[PATCH v2 20/20] x86/alternative: comment about module removal races

Rick Edgecombe rick.p.edgecombe at intel.com
Tue Jan 29 00:34:22 UTC 2019


From: Nadav Amit <namit at vmware.com>

Add a comment to clarify that users of text_poke() must ensure that
no races with module removal take place.

Cc: Masami Hiramatsu <mhiramat at kernel.org>
Signed-off-by: Nadav Amit <namit at vmware.com>
Signed-off-by: Rick Edgecombe <rick.p.edgecombe at intel.com>
---
 arch/x86/kernel/alternative.c | 5 +++++
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+)

diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/alternative.c b/arch/x86/kernel/alternative.c
index 81876e3ef3fd..cc3b6222857a 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/alternative.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/alternative.c
@@ -807,6 +807,11 @@ static void *__text_poke(void *addr, const void *opcode, size_t len)
  * It means the size must be writable atomically and the address must be aligned
  * in a way that permits an atomic write. It also makes sure we fit on a single
  * page.
+ *
+ * Note that the caller must ensure that if the modified code is part of a
+ * module, the module would not be removed during poking. This can be achieved
+ * by registering a module notifier, and ordering module removal and patching
+ * trough a mutex.
  */
 void *text_poke(void *addr, const void *opcode, size_t len)
 {
-- 
2.17.1



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