Kernel Self Protection Project/Patch Tracking

Overview

The primary place where patches are tracked is through our instance. This helps collect Reviewed-by, Acked-by, Tested-by, etc, tags in a single place to see status.

Process

The overview list shows patches that need some kind of work to move through the tracking process:

* Needed: Needs work from someone from the linux-hardening patchwork team.

The specific "state machine" we use follows this path:

* [1]: No activity yet.
  * Move to "Under Review" (possibly with a delegate assigned to do the review).
  * Move to "Superseded" if a newer version of the same patch has been sent (the patchwork-bot usually does this automatically).
* Review: Reviewers need to give feedback on the patch.
  * Move to "Changes Requested" if a new version of the patch is needed after review feedback.
  * Move to "Handled Elsewhere" if a non-linux-hardening tree says they are applying the patch.
  * Move to "Queued" if a linux-hardening tree applies the patch.
  * Move to "Superseded" if a newer version of the same patch has been sent (the patchwork-bot usually does this automatically).
  * In rare cases, a patch can be moved to "Rejected", but that is uncommon, as normally review feedback is expected to be acted on.
* Elsewhere: Going via another tree, but not yet in linux-next.
  * Move to "Awaiting Upstream" once a patch appears in linux-next (the patchwork-bot usually does this automatically).
* [2]: Going via a linux-hardening tree, but not yet in linux-next.
  * Move to "Awaiting Upstream" once a patch appears in linux-next (the patchwork-bot usually does this automatically).
* Upstream: In linux-next, but not yet in Linus's tree.
  * Move to "Mainlined" once a patch appears in Linus's tree (the patchwork-bot usually does this automatically).
* [3]: Done! In Linus's tree.