Re: [PATCH 4/6] s390: add system call to run tasks with modified branch prediction

From: Martin Schwidefsky
Date: Wed Jan 17 2018 - 06:56:45 EST


On Wed, 17 Jan 2018 12:14:52 +0100
Christian Borntraeger <borntraeger@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> On 01/17/2018 11:03 AM, Florian Weimer wrote:
> > On 01/17/2018 10:48 AM, Martin Schwidefsky wrote:
> >> ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ rc = syscall(__NR_s390_modify_bp);
> >> ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ if (rc) {
> >> ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ perror("s390_modify_bp");
> >> ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
> >> ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ }
> >
> > Isn't this traditionally done through personality or prctl?
>
> I think we want this per thread (and not per process). So I assume personality
> will not work out. Can a prctl be done per thread?

The prctl interface seems to be usable to set a per-thread control
as well. But there is no architecture specific prctl as far as I
can see. Maybe a common PR_SET_NOBP with an arch function like
arch_set_nobp.

> >
> > This looks like something other architectures may want as well.

Yes, that is likely.

--
blue skies,
Martin.

"Reality continues to ruin my life." - Calvin.