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From: Masami Hiramatsu <mhiramat@kernel.org>
To: Thomas Gleixner <tglx@linutronix.de>, Ingo Molnar <mingo@kernel.org>
Cc: Masami Hiramatsu <mhiramat@kernel.org>,
	Ingo Molnar <mingo@redhat.com>, "H . Peter Anvin" <hpa@zytor.com>,
	linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org,
	Ananth N Mavinakayanahalli <ananth@linux.vnet.ibm.com>,
	Andrew Morton <akpm@linux-foundation.org>,
	Steven Rostedt <rostedt@goodmis.org>,
	linux-arch@vger.kernel.org, Jonathan Corbet <corbet@lwn.net>,
	linux-doc@vger.kernel.org
Subject: [RFC PATCH -tip v5 26/27] Documentation: kprobes: Add how to change the execution path
Date: Tue,  5 Jun 2018 01:01:09 +0900	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <152812806959.10068.3756867273565043166.stgit@devbox> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <152812730943.10068.5166429445118734697.stgit@devbox>

Add a section that explaining how to change the execution
path with kprobes and warnings for some arch.

Signed-off-by: Masami Hiramatsu <mhiramat@kernel.org>
Cc: Jonathan Corbet <corbet@lwn.net>
Cc: linux-doc@vger.kernel.org
---
 Documentation/kprobes.txt |   20 ++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 20 insertions(+)

diff --git a/Documentation/kprobes.txt b/Documentation/kprobes.txt
index 3e9e99ea751b..8a98eed1521b 100644
--- a/Documentation/kprobes.txt
+++ b/Documentation/kprobes.txt
@@ -80,6 +80,26 @@ After the instruction is single-stepped, Kprobes executes the
 "post_handler," if any, that is associated with the kprobe.
 Execution then continues with the instruction following the probepoint.
 
+Changing Execution Path
+-----------------------
+
+Since the kprobes can probe into a running kernel code, it can change
+the register set, including instruction pointer. This operation
+requires maximum attention, such as keeping the stack frame, recovering
+execution path etc. Since it is operated on running kernel and need deep
+knowladge of the archtecture and concurrent computing, you can easily
+shot your foot.
+
+If you change the instruction pointer (and set up other related
+registers) in pre_handler, you must return !0 so that the kprobes
+stops single stepping and just returns to given address.
+This also means post_handler should not be called anymore.
+
+Note that this operation may be harder on some architectures which
+use TOC (Table of Contents) for function call, since you have to
+setup new TOC for your function in your module, and recover old
+one after back from it.
+
 Return Probes
 -------------
 

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      parent reply	other threads:[~2018-06-04 16:01 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 3+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
     [not found] <152812730943.10068.5166429445118734697.stgit@devbox>
2018-06-04 15:49 ` [RFC PATCH -tip v5 01/27] Documentation/kprobes: Fix to remove remaining jprobe Masami Hiramatsu
2018-06-04 16:00 ` [RFC PATCH -tip v5 25/27] kprobes/x86: Do not disable preempt on int3 path Masami Hiramatsu
2018-06-04 16:01 ` Masami Hiramatsu [this message]

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