[PATCH 07/10] sched_ext: Add verifier-time kfunc context filter

Tejun Heo
2026-04-10T06:30:55Z

Move enforcement of SCX context-sensitive kfunc restrictions from per-task
runtime kf_mask checks to BPF verifier-time filtering, using the BPF core's
struct_ops context information.

A shared .filter callback is attached to each context-sensitive BTF set
and consults a per-op allow table (scx_kf_allow_flags[]) indexed by SCX
ops member offset. Disallowed calls are now rejected at program load time
instead of at runtime.

The old model split reachability across two places: each SCX_CALL_OP*()
set bits naming its op context, and each kfunc's scx_kf_allowed() check
OR'd together the bits it accepted. A kfunc was callable when those two
masks overlapped. The new model transposes the result to the caller side -
each op's allow flags directly list the kfunc groups it may call. The old
bit assignments were:

Call-site bits:
ops.select_cpu = ENQUEUE | SELECT_CPU
ops.enqueue = ENQUEUE
ops.dispatch = DISPATCH
ops.cpu_release = CPU_RELEASE

Kfunc-group accepted bits:
enqueue group = ENQUEUE | DISPATCH
select_cpu group = SELECT_CPU | ENQUEUE
dispatch group = DISPATCH
cpu_release group = CPU_RELEASE

Intersecting them yields the reachability now expressed directly by
scx_kf_allow_flags[]:

ops.select_cpu -> SELECT_CPU | ENQUEUE
ops.enqueue -> SELECT_CPU | ENQUEUE
ops.dispatch -> ENQUEUE | DISPATCH
ops.cpu_release -> CPU_RELEASE

Unlocked ops carried no kf_mask bits and reached only unlocked kfuncs;
that maps directly to UNLOCKED in the new table.

Equivalence was checked by walking every (op, kfunc-group) combination
across SCX ops, SYSCALL, and non-SCX struct_ops callers against the old
scx_kf_allowed() runtime checks. With two intended exceptions (see below),
all combinations reach the same verdict; disallowed calls are now caught at
load time instead of firing scx_error() at runtime.

scx_bpf_dsq_move_set_slice() and scx_bpf_dsq_move_set_vtime() are
exceptions: they have no runtime check at all, but the new filter rejects
them from ops outside dispatch/unlocked. The affected cases are nonsensical
- the values these setters store are only read by
scx_bpf_dsq_move{,_vtime}(), which is itself restricted to
dispatch/unlocked, so a setter call from anywhere else was already dead
code.

Runtime scx_kf_mask enforcement is left in place by this patch and removed
in a follow-up.

Original-patch-by: Juntong Deng <juntong.deng@outlook.com>
Original-patch-by: Cheng-Yang Chou <yphbchou0911@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Tejun Heo <tj@kernel.org>
---
kernel/sched/ext.c | 124 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++--
kernel/sched/ext_idle.c | 1 +
kernel/sched/ext_idle.h | 2 +
kernel/sched/ext_internal.h | 3 +
4 files changed, 125 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/kernel/sched/ext.c b/kernel/sched/ext.c
index 6d7c5c2605c7..81a4fea4c6b6 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/ext.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/ext.c
@@ -8133,6 +8133,7 @@ BTF_KFUNCS_END(scx_kfunc_ids_enqueue_dispatch)
static const struct btf_kfunc_id_set scx_kfunc_set_enqueue_dispatch = {
.owner = THIS_MODULE,
.set = &scx_kfunc_ids_enqueue_dispatch,
+ .filter = scx_kfunc_context_filter,
};

static bool scx_dsq_move(struct bpf_iter_scx_dsq_kern *kit,
@@ -8511,6 +8512,7 @@ BTF_KFUNCS_END(scx_kfunc_ids_dispatch)
static const struct btf_kfunc_id_set scx_kfunc_set_dispatch = {
.owner = THIS_MODULE,
.set = &scx_kfunc_ids_dispatch,
+ .filter = scx_kfunc_context_filter,
};

__bpf_kfunc_start_defs();
@@ -8551,6 +8553,7 @@ BTF_KFUNCS_END(scx_kfunc_ids_cpu_release)
static const struct btf_kfunc_id_set scx_kfunc_set_cpu_release = {
.owner = THIS_MODULE,
.set = &scx_kfunc_ids_cpu_release,
+ .filter = scx_kfunc_context_filter,
};

__bpf_kfunc_start_defs();
@@ -8628,6 +8631,7 @@ BTF_KFUNCS_END(scx_kfunc_ids_unlocked)
static const struct btf_kfunc_id_set scx_kfunc_set_unlocked = {
.owner = THIS_MODULE,
.set = &scx_kfunc_ids_unlocked,
+ .filter = scx_kfunc_context_filter,
};

__bpf_kfunc_start_defs();
@@ -9603,6 +9607,115 @@ static const struct btf_kfunc_id_set scx_kfunc_set_any = {
.set = &scx_kfunc_ids_any,
};

+/*
+ * Per-op kfunc allow flags. Each bit corresponds to a context-sensitive kfunc
+ * group; an op may permit zero or more groups, with the union expressed in
+ * scx_kf_allow_flags[]. The verifier-time filter (scx_kfunc_context_filter())
+ * consults this table to decide whether a context-sensitive kfunc is callable
+ * from a given SCX op.
+ */
+enum scx_kf_allow_flags {
+ SCX_KF_ALLOW_UNLOCKED = 1 << 0,
+ SCX_KF_ALLOW_CPU_RELEASE = 1 << 1,
+ SCX_KF_ALLOW_DISPATCH = 1 << 2,
+ SCX_KF_ALLOW_ENQUEUE = 1 << 3,
+ SCX_KF_ALLOW_SELECT_CPU = 1 << 4,
+};
+
+/*
+ * Map each SCX op to the union of kfunc groups it permits, indexed by
+ * SCX_OP_IDX(op). Ops not listed only permit kfuncs that are not
+ * context-sensitive.
+ */
+static const u32 scx_kf_allow_flags[] = {
+ [SCX_OP_IDX(select_cpu)] = SCX_KF_ALLOW_SELECT_CPU | SCX_KF_ALLOW_ENQUEUE,
+ [SCX_OP_IDX(enqueue)] = SCX_KF_ALLOW_SELECT_CPU | SCX_KF_ALLOW_ENQUEUE,
+ [SCX_OP_IDX(dispatch)] = SCX_KF_ALLOW_ENQUEUE | SCX_KF_ALLOW_DISPATCH,
+ [SCX_OP_IDX(cpu_release)] = SCX_KF_ALLOW_CPU_RELEASE,
+ [SCX_OP_IDX(init_task)] = SCX_KF_ALLOW_UNLOCKED,
+ [SCX_OP_IDX(dump)] = SCX_KF_ALLOW_UNLOCKED,
+#ifdef CONFIG_EXT_GROUP_SCHED
+ [SCX_OP_IDX(cgroup_init)] = SCX_KF_ALLOW_UNLOCKED,
+ [SCX_OP_IDX(cgroup_exit)] = SCX_KF_ALLOW_UNLOCKED,
+ [SCX_OP_IDX(cgroup_prep_move)] = SCX_KF_ALLOW_UNLOCKED,
+ [SCX_OP_IDX(cgroup_cancel_move)] = SCX_KF_ALLOW_UNLOCKED,
+ [SCX_OP_IDX(cgroup_set_weight)] = SCX_KF_ALLOW_UNLOCKED,
+ [SCX_OP_IDX(cgroup_set_bandwidth)] = SCX_KF_ALLOW_UNLOCKED,
+ [SCX_OP_IDX(cgroup_set_idle)] = SCX_KF_ALLOW_UNLOCKED,
+#endif /* CONFIG_EXT_GROUP_SCHED */
+ [SCX_OP_IDX(sub_attach)] = SCX_KF_ALLOW_UNLOCKED,
+ [SCX_OP_IDX(sub_detach)] = SCX_KF_ALLOW_UNLOCKED,
+ [SCX_OP_IDX(cpu_online)] = SCX_KF_ALLOW_UNLOCKED,
+ [SCX_OP_IDX(cpu_offline)] = SCX_KF_ALLOW_UNLOCKED,
+ [SCX_OP_IDX(init)] = SCX_KF_ALLOW_UNLOCKED,
+ [SCX_OP_IDX(exit)] = SCX_KF_ALLOW_UNLOCKED,
+};
+
+/*
+ * Verifier-time filter for context-sensitive SCX kfuncs. Registered via the
+ * .filter field on each per-group btf_kfunc_id_set. The BPF core invokes this
+ * for every kfunc call in the registered hook (BPF_PROG_TYPE_STRUCT_OPS or
+ * BPF_PROG_TYPE_SYSCALL), regardless of which set originally introduced the
+ * kfunc - so the filter must short-circuit on kfuncs it doesn't govern (e.g.
+ * scx_kfunc_ids_any) by falling through to "allow" when none of the
+ * context-sensitive sets contain the kfunc.
+ */
+int scx_kfunc_context_filter(const struct bpf_prog *prog, u32 kfunc_id)
+{
+ bool in_unlocked = btf_id_set8_contains(&scx_kfunc_ids_unlocked, kfunc_id);
+ bool in_select_cpu = btf_id_set8_contains(&scx_kfunc_ids_select_cpu, kfunc_id);
+ bool in_enqueue = btf_id_set8_contains(&scx_kfunc_ids_enqueue_dispatch, kfunc_id);
+ bool in_dispatch = btf_id_set8_contains(&scx_kfunc_ids_dispatch, kfunc_id);
+ bool in_cpu_release = btf_id_set8_contains(&scx_kfunc_ids_cpu_release, kfunc_id);
+ u32 moff, flags;
+
+ /* Not a context-sensitive kfunc (e.g. from scx_kfunc_ids_any) - allow. */
+ if (!(in_unlocked || in_select_cpu || in_enqueue || in_dispatch || in_cpu_release))
+ return 0;
+
+ /* SYSCALL progs (e.g. BPF test_run()) may call unlocked and select_cpu kfuncs. */
+ if (prog->type == BPF_PROG_TYPE_SYSCALL)
+ return (in_unlocked || in_select_cpu) ? 0 : -EACCES;
+
+ if (prog->type != BPF_PROG_TYPE_STRUCT_OPS)
+ return -EACCES;
+
+ /*
+ * add_subprog_and_kfunc() collects all kfunc calls, including dead code
+ * guarded by bpf_ksym_exists(), before check_attach_btf_id() sets
+ * prog->aux->st_ops. Allow all kfuncs when st_ops is not yet set;
+ * do_check_main() re-runs the filter with st_ops set and enforces the
+ * actual restrictions.
+ */
+ if (!prog->aux->st_ops)
+ return 0;
+
+ /*
+ * Non-SCX struct_ops: only unlocked kfuncs are safe. The other
+ * context-sensitive kfuncs assume the rq lock is held by the SCX
+ * dispatch path, which doesn't apply to other struct_ops users.
+ */
+ if (prog->aux->st_ops != &bpf_sched_ext_ops)
+ return in_unlocked ? 0 : -EACCES;
+
+ /* SCX struct_ops: check the per-op allow list. */
+ moff = prog->aux->attach_st_ops_member_off;
+ flags = scx_kf_allow_flags[SCX_MOFF_IDX(moff)];
+
+ if ((flags & SCX_KF_ALLOW_UNLOCKED) && in_unlocked)
+ return 0;
+ if ((flags & SCX_KF_ALLOW_CPU_RELEASE) && in_cpu_release)
+ return 0;
+ if ((flags & SCX_KF_ALLOW_DISPATCH) && in_dispatch)
+ return 0;
+ if ((flags & SCX_KF_ALLOW_ENQUEUE) && in_enqueue)
+ return 0;
+ if ((flags & SCX_KF_ALLOW_SELECT_CPU) && in_select_cpu)
+ return 0;
+
+ return -EACCES;
+}
+
static int __init scx_init(void)
{
int ret;
@@ -9612,11 +9725,12 @@ static int __init scx_init(void)
* register_btf_kfunc_id_set() needs most of the system to be up.
*
* Some kfuncs are context-sensitive and can only be called from
- * specific SCX ops. They are grouped into BTF sets accordingly.
- * Unfortunately, BPF currently doesn't have a way of enforcing such
- * restrictions. Eventually, the verifier should be able to enforce
- * them. For now, register them the same and make each kfunc explicitly
- * check using scx_kf_allowed().
+ * specific SCX ops. They are grouped into per-context BTF sets, each
+ * registered with scx_kfunc_context_filter as its .filter callback. The
+ * BPF core dedups identical filter pointers per hook
+ * (btf_populate_kfunc_set()), so the filter is invoked exactly once per
+ * kfunc lookup; it consults scx_kf_allow_flags[] to enforce per-op
+ * restrictions at verify time.
*/
if ((ret = register_btf_kfunc_id_set(BPF_PROG_TYPE_STRUCT_OPS,
&scx_kfunc_set_enqueue_dispatch)) ||
diff --git a/kernel/sched/ext_idle.c b/kernel/sched/ext_idle.c
index f99ceeba2e56..ec49e0c9892e 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/ext_idle.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/ext_idle.c
@@ -1491,6 +1491,7 @@ BTF_KFUNCS_END(scx_kfunc_ids_select_cpu)
static const struct btf_kfunc_id_set scx_kfunc_set_select_cpu = {
.owner = THIS_MODULE,
.set = &scx_kfunc_ids_select_cpu,
+ .filter = scx_kfunc_context_filter,
};

int scx_idle_init(void)
diff --git a/kernel/sched/ext_idle.h b/kernel/sched/ext_idle.h
index fa583f141f35..dc35f850481e 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/ext_idle.h
+++ b/kernel/sched/ext_idle.h
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@

struct sched_ext_ops;

+extern struct btf_id_set8 scx_kfunc_ids_select_cpu;
+
void scx_idle_update_selcpu_topology(struct sched_ext_ops *ops);
void scx_idle_init_masks(void);

diff --git a/kernel/sched/ext_internal.h b/kernel/sched/ext_internal.h
index 54da08a223b7..62ce4eaf6a3f 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/ext_internal.h
+++ b/kernel/sched/ext_internal.h
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
* Copyright (c) 2025 Tejun Heo <tj@kernel.org>
*/
#define SCX_OP_IDX(op) (offsetof(struct sched_ext_ops, op) / sizeof(void (*)(void)))
+#define SCX_MOFF_IDX(moff) ((moff) / sizeof(void (*)(void)))

enum scx_consts {
SCX_DSP_DFL_MAX_BATCH = 32,
@@ -1363,6 +1364,8 @@ enum scx_ops_state {
extern struct scx_sched __rcu *scx_root;
DECLARE_PER_CPU(struct rq *, scx_locked_rq_state);

+int scx_kfunc_context_filter(const struct bpf_prog *prog, u32 kfunc_id);
+
/*
* Return the rq currently locked from an scx callback, or NULL if no rq is
* locked.
--
2.53.0