Re: [PATCH v5 3/6] lib/base64: rework encode/decode for speed and stricter validation

Guan-Chun Wu
2025-11-16T10:28:54Z

On Fri, Nov 14, 2025 at 09:18:30AM +0000, David Laight wrote:
> On Fri, 14 Nov 2025 14:01:32 +0800
> Guan-Chun Wu <409411716@gms.tku.edu.tw> wrote:
>
> > The old base64 implementation relied on a bit-accumulator loop, which was
> > slow for larger inputs and too permissive in validation. It would accept
> > extra '=', missing '=', or even '=' appearing in the middle of the input,
> > allowing malformed strings to pass. This patch reworks the internals to
> > improve performance and enforce stricter validation.
> >
> > Changes:
> > - Encoder:
> > * Process input in 3-byte blocks, mapping 24 bits into four 6-bit
> > symbols, avoiding bit-by-bit shifting and reducing loop iterations.
> > * Handle the final 1-2 leftover bytes explicitly and emit '=' only when
> > requested.
> > - Decoder:
> > * Based on the reverse lookup tables from the previous patch, decode
> > input in 4-character groups.
> > * Each group is looked up directly, converted into numeric values, and
> > combined into 3 output bytes.
> > * Explicitly handle padded and unpadded forms:
> > - With padding: input length must be a multiple of 4, and '=' is
> > allowed only in the last two positions. Reject stray or early '='.
> > - Without padding: validate tail lengths (2 or 3 chars) and require
> > unused low bits to be zero.
> > * Removed the bit-accumulator style loop to reduce loop iterations.
> >
> > Performance (x86_64, Intel Core i7-10700 @ 2.90GHz, avg over 1000 runs,
> > KUnit):
> >
> > Encode:
> > 64B ~90ns -> ~32ns (~2.8x)
> > 1KB ~1332ns -> ~510ns (~2.6x)
> >
> > Decode:
> > 64B ~1530ns -> ~35ns (~43.7x)
> > 1KB ~27726ns -> ~530ns (~52.3x)
> >
> > Co-developed-by: Kuan-Wei Chiu <visitorckw@gmail.com>
> > Signed-off-by: Kuan-Wei Chiu <visitorckw@gmail.com>
> > Co-developed-by: Yu-Sheng Huang <home7438072@gmail.com>
> > Signed-off-by: Yu-Sheng Huang <home7438072@gmail.com>
> > Signed-off-by: Guan-Chun Wu <409411716@gms.tku.edu.tw>
>
> Reviewed-by: David Laight <david.laight.linux@gmail.com>
>
> But see minor nit below.

Hi David,

Thanks for the review and for pointing this out.

Andrew, would it be possible for you to fold this small change
(removing the redundant casts) directly when updating the patch?
If that’s not convenient, I can resend an updated version of the
series instead.

Best regards,
Guan-Chun

> > ---
> > lib/base64.c | 109 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------------------
> > 1 file changed, 68 insertions(+), 41 deletions(-)
> >
> > diff --git a/lib/base64.c b/lib/base64.c
> > index 9d1074bb821c..1a6d8fe37eda 100644
> > --- a/lib/base64.c
> > +++ b/lib/base64.c
> > @@ -79,28 +79,38 @@ static const s8 base64_rev_maps[][256] = {
> > int base64_encode(const u8 *src, int srclen, char *dst, bool padding, enum base64_variant variant)
> > {
> > u32 ac = 0;
> > - int bits = 0;
> > - int i;
> > char *cp = dst;
> > const char *base64_table = base64_tables[variant];
> >
> > - for (i = 0; i < srclen; i++) {
> > - ac = (ac << 8) | src[i];
> > - bits += 8;
> > - do {
> > - bits -= 6;
> > - *cp++ = base64_table[(ac >> bits) & 0x3f];
> > - } while (bits >= 6);
> > - }
> > - if (bits) {
> > - *cp++ = base64_table[(ac << (6 - bits)) & 0x3f];
> > - bits -= 6;
> > + while (srclen >= 3) {
> > + ac = (u32)src[0] << 16 | (u32)src[1] << 8 | (u32)src[2];
>
> There is no need for the (u32) casts.
> All char/short values are promoted to 'int' prior to any maths.
>
> > + *cp++ = base64_table[ac >> 18];
> > + *cp++ = base64_table[(ac >> 12) & 0x3f];
> > + *cp++ = base64_table[(ac >> 6) & 0x3f];
> > + *cp++ = base64_table[ac & 0x3f];
> > +
> > + src += 3;
> > + srclen -= 3;
> > }
> > - if (padding) {
> > - while (bits < 0) {
> > +
> > + switch (srclen) {
> > + case 2:
> > + ac = (u32)src[0] << 16 | (u32)src[1] << 8;
> > + *cp++ = base64_table[ac >> 18];
> > + *cp++ = base64_table[(ac >> 12) & 0x3f];
> > + *cp++ = base64_table[(ac >> 6) & 0x3f];
> > + if (padding)
> > + *cp++ = '=';
> > + break;
> > + case 1:
> > + ac = (u32)src[0] << 16;
> > + *cp++ = base64_table[ac >> 18];
> > + *cp++ = base64_table[(ac >> 12) & 0x3f];
> > + if (padding) {
> > + *cp++ = '=';
> > *cp++ = '=';
> > - bits += 2;
> > }
> > + break;
> > }
> > return cp - dst;
> > }
> > @@ -116,41 +126,58 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(base64_encode);
> > *
> > * Decodes a string using the selected Base64 variant.
> > *
> > - * This implementation hasn't been optimized for performance.
> > - *
> > * Return: the length of the resulting decoded binary data in bytes,
> > * or -1 if the string isn't a valid Base64 string.
> > */
> > int base64_decode(const char *src, int srclen, u8 *dst, bool padding, enum base64_variant variant)
> > {
> > - u32 ac = 0;
> > - int bits = 0;
> > - int i;
> > u8 *bp = dst;
> > - s8 ch;
> > + s8 input[4];
> > + s32 val;
> > + const u8 *s = (const u8 *)src;
> > + const s8 *base64_rev_tables = base64_rev_maps[variant];
> >
> > - for (i = 0; i < srclen; i++) {
> > - if (padding) {
> > - if (src[i] == '=') {
> > - ac = (ac << 6);
> > - bits += 6;
> > - if (bits >= 8)
> > - bits -= 8;
> > - continue;
> > - }
> > - }
> > - ch = base64_rev_maps[variant][(u8)src[i]];
> > - if (ch == -1)
> > - return -1;
> > - ac = (ac << 6) | ch;
> > - bits += 6;
> > - if (bits >= 8) {
> > - bits -= 8;
> > - *bp++ = (u8)(ac >> bits);
> > + while (srclen >= 4) {
> > + input[0] = base64_rev_tables[s[0]];
> > + input[1] = base64_rev_tables[s[1]];
> > + input[2] = base64_rev_tables[s[2]];
> > + input[3] = base64_rev_tables[s[3]];
> > +
> > + val = input[0] << 18 | input[1] << 12 | input[2] << 6 | input[3];
> > +
> > + if (unlikely(val < 0)) {
> > + if (!padding || srclen != 4 || s[3] != '=')
> > + return -1;
> > + padding = 0;
> > + srclen = s[2] == '=' ? 2 : 3;
> > + break;
> > }
> > +
> > + *bp++ = val >> 16;
> > + *bp++ = val >> 8;
> > + *bp++ = val;
> > +
> > + s += 4;
> > + srclen -= 4;
> > }
> > - if (ac & ((1 << bits) - 1))
> > +
> > + if (likely(!srclen))
> > + return bp - dst;
> > + if (padding || srclen == 1)
> > return -1;
> > +
> > + val = (base64_rev_tables[s[0]] << 12) | (base64_rev_tables[s[1]] << 6);
> > + *bp++ = val >> 10;
> > +
> > + if (srclen == 2) {
> > + if (val & 0x800003ff)
> > + return -1;
> > + } else {
> > + val |= base64_rev_tables[s[2]];
> > + if (val & 0x80000003)
> > + return -1;
> > + *bp++ = val >> 2;
> > + }
> > return bp - dst;
> > }
> > EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(base64_decode);
>