Re: [RFC PATCH 3/3] nSVM: use svm->nested.save to load vmcb12 registers and avoid TOC/TOU races

From: Maxim Levitsky
Date: Sun Sep 12 2021 - 06:42:33 EST


On Fri, 2021-09-03 at 12:20 +0200, Emanuele Giuseppe Esposito wrote:
> Move the checks done by nested_vmcb_valid_sregs and
> nested_vmcb_check_controls directly in enter_svm_guest_mode,
> and use svm->nested.save cached fields (EFER, CR0, CR4)
> instead of vmcb12's.
> This prevents from creating TOC/TOU races.
>
> This also avoids the need of force-setting EFER_SVME in
> nested_vmcb02_prepare_save.
>
> Signed-off-by: Emanuele Giuseppe Esposito <eesposit@xxxxxxxxxx>
> ---
> arch/x86/kvm/svm/nested.c | 23 ++++++-----------------
> 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 17 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/svm/nested.c b/arch/x86/kvm/svm/nested.c
> index 2491c77203c7..487810cfefde 100644
> --- a/arch/x86/kvm/svm/nested.c
> +++ b/arch/x86/kvm/svm/nested.c
> @@ -280,13 +280,6 @@ static bool nested_vmcb_check_controls(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu,
> static bool nested_vmcb_valid_sregs(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu,
> struct vmcb_save_area *save)
> {
> - /*
> - * FIXME: these should be done after copying the fields,
> - * to avoid TOC/TOU races. For these save area checks
> - * the possible damage is limited since kvm_set_cr0 and
> - * kvm_set_cr4 handle failure; EFER_SVME is an exception
> - * so it is force-set later in nested_prepare_vmcb_save.
> - */
> if (CC(!(save->efer & EFER_SVME)))
> return false;
>
> @@ -459,7 +452,8 @@ void nested_vmcb02_compute_g_pat(struct vcpu_svm *svm)
> svm->nested.vmcb02.ptr->save.g_pat = svm->vmcb01.ptr->save.g_pat;
> }
>
> -static void nested_vmcb02_prepare_save(struct vcpu_svm *svm, struct vmcb *vmcb12)
> +static void nested_vmcb02_prepare_save(struct vcpu_svm *svm,
> + struct vmcb *vmcb12)
Tiny nitpick: the kernel these days allow up to 100 characters in a line,
thus this change is not needed IMHO.

> {
> bool new_vmcb12 = false;
>
> @@ -488,15 +482,10 @@ static void nested_vmcb02_prepare_save(struct vcpu_svm *svm, struct vmcb *vmcb12
>
> kvm_set_rflags(&svm->vcpu, vmcb12->save.rflags | X86_EFLAGS_FIXED);
>
> - /*
> - * Force-set EFER_SVME even though it is checked earlier on the
> - * VMCB12, because the guest can flip the bit between the check
> - * and now. Clearing EFER_SVME would call svm_free_nested.
> - */
> - svm_set_efer(&svm->vcpu, vmcb12->save.efer | EFER_SVME);
> + svm_set_efer(&svm->vcpu, svm->nested.save.efer);
>
> - svm_set_cr0(&svm->vcpu, vmcb12->save.cr0);
> - svm_set_cr4(&svm->vcpu, vmcb12->save.cr4);
> + svm_set_cr0(&svm->vcpu, svm->nested.save.cr0);
> + svm_set_cr4(&svm->vcpu, svm->nested.save.cr4);
>
> svm->vcpu.arch.cr2 = vmcb12->save.cr2;
>
> @@ -671,7 +660,7 @@ int nested_svm_vmrun(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
> nested_load_control_from_vmcb12(svm, &vmcb12->control);
> nested_load_save_from_vmcb12(svm, &vmcb12->save);
>
> - if (!nested_vmcb_valid_sregs(vcpu, &vmcb12->save) ||
> + if (!nested_vmcb_valid_sregs(vcpu, &svm->nested.save) ||
> !nested_vmcb_check_controls(vcpu, &svm->nested.ctl)) {

If you use a different struct for the copied fields, then it makes
sense IMHO to drop the 'control' parameter from nested_vmcb_check_controls,
and just use the svm->nested.save there directly.

> vmcb12->control.exit_code = SVM_EXIT_ERR;
> vmcb12->control.exit_code_hi = 0;


I think you forgot to use svm->nested.save.cr3.
It is used in enter_svm_guest_mode to setup the mmu.

While there are likely no TOC/TOU races in regard to it, it is still
better to be consistent about it.

Looks very good otherwise.

Best regards,
Maxim Levitsky