Re: [PATCH v36 21/24] x86/vdso: Implement a vDSO for Intel SGX enclave call

From: Jarkko Sakkinen
Date: Tue Aug 18 2020 - 10:52:45 EST


On Mon, Aug 10, 2020 at 03:23:17PM -0700, Sean Christopherson wrote:
> > This can be done implicitly by wrapping the struct
> > sgx_enclave_exception in another structure and then using techniques
> > like container_of() to find another field. However, this is made more
> > difficult by the fact that the sgx_enclave_exit_handler_t is not
> > really using the x86_64 sysv calling convention. Therefore, the
> > sgx_enclave_exit_handler_t MUST be written in assembly.
>
> What bits of the x86-64 ABI require writing the handler in assembly? There
> are certainly restrictions on what the handler can do without needing an
> assembly trampoline, but I was under the impression that vanilla C code is
> compatible with the exit handler patch. Is Rust more picky about calling
> convention?
>
> Side topic, the documentation for vdso_sgx_enter_enclave_t is wrong, it
> states the EFLAGS.DF is not cleared before invoking the handler, but that's
> a lie.

If handler requires the use of setjmp/longjmp API for sudden exits, that
is considered bad even with C++, as it is not compatible with stack
unwinding. The handler has a lot of constraints for its environment, and
is somewhat unappealing to use.

That's why I started today thinking a possibility of using a bpf program
as a middle-man. BPF programs can be used to execute code by the kernel
in behalf of user in a domain defined sandbox. The execution context is
just a buffer passed in R1 to the BPF interpreter. It can be defined by
application.

/Jarkko