From: Thomas Richter <tmricht@linux.ibm.com>
To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, linux-s390@vger.kernel.org,
linux-perf-users@vger.kernel.org, acme@kernel.org,
namhyung@kernel.org, james.clark@linaro.org, irogers@google.com
Cc: agordeev@linux.ibm.com, gor@linux.ibm.com,
sumanthk@linux.ibm.com, hca@linux.ibm.com, japo@linux.ibm.com,
Thomas Richter <tmricht@linux.ibm.com>
Subject: [PATCH v4 linux-next] perf parse-events: Fix big-endian 'overwrite' by writing correct union member
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2026 14:14:56 +0100 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <20260217131456.4085419-1-tmricht@linux.ibm.com> (raw)
v1 -> v2: Add comments from James Clark and Ian Rogers
v2 -> v3: Improve switch statement in add_config_term()
v3 -> v4: Fix clang warnings
The "Read backward ring buffer" test crashes on big-endian (e.g. s390x)
due to a NULL dereference when the backward mmap path isn't enabled.
Reproducer:
# ./perf test -F 'Read backward ring buffer'
Segmentation fault (core dumped)
# uname -m
s390x
#
Root cause:
get_config_terms() stores into evsel_config_term::val.val (u64) while later
code reads boolean fields such as evsel_config_term::val.overwrite.
On big-endian the 1-byte boolean is left-aligned, so writing
evsel_config_term::val.val = 1 is read back as
evsel_config_term::val.overwrite = 0,
leaving backward mmap disabled and a NULL map being used.
Store values in the union member that matches the term type, e.g.:
/* for OVERWRITE */
new_term->val.overwrite = 1; /* not new_term->val.val = 1 */
to fix this. Improve add_config_term() and add two more parameters for
string and value. Function add_config_term() now creates a complete node
element of type evsel_config_term and handles all evsel_config_term::val
union members.
Impact:
Enables backward mmap on big-endian and prevents the crash.
No change on little-endian.
Output after:
# ./perf test -Fv 44
--- start ---
Using CPUID IBM,9175,705,ME1,3.8,002f
mmap size 1052672B
mmap size 8192B
---- end ----
44: Read backward ring buffer : Ok
#
Fixes: 159ca97cd97c ("perf parse-events: Refactor get_config_terms() to remove macros")
Signed-off-by: Thomas Richter <tmricht@linux.ibm.com>
Reviewed-by: Jan Polensky <japo@linux.ibm.com>
Cc: James Clark <james.clark@linaro.org>
Cc: Ian Rogers <irogers@google.com>
---
tools/perf/util/parse-events.c | 82 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------
1 file changed, 65 insertions(+), 17 deletions(-)
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
index b9efb296bba5..7b4629625b1e 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
@@ -1117,7 +1117,7 @@ static int config_attr(struct perf_event_attr *attr,
static struct evsel_config_term *add_config_term(enum evsel_term_type type,
struct list_head *head_terms,
- bool weak)
+ bool weak, char *str, u64 val)
{
struct evsel_config_term *t;
@@ -1128,8 +1128,62 @@ static struct evsel_config_term *add_config_term(enum evsel_term_type type,
INIT_LIST_HEAD(&t->list);
t->type = type;
t->weak = weak;
+
+ switch (type) {
+ case EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_PERIOD:
+ case EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_FREQ:
+ case EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_STACK_USER:
+ case EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_USR_CHG_CONFIG:
+ case EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_USR_CHG_CONFIG1:
+ case EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_USR_CHG_CONFIG2:
+ case EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_USR_CHG_CONFIG3:
+ case EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_USR_CHG_CONFIG4:
+ t->val.val = val;
+ break;
+ case EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_TIME:
+ t->val.time = val;
+ break;
+ case EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_INHERIT:
+ t->val.inherit = val;
+ break;
+ case EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_OVERWRITE:
+ t->val.overwrite = val;
+ break;
+ case EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_MAX_STACK:
+ t->val.max_stack = val;
+ break;
+ case EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_MAX_EVENTS:
+ t->val.max_events = val;
+ break;
+ case EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_PERCORE:
+ t->val.percore = val;
+ break;
+ case EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_AUX_OUTPUT:
+ t->val.aux_output = val;
+ break;
+ case EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_AUX_SAMPLE_SIZE:
+ t->val.aux_sample_size = val;
+ break;
+ case EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_CALLGRAPH:
+ case EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_BRANCH:
+ case EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_DRV_CFG:
+ case EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_RATIO_TO_PREV:
+ case EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_AUX_ACTION:
+ if (str) {
+ t->val.str = strdup(str);
+ if (!t->val.str) {
+ zfree(&t);
+ return NULL;
+ }
+ t->free_str = true;
+ }
+ break;
+ default:
+ t->val.val = val;
+ break;
+ }
+
list_add_tail(&t->list, head_terms);
-
return t;
}
@@ -1142,7 +1196,7 @@ static int get_config_terms(const struct parse_events_terms *head_config,
struct evsel_config_term *new_term;
enum evsel_term_type new_type;
bool str_type = false;
- u64 val;
+ u64 val = 0;
switch (term->type_term) {
case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_SAMPLE_PERIOD:
@@ -1234,20 +1288,15 @@ static int get_config_terms(const struct parse_events_terms *head_config,
continue;
}
- new_term = add_config_term(new_type, head_terms, term->weak);
+ /*
+ * Note: Members evsel_config_term::val and
+ * parse_events_term::val are unions and endianness needs
+ * to be taken into account when changing such union members.
+ */
+ new_term = add_config_term(new_type, head_terms, term->weak,
+ str_type ? term->val.str : NULL, val);
if (!new_term)
return -ENOMEM;
-
- if (str_type) {
- new_term->val.str = strdup(term->val.str);
- if (!new_term->val.str) {
- zfree(&new_term);
- return -ENOMEM;
- }
- new_term->free_str = true;
- } else {
- new_term->val.val = val;
- }
}
return 0;
}
@@ -1277,10 +1326,9 @@ static int add_cfg_chg(const struct perf_pmu *pmu,
if (bits) {
struct evsel_config_term *new_term;
- new_term = add_config_term(new_term_type, head_terms, false);
+ new_term = add_config_term(new_term_type, head_terms, false, NULL, bits);
if (!new_term)
return -ENOMEM;
- new_term->val.cfg_chg = bits;
}
return 0;
--
2.53.0
next reply other threads:[~2026-02-17 13:15 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 4+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2026-02-17 13:14 Thomas Richter [this message]
2026-02-17 14:09 ` [PATCH v4 linux-next] perf parse-events: Fix big-endian 'overwrite' by writing correct union member James Clark
2026-02-24 16:47 ` Ian Rogers
2026-02-24 17:57 ` Namhyung Kim
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