[PATCH v2] docs: sysctl: add documentation for crypto and debug

[PATCH v2] docs: sysctl: add documentation for crypto and debug

[Shubham Chakraborty]

Add documentation for the /proc/sys/crypto and /proc/sys/debug
directories in the admin-guide. This includes tunables for FIPS
mode (fips_enabled, fips_name, fips_version), exception-trace,
and kprobes-optimization.

The documentation is based on source code analysis and addresses
stylistic feedback to keep it direct and concise.

Tested-by: Randy Dunlap <rdunlap@infradead.org>
Signed-off-by: Shubham Chakraborty <chakrabortyshubham66@gmail.com>
---
 Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/crypto.rst | 47 +++++++++++++++++++
 Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/debug.rst  | 52 +++++++++++++++++++++
 Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/index.rst  |  6 ++-
 3 files changed, 103 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/crypto.rst
 create mode 100644 Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/debug.rst

diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/crypto.rst b/Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/crypto.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b707bd314
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/crypto.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+=================
+/proc/sys/crypto/
+=================
+
+These files show up in ``/proc/sys/crypto/``, depending on the
+kernel configuration:
+
+.. contents:: :local:
+
+fips_enabled
+============
+
+Read-only flag that indicates whether FIPS mode is enabled.
+
+- ``0``: FIPS mode is disabled (default).
+- ``1``: FIPS mode is enabled.
+
+This value is set at boot time via the ``fips=1`` kernel command line
+parameter. When enabled, the cryptographic API will restrict the use
+of certain algorithms and perform self-tests to ensure compliance with
+FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standards) requirements, such as
+FIPS 140-2 and the newer FIPS 140-3, depending on the kernel
+configuration and the module in use.
+
+fips_name
+=========
+
+Read-only file that contains the name of the FIPS module currently in use.
+The value is typically configured via the ``CONFIG_CRYPTO_FIPS_NAME``
+kernel configuration option.
+
+fips_version
+============
+
+Read-only file that contains the version string of the FIPS module.
+If ``CONFIG_CRYPTO_FIPS_CUSTOM_VERSION`` is set, it uses the value from
+``CONFIG_CRYPTO_FIPS_VERSION``. Otherwise, it defaults to the kernel
+release version (``UTS_RELEASE``).
+
+Copyright (c) 2026, Shubham Chakraborty <chakrabortyshubham66@gmail.com>
+
+For general info and legal blurb, please look in
+Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/index.rst.
+
+.. See scripts/check-sysctl-docs to keep this up to date:
+.. scripts/check-sysctl-docs -vtable="crypto" \
+..         $(git grep -l register_sysctl_)
diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/debug.rst b/Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/debug.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..506bd5e48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/debug.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+================
+/proc/sys/debug/
+================
+
+These files show up in ``/proc/sys/debug/``, depending on the
+kernel configuration:
+
+.. contents:: :local:
+
+exception-trace
+===============
+
+This flag controls whether the kernel prints information about unhandled
+signals (like segmentation faults) to the kernel log (``dmesg``).
+
+- ``0``: Unhandled signals are not traced.
+- ``1``: Information about unhandled signals is printed.
+
+The default value is ``1`` on most architectures (like x86, MIPS, RISC-V),
+but it is ``0`` on **arm64**.
+
+The actual information printed and the context provided varies
+significantly depending on the CPU architecture. For example:
+
+- On **x86**, it typically prints the instruction pointer (IP), error
+  code, and address that caused a page fault.
+- On **PowerPC**, it may print the next instruction pointer (NIP),
+  link register (LR), and other relevant registers.
+
+When enabled, this feature is often rate-limited to prevent the kernel
+log from being flooded during a crash loop.
+
+kprobes-optimization
+====================
+
+This flag enables or disables the optimization of Kprobes on certain
+architectures (like x86).
+
+- ``0``: Kprobes optimization is turned off.
+- ``1``: Kprobes optimization is turned on (default).
+
+For more details on Kprobes and its optimization, please refer to
+Documentation/trace/kprobes.rst.
+
+Copyright (c) 2026, Shubham Chakraborty <chakrabortyshubham66@gmail.com>
+
+For general info and legal blurb, please look in
+Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/index.rst.
+
+.. See scripts/check-sysctl-docs to keep this up to date:
+.. scripts/check-sysctl-docs -vtable="debug" \
+..         $(git grep -l register_sysctl_)
diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/index.rst b/Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/index.rst
index 4dd2c9b5d..e153c9611 100644
--- a/Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/index.rst
+++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/index.rst
@@ -67,8 +67,8 @@ This documentation is about:
 =============== ===============================================================
 abi/		execution domains & personalities
 <$ARCH>		tuning controls for various CPU architecture (e.g. csky, s390)
-crypto/		<undocumented>
-debug/		<undocumented>
+crypto/		cryptographic subsystem
+debug/		debugging features
 dev/		device specific information (e.g. dev/cdrom/info)
 fs/		specific filesystems
 		filehandle, inode, dentry and quota tuning
@@ -96,6 +96,8 @@ it :-)
    :maxdepth: 1
 
    abi
+   crypto
+   debug
    fs
    kernel
    net
-- 
2.53.0

Re: [PATCH v2] docs: sysctl: add documentation for crypto and debug

[Jonathan Corbet]

Shubham Chakraborty <chakrabortyshubham66@gmail.com> writes:

> Add documentation for the /proc/sys/crypto and /proc/sys/debug
> directories in the admin-guide. This includes tunables for FIPS
> mode (fips_enabled, fips_name, fips_version), exception-trace,
> and kprobes-optimization.
>
> The documentation is based on source code analysis and addresses
> stylistic feedback to keep it direct and concise.
>
> Tested-by: Randy Dunlap <rdunlap@infradead.org>
> Signed-off-by: Shubham Chakraborty <chakrabortyshubham66@gmail.com>
> ---
>  Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/crypto.rst | 47 +++++++++++++++++++
>  Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/debug.rst  | 52 +++++++++++++++++++++
>  Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/index.rst  |  6 ++-
>  3 files changed, 103 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
>  create mode 100644 Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/crypto.rst
>  create mode 100644 Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/debug.rst

A few other comments:

- This is the second v2 you have posted, which can only lead to
  confusion.  If you only change was to add Randy's Tested-by, there is
  no need to post a new version just for that; it will be picked up.

- When posting a new version, it is good to give a quick summary of the
  changes from the previous version, below the "---" line.

- Please slow down a bit, there is no need to post multiple times in one
  day.  Give people time to look at your work.

For me, there is no need for you to post a new version unless there are
other comments that need to be addressed.

Thanks,

jon

Re: [PATCH v2] docs: sysctl: add documentation for crypto and debug

[Jonathan Corbet]

Jonathan Corbet <corbet@lwn.net> writes:

> Shubham Chakraborty <chakrabortyshubham66@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> Add documentation for the /proc/sys/crypto and /proc/sys/debug
>> directories in the admin-guide. This includes tunables for FIPS
>> mode (fips_enabled, fips_name, fips_version), exception-trace,
>> and kprobes-optimization.
>>
>> The documentation is based on source code analysis and addresses
>> stylistic feedback to keep it direct and concise.
>>
>> Tested-by: Randy Dunlap <rdunlap@infradead.org>
>> Signed-off-by: Shubham Chakraborty <chakrabortyshubham66@gmail.com>
>> ---
>>  Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/crypto.rst | 47 +++++++++++++++++++
>>  Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/debug.rst  | 52 +++++++++++++++++++++
>>  Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/index.rst  |  6 ++-
>>  3 files changed, 103 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
>>  create mode 100644 Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/crypto.rst
>>  create mode 100644 Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/debug.rst
>
> A few other comments:
>
> - This is the second v2 you have posted, which can only lead to
>   confusion.  If you only change was to add Randy's Tested-by, there is
>   no need to post a new version just for that; it will be picked up.
>
> - When posting a new version, it is good to give a quick summary of the
>   changes from the previous version, below the "---" line.
>
> - Please slow down a bit, there is no need to post multiple times in one
>   day.  Give people time to look at your work.
>
> For me, there is no need for you to post a new version unless there are
> other comments that need to be addressed.

Now applied.

Thanks,

jon