Re: [PATCH V4 mlx5-next 13/13] vfio/mlx5: Use its own PCI reset_done error handler

[Alex Williamson <alex.williamson@redhat.com>]

On Tue, 26 Oct 2021 20:50:02 -0300
Jason Gunthorpe <jgg@nvidia.com> wrote:

> On Tue, Oct 26, 2021 at 05:16:44PM -0600, Alex Williamson wrote:
> > > @@ -471,6 +474,47 @@ mlx5vf_pci_migration_data_rw(struct mlx5vf_pci_core_device *mvdev,
> > >  	return count;
> > >  }
> > >  
> > > +/* This function is called in all state_mutex unlock cases to
> > > + * handle a 'defered_reset' if exists.
> > > + */  
> > 
> > I refrained from noting it elsewhere, but we're not in net/ or
> > drivers/net/ here, but we're using their multi-line comment style.  Are
> > we using the strong relation to a driver that does belong there as
> > justification for the style here?  
> 
> I think it is an oversight, tell Yishai you prefer the other format in
> drivers/vfio and it can be fixed

Seems fixed in the new version.

> > > @@ -539,7 +583,7 @@ static ssize_t mlx5vf_pci_mig_rw(struct vfio_pci_core_device *vdev,
> > >  	}
> > >  
> > >  end:
> > > -	mutex_unlock(&mvdev->state_mutex);
> > > +	mlx5vf_state_mutex_unlock(mvdev);  
> > 
> > I'm a little lost here, if the operation was to read the device_state
> > and mvdev->vmig.vfio_dev_state was error, that's already been copied to
> > the user buffer, so the user continues to see the error state for the
> > first read of device_state after reset if they encounter this race?  
> 
> Yes. If the userspace races ioctls they get a deserved mess.
> 
> This race exists no matter what we do, as soon as the unlock happens a
> racing reset ioctl could run in during the system call exit path.
> 
> The purpose of the locking is to protect the kernel from hostile
> userspace, not to allow userspace to execute concurrent ioctl's in a
> sensible way.

The reset_done handler sets deferred_reset = true and if it's possible
to get the state_mutex, will reset migration data and device_state as
part of releasing that mutex.  If there's contention on state_mutex,
the deferred_reset field flags that this migration state is still stale.

So, I assume that it's possible that a user resets the device via ioctl
or config space, there was contention and the migration state is still
stale, right?

The user then goes to read device_state, but the staleness of the
migration state is not resolved until *after* the stale device state is
copied to the user buffer.

What did the user do wrong to see stale data?  Thanks,

Alex