public inbox for linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
 help / color / mirror / Atom feed
From: Andy Lutomirski <luto@amacapital.net>
To: linux-efi@vger.kernel.ogr, LKML <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>
Subject: EFI mixed mode + perf = rampant triple faults
Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 08:51:52 -0800	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <5491B4A8.905@amacapital.net> (raw)

I figured I should send this email before I forget about this issue:

If you run perf record across any EFI mixed mode call or otherwise
receive an NMI or MCE, the machine triple-faults.  The cause is
straightforward: there is no valid IDT when we have long mode disabled
for the duration of the EFI call.

As far as I know, the only way to have continuously functional interrupt
handling across a long mode transition is to install an interrupt vector
table and hope that CPUs actually do something intelligent when
receiving an interrupt with LME=1, LMA=1, and PG=0.  Yuck.

Could we get away with issuing 32-bit EFI calls in compat mode, i.e.
with a 32-bit CPL0 CS but while still in long mode?  I think that
delivery of an IST interrupt (which includes both NMI and MCE) will
correctly switch to a fully valid 64-bit state and would correctly
switch back when we execute IRET at the end.  (Am I missing some reason
that switching bitness without a privilege level change doesn't work
well?  I haven't thought of anything, other than the lack of SS controls
on intra-ring interrupts, but that shouldn't be an issue here.)

As an added benefit, this would considerably simplify the code.

--Andy

             reply	other threads:[~2014-12-17 16:51 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 12+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
2014-12-17 16:51 Andy Lutomirski [this message]
2014-12-17 16:54 ` EFI mixed mode + perf = rampant triple faults Andy Lutomirski
2014-12-31 18:37   ` Matt Fleming
2015-01-14 16:51     ` Matt Fleming
2015-01-14 18:27       ` Andy Lutomirski
2015-01-14 18:35         ` Borislav Petkov
2015-01-14 18:38           ` Andy Lutomirski
2015-01-14 18:47             ` Borislav Petkov
2015-01-14 18:49               ` Andy Lutomirski
2015-01-15 19:41         ` Matt Fleming
2015-01-15 19:59           ` H. Peter Anvin
2015-01-15 22:21             ` Matt Fleming

Reply instructions:

You may reply publicly to this message via plain-text email
using any one of the following methods:

* Save the following mbox file, import it into your mail client,
  and reply-to-all from there: mbox

  Avoid top-posting and favor interleaved quoting:
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posting_style#Interleaved_style

* Reply using the --to, --cc, and --in-reply-to
  switches of git-send-email(1):

  git send-email \
    --in-reply-to=5491B4A8.905@amacapital.net \
    --to=luto@amacapital.net \
    --cc=linux-efi@vger.kernel.ogr \
    --cc=linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org \
    /path/to/YOUR_REPLY

  https://kernel.org/pub/software/scm/git/docs/git-send-email.html

* If your mail client supports setting the In-Reply-To header
  via mailto: links, try the mailto: link
Be sure your reply has a Subject: header at the top and a blank line before the message body.
This is a public inbox, see mirroring instructions
for how to clone and mirror all data and code used for this inbox