Re: [PATCH v2 5/6] x86: Pass kernel thread parameters in fork_frame

Andy Lutomirski
2016-06-19T21:29:36Z

On Sat, Jun 18, 2016 at 1:56 PM, Brian Gerst <brgerst@gmail.com> wrote:
> Instead of setting up a fake pt_regs context, put the kernel thread
> function pointer and arg into the unused callee-restored registers
> of struct fork_frame.

This seems generally okay.

>
> Signed-off-by: Brian Gerst <brgerst@gmail.com>

> @@ -146,19 +147,12 @@ int copy_thread_tls(unsigned long clone_flags, unsigned long sp,

> if (unlikely(p->flags & PF_KTHREAD)) {
> /* kernel thread */
> memset(childregs, 0, sizeof(struct pt_regs));
> - frame->ret_addr = (unsigned long) ret_from_kernel_thread;
> - task_user_gs(p) = __KERNEL_STACK_CANARY;
> - childregs->ds = __USER_DS;
> - childregs->es = __USER_DS;
> - childregs->fs = __KERNEL_PERCPU;

Is the idea that do_execve promises to initialize all these fields to
something sensible if the kernel thread in question tries to return to
user mode?

--Andy