Re: [PATCH v2 2/2] powerpc/vmx: avoid KASAN instrumentation in enter_vmx_ops() for kexec

Ritesh Harjani
2026-04-04T01:04:24Z

Sourabh Jain <sourabhjain@linux.ibm.com> writes:

> The kexec sequence invokes enter_vmx_ops() via copy_page() with the MMU
> disabled. In this context, code must not rely on normal virtual address
> translations or trigger page faults.
>
> With KASAN enabled, functions get instrumented and may access shadow
> memory using regular address translation. When executed with the MMU
> off, this can lead to page faults (bad_page_fault) from which the
> kernel cannot recover in the kexec path, resulting in a hang.
>
> The kexec path sets preempt_count to HARDIRQ_OFFSET before entering
> the MMU-off copy sequence.
>
> current_thread_info()->preempt_count = HARDIRQ_OFFSET
> kexec_sequence(..., copy_with_mmu_off = 1)
> -> kexec_copy_flush(image)
> copy_segments()
> -> copy_page(dest, addr)
> bl enter_vmx_ops()
> if (in_interrupt())
> return 0
> beq .Lnonvmx_copy
>
> Since kexec sets preempt_count to HARDIRQ_OFFSET, in_interrupt()
> evaluates to true and enter_vmx_ops() returns early.
>
> As in_interrupt() (and preempt_count()) are always inlined, mark
> enter_vmx_ops() with __no_sanitize_address to avoid KASAN
> instrumentation and shadow memory access with MMU disabled, helping
> kexec boot fine with KASAN enabled.
>

Nice! LGTM. Please feel free to add:
Reviewed-by: Ritesh Harjani (IBM) <ritesh.list@gmail.com>

> Cc: Aditya Gupta <adityag@linux.ibm.com>
> Cc: Daniel Axtens <dja@axtens.net>
> Cc: Hari Bathini <hbathini@linux.ibm.com>
> Cc: Madhavan Srinivasan <maddy@linux.ibm.com>
> Cc: Mahesh Salgaonkar <mahesh@linux.ibm.com>
> Cc: Michael Ellerman <mpe@ellerman.id.au>
> Cc: Ritesh Harjani (IBM) <ritesh.list@gmail.com>
> Cc: Shivang Upadhyay <shivangu@linux.ibm.com>
> Cc: Venkat Rao Bagalkote <venkat88@linux.ibm.com>
> Reported-by: Aboorva Devarajan <aboorvad@linux.ibm.com>
> Signed-off-by: Sourabh Jain <sourabhjain@linux.ibm.com>
> ---
> Changelog:
>
> v2:
> - Remove __no_sanitize_address from exit_vmx_ops
> - Add a comment explaining that marking only enter_vmx_ops
> with __no_sanitize_address is sufficient for kexec to
> function properly with KASAN enabled
>
> v1:
> https://lore.kernel.org/all/20260321053121.614022-1-sourabhjain@linux.ibm.com/
> ---
> arch/powerpc/lib/vmx-helper.c | 9 ++++++++-
> 1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
>
> diff --git a/arch/powerpc/lib/vmx-helper.c b/arch/powerpc/lib/vmx-helper.c
> index 554b248002b4..57e897b60db8 100644
> --- a/arch/powerpc/lib/vmx-helper.c
> +++ b/arch/powerpc/lib/vmx-helper.c
> @@ -52,7 +52,14 @@ int exit_vmx_usercopy(void)
> }
> EXPORT_SYMBOL(exit_vmx_usercopy);
>
> -int enter_vmx_ops(void)
> +/*
> + * Can be called from kexec copy_page() path with MMU off. The kexec
> + * code sets preempt_count to HARDIRQ_OFFSET so we return early here.
> + * Since in_interrupt() is always inline, __no_sanitize_address on this
> + * function is sufficient to avoid KASAN shadow memory accesses in real
> + * mode.
> + */
> +int __no_sanitize_address enter_vmx_ops(void)
> {
> if (in_interrupt())
> return 0;
> --
> 2.52.0