Re: [PATCH v13 20/48] arm64: RMI: Handle realm enter/exit

Suzuki K Poulose
2026-03-23T10:04:18Z

On 20/03/2026 16:32, Steven Price wrote:
> On 20/03/2026 14:08, Suzuki K Poulose wrote:
>> On 18/03/2026 15:53, Steven Price wrote:
>>> Entering a realm is done using a SMC call to the RMM. On exit the
>>> exit-codes need to be handled slightly differently to the normal KVM
>>> path so define our own functions for realm enter/exit and hook them
>>> in if the guest is a realm guest.
>>>
>>> Signed-off-by: Steven Price <steven.price@arm.com>
>>> Reviewed-by: Gavin Shan <gshan@redhat.com>
>>> ---
>>> Changes since v12:
>>>   * Call guest_state_{enter,exit}_irqoff() around rmi_rec_enter().
>>>   * Add handling of the IRQ exception case where IRQs need to be briefly
>>>     enabled before exiting guest timing.
>>> Changes since v8:
>>>   * Introduce kvm_rec_pre_enter() called before entering an atomic
>>>     section to handle operations that might require memory allocation
>>>     (specifically completing a RIPAS change introduced in a later patch).
>>>   * Updates to align with upstream changes to hpfar_el2 which now
>>> (ab)uses
>>>     HPFAR_EL2_NS as a valid flag.
>>>   * Fix exit reason when racing with PSCI shutdown to return
>>>     KVM_EXIT_SHUTDOWN rather than KVM_EXIT_UNKNOWN.
>>> Changes since v7:
>>>   * A return of 0 from kvm_handle_sys_reg() doesn't mean the register has
>>>     been read (although that can never happen in the current code). Tidy
>>>     up the condition to handle any future refactoring.
>>> Changes since v6:
>>>   * Use vcpu_err() rather than pr_err/kvm_err when there is an associated
>>>     vcpu to the error.
>>>   * Return -EFAULT for KVM_EXIT_MEMORY_FAULT as per the documentation for
>>>     this exit type.
>>>   * Split code handling a RIPAS change triggered by the guest to the
>>>     following patch.
>>> Changes since v5:
>>>   * For a RIPAS_CHANGE request from the guest perform the actual RIPAS
>>>     change on next entry rather than immediately on the exit. This allows
>>>     the VMM to 'reject' a RIPAS change by refusing to continue
>>>     scheduling.
>>> Changes since v4:
>>>   * Rename handle_rme_exit() to handle_rec_exit()
>>>   * Move the loop to copy registers into the REC enter structure from the
>>>     to rec_exit_handlers callbacks to kvm_rec_enter(). This fixes a bug
>>>     where the handler exits to user space and user space wants to modify
>>>     the GPRS.
>>>   * Some code rearrangement in rec_exit_ripas_change().
>>> Changes since v2:
>>>   * realm_set_ipa_state() now provides an output parameter for the
>>>     top_iap that was changed. Use this to signal the VMM with the correct
>>>     range that has been transitioned.
>>>   * Adapt to previous patch changes.
>>> ---
>>>   arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_rmi.h |   4 +
>>>   arch/arm64/kvm/Makefile          |   2 +-
>>>   arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c             |  26 ++++-
>>>   arch/arm64/kvm/rmi-exit.c        | 178 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>>>   arch/arm64/kvm/rmi.c             |  43 ++++++++
>>>   5 files changed, 247 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)
>>>   create mode 100644 arch/arm64/kvm/rmi-exit.c
>>>
>>> diff --git a/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_rmi.h b/arch/arm64/include/
>>> asm/kvm_rmi.h
>>> index 4e2c61e71a38..7bec3a3976e7 100644
>>> --- a/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_rmi.h
>>> +++ b/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_rmi.h
>>> @@ -92,6 +92,10 @@ void kvm_destroy_realm(struct kvm *kvm);
>>>   void kvm_realm_destroy_rtts(struct kvm *kvm);
>>>   void kvm_destroy_rec(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu);
>>>   +int kvm_rec_enter(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu);
>>> +int kvm_rec_pre_enter(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu);
>>> +int handle_rec_exit(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, int rec_run_status);
>>> +
>>>   static inline bool kvm_realm_is_private_address(struct realm *realm,
>>>                           unsigned long addr)
>>>   {
>>> diff --git a/arch/arm64/kvm/Makefile b/arch/arm64/kvm/Makefile
>>> index e17c4077d8e7..4b103bcbe760 100644
>>> --- a/arch/arm64/kvm/Makefile
>>> +++ b/arch/arm64/kvm/Makefile
>>> @@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ CFLAGS_handle_exit.o += -Wno-override-init
>>>   kvm-y += arm.o mmu.o mmio.o psci.o hypercalls.o pvtime.o \
>>>        inject_fault.o va_layout.o handle_exit.o config.o \
>>>        guest.o debug.o reset.o sys_regs.o stacktrace.o \
>>> -     vgic-sys-reg-v3.o fpsimd.o pkvm.o rmi.o \
>>> +     vgic-sys-reg-v3.o fpsimd.o pkvm.o rmi.o rmi-exit.o \
>>>        arch_timer.o trng.o vmid.o emulate-nested.o nested.o at.o \
>>>        vgic/vgic.o vgic/vgic-init.o \
>>>        vgic/vgic-irqfd.o vgic/vgic-v2.o \
>>> diff --git a/arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c b/arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c
>>> index 45eff4c41cde..badb94b398bc 100644
>>> --- a/arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c
>>> +++ b/arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c
>>> @@ -1311,6 +1311,9 @@ int kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl_run(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
>>>           if (ret > 0)
>>>               ret = check_vcpu_requests(vcpu);
>>>   +        if (ret > 0 && vcpu_is_rec(vcpu))
>>> +            ret = kvm_rec_pre_enter(vcpu);
>>> +
>>>           /*
>>>            * Preparing the interrupts to be injected also
>>>            * involves poking the GIC, which must be done in a
>>> @@ -1358,7 +1361,10 @@ int kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl_run(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
>>>           trace_kvm_entry(*vcpu_pc(vcpu));
>>>           guest_timing_enter_irqoff();
>>>   -        ret = kvm_arm_vcpu_enter_exit(vcpu);
>>> +        if (vcpu_is_rec(vcpu))
>>> +            ret = kvm_rec_enter(vcpu);
>>> +        else
>>> +            ret = kvm_arm_vcpu_enter_exit(vcpu);
>>>             vcpu->mode = OUTSIDE_GUEST_MODE;
>>>           vcpu->stat.exits++;
>>> @@ -1404,7 +1410,9 @@ int kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl_run(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
>>>            * context synchronization event) is necessary to ensure that
>>>            * pending interrupts are taken.
>>>            */
>>> -        if (ARM_EXCEPTION_CODE(ret) == ARM_EXCEPTION_IRQ) {
>>> +        if (ARM_EXCEPTION_CODE(ret) == ARM_EXCEPTION_IRQ ||
>>> +            (vcpu_is_rec(vcpu) &&
>>> +             vcpu->arch.rec.run->exit.exit_reason == RMI_EXIT_IRQ)) {
>>>               local_irq_enable();
>>>               isb();
>>>               local_irq_disable();
>>> @@ -1416,8 +1424,13 @@ int kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl_run(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
>>>             trace_kvm_exit(ret, kvm_vcpu_trap_get_class(vcpu),
>>> *vcpu_pc(vcpu));
>>>   -        /* Exit types that need handling before we can be preempted */
>>> -        handle_exit_early(vcpu, ret);
>>> +        if (!vcpu_is_rec(vcpu)) {
>>> +            /*
>>> +             * Exit types that need handling before we can be
>>> +             * preempted
>>> +             */
>>> +            handle_exit_early(vcpu, ret);
>>> +        }
>>>             kvm_nested_sync_hwstate(vcpu);
>>>   @@ -1442,7 +1455,10 @@ int kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl_run(struct kvm_vcpu
>>> *vcpu)
>>>               ret = ARM_EXCEPTION_IL;
>>>           }
>>>   -        ret = handle_exit(vcpu, ret);
>>> +        if (vcpu_is_rec(vcpu))
>>> +            ret = handle_rec_exit(vcpu, ret);
>>> +        else
>>> +            ret = handle_exit(vcpu, ret);
>>>       }
>>>         /* Tell userspace about in-kernel device output levels */
>>> diff --git a/arch/arm64/kvm/rmi-exit.c b/arch/arm64/kvm/rmi-exit.c
>>> new file mode 100644
>>> index 000000000000..f5701153dec0
>>> --- /dev/null
>>> +++ b/arch/arm64/kvm/rmi-exit.c
>>> @@ -0,0 +1,178 @@
>>> +// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
>>> +/*
>>> + * Copyright (C) 2023 ARM Ltd.
>>> + */
>>> +
>>> +#include <linux/kvm_host.h>
>>> +#include <kvm/arm_hypercalls.h>
>>> +#include <kvm/arm_psci.h>
>>> +
>>> +#include <asm/rmi_smc.h>
>>> +#include <asm/kvm_emulate.h>
>>> +#include <asm/kvm_rmi.h>
>>> +#include <asm/kvm_mmu.h>
>>> +
>>> +typedef int (*exit_handler_fn)(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu);
>>> +
>>> +static int rec_exit_reason_notimpl(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
>>> +{
>>> +    struct realm_rec *rec = &vcpu->arch.rec;
>>> +
>>> +    vcpu_err(vcpu, "Unhandled exit reason from realm (ESR: %#llx)\n",
>>> +         rec->run->exit.esr);
>>> +    return -ENXIO;
>>> +}
>>> +
>>> +static int rec_exit_sync_dabt(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
>>> +{
>>> +    return kvm_handle_guest_abort(vcpu);
>>> +}
>>> +
>>> +static int rec_exit_sync_iabt(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
>>> +{
>>> +    struct realm_rec *rec = &vcpu->arch.rec;
>>> +
>>> +    vcpu_err(vcpu, "Unhandled instruction abort (ESR: %#llx).\n",
>>> +         rec->run->exit.esr);
>>> +    return -ENXIO;
>>> +}
>>> +
>>> +static int rec_exit_sys_reg(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
>>> +{
>>> +    struct realm_rec *rec = &vcpu->arch.rec;
>>> +    unsigned long esr = kvm_vcpu_get_esr(vcpu);
>>> +    int rt = kvm_vcpu_sys_get_rt(vcpu);
>>> +    bool is_write = !(esr & 1);
>>> +    int ret;
>>> +
>>> +    if (is_write)
>>> +        vcpu_set_reg(vcpu, rt, rec->run->exit.gprs[0]);
>>
>> The RMM has been fixed to indicate the correct value in ESR_ELx_SRT. So
>> this could be :
>>         vcpu_set_reg(vcpu, rt, rec->run->ext.gprs[rt]); ?
>>
>>> +
>>> +    ret = kvm_handle_sys_reg(vcpu);
>>> +    if (!is_write)
>>> +        rec->run->enter.gprs[0] = vcpu_get_reg(vcpu, rt);
>>
>> Same here ^
>
> True, although no functional change because it's always going to be 0.
>
>>> +
>>> +    return ret;
>>> +}
>>> +
>>> +static exit_handler_fn rec_exit_handlers[] = {
>>> +    [0 ... ESR_ELx_EC_MAX]    = rec_exit_reason_notimpl,
>>> +    [ESR_ELx_EC_SYS64]    = rec_exit_sys_reg,
>>> +    [ESR_ELx_EC_DABT_LOW]    = rec_exit_sync_dabt,
>>> +    [ESR_ELx_EC_IABT_LOW]    = rec_exit_sync_iabt
>>> +};
>>> +
>>> +static int rec_exit_psci(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
>>> +{
>>> +    struct realm_rec *rec = &vcpu->arch.rec;
>>> +    int i;
>>> +
>>> +    for (i = 0; i < REC_RUN_GPRS; i++)
>>> +        vcpu_set_reg(vcpu, i, rec->run->exit.gprs[i]);
>>> +
>>> +    return kvm_smccc_call_handler(vcpu);
>>> +}
>>> +
>>> +static int rec_exit_ripas_change(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
>>> +{
>>> +    struct kvm *kvm = vcpu->kvm;
>>> +    struct realm *realm = &kvm->arch.realm;
>>> +    struct realm_rec *rec = &vcpu->arch.rec;
>>> +    unsigned long base = rec->run->exit.ripas_base;
>>> +    unsigned long top = rec->run->exit.ripas_top;
>>> +    unsigned long ripas = rec->run->exit.ripas_value;
>>> +
>>> +    if (!kvm_realm_is_private_address(realm, base) ||
>>> +        !kvm_realm_is_private_address(realm, top - 1)) {
>>> +        vcpu_err(vcpu, "Invalid RIPAS_CHANGE for %#lx - %#lx, ripas:
>>> %#lx\n",
>>> +             base, top, ripas);
>>> +        /* Set RMI_REJECT bit */
>>> +        rec->run->enter.flags = REC_ENTER_FLAG_RIPAS_RESPONSE;
>>> +        return -EINVAL;
>>> +    }
>>> +
>>> +    /* Exit to VMM, the actual RIPAS change is done on next entry */
>>> +    kvm_prepare_memory_fault_exit(vcpu, base, top - base, false, false,
>>> +                      ripas == RMI_RAM);
>>> +
>>> +    /*
>>> +     * KVM_EXIT_MEMORY_FAULT requires an return code of -EFAULT, see the
>>> +     * API documentation
>>> +     */
>>> +    return -EFAULT;
>>> +}
>>> +
>>> +static void update_arch_timer_irq_lines(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
>>> +{
>>> +    struct realm_rec *rec = &vcpu->arch.rec;
>>> +
>>> +    __vcpu_assign_sys_reg(vcpu, CNTV_CTL_EL0, rec->run->exit.cntv_ctl);
>>> +    __vcpu_assign_sys_reg(vcpu, CNTV_CVAL_EL0, rec->run-
>>>> exit.cntv_cval);
>>> +    __vcpu_assign_sys_reg(vcpu, CNTP_CTL_EL0, rec->run->exit.cntp_ctl);
>>> +    __vcpu_assign_sys_reg(vcpu, CNTP_CVAL_EL0, rec->run-
>>>> exit.cntp_cval);
>>> +
>>> +    kvm_realm_timers_update(vcpu);
>>> +}
>>> +
>>> +/*
>>> + * Return > 0 to return to guest, < 0 on error, 0 (and set
>>> exit_reason) on
>>> + * proper exit to userspace.
>>> + */
>>> +int handle_rec_exit(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, int rec_run_ret)
>>> +{
>>> +    struct realm_rec *rec = &vcpu->arch.rec;
>>> +    u8 esr_ec = ESR_ELx_EC(rec->run->exit.esr);
>>> +    unsigned long status, index;
>>> +
>>> +    status = RMI_RETURN_STATUS(rec_run_ret);
>>> +    index = RMI_RETURN_INDEX(rec_run_ret);
>>> +
>>> +    /*
>>> +     * If a PSCI_SYSTEM_OFF request raced with a vcpu executing, we
>>> might
>>> +     * see the following status code and index indicating an attempt
>>> to run
>>> +     * a REC when the RD state is SYSTEM_OFF.  In this case, we just
>>> need to
>>> +     * return to user space which can deal with the system event or
>>> will try
>>> +     * to run the KVM VCPU again, at which point we will no longer
>>> attempt
>>> +     * to enter the Realm because we will have a sleep request
>>> pending on
>>> +     * the VCPU as a result of KVM's PSCI handling.
>>> +     */
>>> +    if (status == RMI_ERROR_REALM && index == 1) {
>>> +        vcpu->run->exit_reason = KVM_EXIT_SHUTDOWN;
>>> +        return 0;
>>> +    }
>>> +
>>> +    if (rec_run_ret)
>>> +        return -ENXIO;
>>> +
>>> +    vcpu->arch.fault.esr_el2 = rec->run->exit.esr;
>>
>> Even ESR_EL2 is only valid when the exit reason is RMI_EXIT_SYNC or
>> RMI_EXIT_SERROR.
>> Doing this unconditional copying is fine, as long as we don't consume
>> the esr_el2 in exit handling without consulting the exit reason, which
>> may not be available to the rest of the KVM. It may be safer to set it
>> to 0 ?
>
> For HPFAR_EL2 there is code in the kernel which hijacks the EL2_NS bit a
> 'valid' bit, hence we have to handle that one specially to record
> whether the value is valid or not.
>
> esr_el2/far_el2 may or may not be valid depending on the exit, but
> there's no 'valid' flag for the generic kernel code to look for - so
> that generic code either depends on the value (in which case 0 is just
> as invalid) or doesn't use it.
>
> My preference is to avoid trying to keep track of the exit reasons where
> such flags are valid and just provide the generic code with whatever the
> RMM provides. In any case the values are generally 'sanitised' by the
> RMM so they don't represent the real CPU registers.
>
>>> +    vcpu->arch.fault.far_el2 = rec->run->exit.far;
>>> +    /* HPFAR_EL2 is only valid for RMI_EXIT_SYNC */
>>> +    vcpu->arch.fault.hpfar_el2 = 0;
>>> +
>>> +    update_arch_timer_irq_lines(vcpu);
>>> +
>>> +    /* Reset the emulation flags for the next run of the REC */
>>> +    rec->run->enter.flags = 0;
>>> +
>>> +    switch (rec->run->exit.exit_reason) {
>>> +    case RMI_EXIT_SYNC:
>>> +        /*
>>> +         * HPFAR_EL2_NS is hijacked to indicate a valid HPFAR value,
>>> +         * see __get_fault_info()
>>> +         */
>>> +        vcpu->arch.fault.hpfar_el2 = rec->run->exit.hpfar |
>>> HPFAR_EL2_NS;
>>> +        return rec_exit_handlers[esr_ec](vcpu);
>>> +    case RMI_EXIT_IRQ:
>>> +    case RMI_EXIT_FIQ:
>>> +        return 1;
>>> +    case RMI_EXIT_PSCI:
>>> +        return rec_exit_psci(vcpu);
>>> +    case RMI_EXIT_RIPAS_CHANGE:
>>> +        return rec_exit_ripas_change(vcpu);
>>
>> RMI_EXIT_SERROR is missing in the list above.
>
> Indeed, I think I need to read up on how that's meant to be handled.
>
>>> +    }
>>> +
>>> +    kvm_pr_unimpl("Unsupported exit reason: %u\n",
>>> +              rec->run->exit.exit_reason);
>>
>>
>>
>>> +    vcpu->run->exit_reason = KVM_EXIT_INTERNAL_ERROR;
>>> +    return 0;
>>> +}
>>> diff --git a/arch/arm64/kvm/rmi.c b/arch/arm64/kvm/rmi.c
>>> index 6daf14c4b413..ee8aab098117 100644
>>> --- a/arch/arm64/kvm/rmi.c
>>> +++ b/arch/arm64/kvm/rmi.c
>>> @@ -394,6 +394,49 @@ static int realm_ensure_created(struct kvm *kvm)
>>>       return -ENXIO;
>>>   }
>>>   +/*
>>> + * kvm_rec_pre_enter - Complete operations before entering a REC
>>> + *
>>> + * Some operations require work to be completed before entering a
>>> realm. That
>>> + * work may require memory allocation so cannot be done in the
>>> kvm_rec_enter()
>>> + * call.
>>> + *
>>> + * Return: 1 if we should enter the guest
>>> + *       0 if we should exit to userspace
>>> + *       < 0 if we should exit to userspace, where the return value
>>> indicates
>>> + *       an error
>>> + */
>>> +int kvm_rec_pre_enter(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
>>> +{
>>> +    struct realm_rec *rec = &vcpu->arch.rec;
>>> +
>>> +    if (kvm_realm_state(vcpu->kvm) != REALM_STATE_ACTIVE)
>>> +        return -EINVAL;
>>> +
>>> +    switch (rec->run->exit.exit_reason) {
>>> +    case RMI_EXIT_HOST_CALL:
>>> +    case RMI_EXIT_PSCI:
>>> +        for (int i = 0; i < REC_RUN_GPRS; i++)
>>> +            rec->run->enter.gprs[i] = vcpu_get_reg(vcpu, i);
>>> +        break;
>>> +    }
>>> +
>>> +    return 1;
>>> +}
>>> +
>>> +int noinstr kvm_rec_enter(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
>>> +{
>>> +    struct realm_rec *rec = &vcpu->arch.rec;
>>> +    int ret;
>>> +
>>> +    guest_state_enter_irqoff();
>>> +    ret = rmi_rec_enter(virt_to_phys(rec->rec_page),
>>> +                virt_to_phys(rec->run));
>>
>> In the normal VM case, we try to fixup some of the exits (e.g., GIC
>> CPUIF register accesses) which may be applicable to Realms. Do we
>> need such fixups here ? Given the cost of world switch, it is
>> debatable whether it matters or not.
>
> I'm not really sure what you are referring to here. Can you point me at
> the normal VM case? This function is the equivalent of
> kvm_arm_vcpu_enter_exit().

This happens via fixup_guest_exit() in either vhe/nvhe cases. The VGIC
registers are emulated in the fast path for normal VMs (when trapping is
enabled)

Cheers
Suzuki

>
> Thanks,
> Steve
>
>> Suzuki
>>> +    guest_state_exit_irqoff();
>>> +
>>> +    return ret;
>>> +}
>>> +
>>>   static void free_rec_aux(struct page **aux_pages,
>>>                unsigned int num_aux)
>>>   {
>>
>