon [this message]
2026-03-03 9:48 ` [PATCH v2 2/3] KVM: arm64: Disable SPE Profiling Buffer " Suzuki K Poulose
2026-03-03 14:39 ` Will Deacon
2026-03-03 15:01 ` Suzuki K Poulose
2026-03-25 16:34 ` Alexandru Elisei
2026-03-25 19:28 ` Fuad Tabba
2026-02-27 21:21 ` [PATCH v2 3/3] KVM: arm64: Don't pass host_debug_state to BRBE world-switch routines Will Deacon
2026-03-25 19:28 ` Fuad Tabba
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