Re: [PATCH V6 1/2] dt-bindings: mailbox: add binding doc for the ARM SMC/HVC mailbox

Jassi Brar
2019-09-18T05:27:14Z

On Tue, Sep 17, 2019 at 12:31 PM Andre Przywara <andre.przywara@arm.com> wrote:
>
> On Mon, 16 Sep 2019 09:44:37 +0000
> Peng Fan <peng.fan@nxp.com> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> > From: Peng Fan <peng.fan@nxp.com>
> >
> > The ARM SMC/HVC mailbox binding describes a firmware interface to trigger
> > actions in software layers running in the EL2 or EL3 exception levels.
> > The term "ARM" here relates to the SMC instruction as part of the ARM
> > instruction set, not as a standard endorsed by ARM Ltd.
> >
> > Signed-off-by: Peng Fan <peng.fan@nxp.com>
> > ---
> > .../devicetree/bindings/mailbox/arm-smc.yaml | 96 ++++++++++++++++++++++
> > 1 file changed, 96 insertions(+)
> > create mode 100644 Documentation/devicetree/bindings/mailbox/arm-smc.yaml
> >
> > diff --git a/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/mailbox/arm-smc.yaml b/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/mailbox/arm-smc.yaml
> > new file mode 100644
> > index 000000000000..bf01bec035fc
> > --- /dev/null
> > +++ b/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/mailbox/arm-smc.yaml
> > @@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
> > +# SPDX-License-Identifier: (GPL-2.0 OR BSD-2-Clause)
> > +%YAML 1.2
> > +---
> > +$id: http://devicetree.org/schemas/mailbox/arm-smc.yaml#
> > +$schema: http://devicetree.org/meta-schemas/core.yaml#
> > +
> > +title: ARM SMC Mailbox Interface
> > +
> > +maintainers:
> > + - Peng Fan <peng.fan@nxp.com>
> > +
> > +description: |
> > + This mailbox uses the ARM smc (secure monitor call) and hvc (hypervisor
>
> I think "or" instead of "and" is less confusing.
>
> > + call) instruction to trigger a mailbox-connected activity in firmware,
> > + executing on the very same core as the caller. The value of r0/w0/x0
> > + the firmware returns after the smc call is delivered as a received
> > + message to the mailbox framework, so synchronous communication can be
> > + established. The exact meaning of the action the mailbox triggers as
> > + well as the return value is defined by their users and is not subject
> > + to this binding.
> > +
> > + One use case of this mailbox is the SCMI interface, which uses shared
>
> One example use case of this mailbox ...
> (to make it more obvious that it's not restricted to this)
>
> > + memory to transfer commands and parameters, and a mailbox to trigger a
> > + function call. This allows SoCs without a separate management processor
> > + (or when such a processor is not available or used) to use this
> > + standardized interface anyway.
> > +
> > + This binding describes no hardware, but establishes a firmware interface.
> > + Upon receiving an SMC using one of the described SMC function identifiers,
>
> ... the described SMC function identifier,
>
> > + the firmware is expected to trigger some mailbox connected functionality.
> > + The communication follows the ARM SMC calling convention.
> > + Firmware expects an SMC function identifier in r0 or w0. The supported
> > + identifiers are passed from consumers,
>
> identifier
>
> "passed from consumers": How? Where?
> But I want to repeat: We should not allow this.
> This is a binding for a mailbox controller driver, not a generic firmware backdoor.
>
Exactly. The mailbox controller here is the SMC/HVC instruction,
which needs 9 arguments to work. The fact that the fist argument is
always going to be same on a platform is just the way we use this
instruction.

> We should be as strict as possible to avoid any security issues.
>
Any example of such a security issue?

> The firmware certainly knows the function ID it implements. The firmware controls the DT. So it is straight-forward to put the ID into the DT. The firmware could even do this at boot time, dynamically, before passing on the DT to the non-secure world (bootloader or kernel).
>
> What would be the use case of this functionality?
>
At least for flexibility and consistency.

> > or listed in the the arm,func-ids
>
> arm,func-id
>
> > + properties as described below. The firmware can return one value in
>
> property
>
> > + the first SMC result register, it is expected to be an error value,
> > + which shall be propagated to the mailbox client.
> > +
> > + Any core which supports the SMC or HVC instruction can be used, as long
> > + as a firmware component running in EL3 or EL2 is handling these calls.
> > +
> > +properties:
> > + compatible:
> > + oneOf:
> > + - description:
> > + For implementations using ARM SMC instruction.
> > + const: arm,smc-mbox
> > +
> > + - description:
> > + For implementations using ARM HVC instruction.
> > + const: arm,hvc-mbox
>
> I am not particularly happy with this, but well ...
>
> > +
> > + "#mbox-cells":
> > + const: 1
>
> Why is this "1"? What is this number used for? It used to be the channel ID, but since you are describing a single channel controller only, this should be 0 now.
>
Yes. I overlooked it and actually queued the patch for pull request.
But I think the bindings should not carry a 'fix' patch later. Also I
realise this revision of binding hasn't been reviewed by Rob. Maybe I
should drop the patch for now.

> > +
> > + arm,func-id:
> > + description: |
> > + An 32-bit value specifying the function ID used by the mailbox.
>
> A single 32-bit value ...
>
> > + The function ID follow the ARM SMC calling convention standard [1].
>
> follows
>
> > + $ref: /schemas/types.yaml#/definitions/uint32
> > +
> > +required:
> > + - compatible
> > + - "#mbox-cells"
> > +
> > +examples:
> > + - |
> > + sram@93f000 {
> > + compatible = "mmio-sram";
> > + reg = <0x0 0x93f000 0x0 0x1000>;
> > + #address-cells = <1>;
> > + #size-cells = <1>;
> > + ranges = <0x0 0x93f000 0x1000>;
> > +
> > + cpu_scp_lpri: scp-shmem@0 {
> > + compatible = "arm,scmi-shmem";
> > + reg = <0x0 0x200>;
> > + };
> > + };
> > +
> > + smc_tx_mbox: tx_mbox {
> > + #mbox-cells = <1>;
>
> As mentioned above, should be 0.
>
> > + compatible = "arm,smc-mbox";
> > + /* optional */
>
> First: having "optional" in a specific example is not helpful, just confusing.
> Second: It is actually *not* optional in this case, as there is no other way of propagating the function ID. The SCMI driver as the mailbox client has certainly no clue about this.
> I think I said this previously: Relying on the mailbox client to pass the function ID sounds broken, as this is a property of the mailbox controller driver. The mailbox client does not care about this mailbox communication detail, it just wants to trigger the mailbox.
>
Again, the mailbox controller here is the SMC/HVC _instruction_, which
doesn't care what value the first argument carry.

Cheers!