Thread (79 messages) 79 messages, 10 authors, 2018-11-14

Re: [PATCH v5 05/27] Documentation/x86: Add CET description

From: Borislav Petkov <bp@alien8.de>
Date: 2018-11-13 18:43:52
Also in: linux-api, linux-arch, linux-doc, lkml

On Thu, Oct 11, 2018 at 08:15:01AM -0700, Yu-cheng Yu wrote:
Explain how CET works and the no_cet_shstk/no_cet_ibt kernel
parameters.

Signed-off-by: Yu-cheng Yu <redacted>
---
 .../admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt         |   6 +
 Documentation/index.rst                       |   1 +
 Documentation/x86/index.rst                   |  11 +
 Documentation/x86/intel_cet.rst               | 266 ++++++++++++++++++
 4 files changed, 284 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 Documentation/x86/index.rst
 create mode 100644 Documentation/x86/intel_cet.rst
So this patch should probably come first in the series so that a reader
can know what to expect...
quoted hunk ↗ jump to hunk
diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt b/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
index 92eb1f42240d..3854423f7c86 100644
--- a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
+++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
@@ -2764,6 +2764,12 @@
 			noexec=on: enable non-executable mappings (default)
 			noexec=off: disable non-executable mappings
 
+	no_cet_ibt	[X86-64] Disable indirect branch tracking for user-mode
+			applications
+
+	no_cet_shstk	[X86-64] Disable shadow stack support for user-mode
+			applications
+
 	nosmap		[X86]
 			Disable SMAP (Supervisor Mode Access Prevention)
 			even if it is supported by processor.
diff --git a/Documentation/index.rst b/Documentation/index.rst
index 5db7e87c7cb1..1cdc139adb40 100644
--- a/Documentation/index.rst
+++ b/Documentation/index.rst
Please integrate scripts/checkpatch.pl into your patch creation
workflow. Some of the warnings/errors *actually* make sense:

WARNING: Missing or malformed SPDX-License-Identifier tag in line 1
#76: FILE: Documentation/x86/index.rst:1:
+=======================

WARNING: Missing or malformed SPDX-License-Identifier tag in line 1
#93: FILE: Documentation/x86/intel_cet.rst:1:
+=========================================
quoted hunk ↗ jump to hunk
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ implementation.
    :maxdepth: 2
 
    sh/index
+   x86/index
 
 Filesystem Documentation
 ------------------------
diff --git a/Documentation/x86/index.rst b/Documentation/x86/index.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..9c34d8cbc8f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/x86/index.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+=======================
+X86 Documentation
+=======================
+
+Control Flow Enforcement
+========================
+
+.. toctree::
+   :maxdepth: 1
+
+   intel_cet
diff --git a/Documentation/x86/intel_cet.rst b/Documentation/x86/intel_cet.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..946f4802a51f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/x86/intel_cet.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,266 @@
+=========================================
+Control Flow Enforcement Technology (CET)
+=========================================
+
+[1] Overview
+============
+
+Control Flow Enforcement Technology (CET) provides protection against
+return/jump-oriented programming (ROP) attacks.  It can be implemented
+to protect both the kernel and applications.  In the first phase,
+only the user-mode protection is implemented on the 64-bit kernel.
s/the//			         is implemented in 64-bit mode.
+However, 32-bit applications are supported under the compatibility
+mode.
Drop "However":

"32-bit applications are, of course, supported in compatibility mode."
+
+CET includes shadow stack (SHSTK) and indirect branch tracking (IBT).
"CET introduces two a shadow stack and an indirect branch tracking mechanism."
+The SHSTK is a secondary stack allocated from memory.  The processor
s/The//
+automatically pushes/pops a secure copy to the SHSTK every return
+address and,
that reads funny - pls reorganize. Also, what is a "secure copy"?

You mean a copy of every return address which software cannot access?
by comparing the secure copy to the program stack copy,
+verifies function returns are as intended. 
			 ... have not been corrupted/modified."
The IBT verifies all
+indirect CALL/JMP targets are intended and marked by the compiler with
+'ENDBR' op codes.
"opcode" - one word. And before you use "ENDBR" you need to explain it
above what it is.

/me reads further... encounters ENDBR's definition...

ah, ok, so you should say something like

"... and marked by the compiler with the ENDBR opcode (see below)."
+
+There are two kernel configuration options:
+
+    INTEL_X86_SHADOW_STACK_USER, and
+    INTEL_X86_BRANCH_TRACKING_USER.
+
+To build a CET-enabled kernel, Binutils v2.31 and GCC v8.1 or later
+are required.  To build a CET-enabled application, GLIBC v2.28 or
+later is also required.
+
+There are two command-line options for disabling CET features:
+
+    no_cet_shstk - disables SHSTK, and
+    no_cet_ibt - disables IBT.
+
+At run time, /proc/cpuinfo shows the availability of SHSTK and IBT.
-- 
Regards/Gruss,
    Boris.

Good mailing practices for 400: avoid top-posting and trim the reply.
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