linux.git/kernel/trace/trace_probe.h, branch v6.18.21

tracing: Fix race condition in kprobe initialization causing NULL pointer dereference

2025-10-01T23:05:01+00:00

There is a critical race condition in kprobe initialization that can lead to
NULL pointer dereference and kernel crash.

[1135630.084782] Unable to handle kernel paging request at virtual address 0000710a04630000
...
[1135630.260314] pstate: 404003c9 (nZcv DAIF +PAN -UAO)
[1135630.269239] pc : kprobe_perf_func+0x30/0x260
[1135630.277643] lr : kprobe_dispatcher+0x44/0x60
[1135630.286041] sp : ffffaeff4977fa40
[1135630.293441] x29: ffffaeff4977fa40 x28: ffffaf015340e400
[1135630.302837] x27: 0000000000000000 x26: 0000000000000000
[1135630.312257] x25: ffffaf029ed108a8 x24: ffffaf015340e528
[1135630.321705] x23: ffffaeff4977fc50 x22: ffffaeff4977fc50
[1135630.331154] x21: 0000000000000000 x20: ffffaeff4977fc50
[1135630.340586] x19: ffffaf015340e400 x18: 0000000000000000
[1135630.349985] x17: 0000000000000000 x16: 0000000000000000
[1135630.359285] x15: 0000000000000000 x14: 0000000000000000
[1135630.368445] x13: 0000000000000000 x12: 0000000000000000
[1135630.377473] x11: 0000000000000000 x10: 0000000000000000
[1135630.386411] x9 : 0000000000000000 x8 : 0000000000000000
[1135630.395252] x7 : 0000000000000000 x6 : 0000000000000000
[1135630.403963] x5 : 0000000000000000 x4 : 0000000000000000
[1135630.412545] x3 : 0000710a04630000 x2 : 0000000000000006
[1135630.421021] x1 : ffffaeff4977fc50 x0 : 0000710a04630000
[1135630.429410] Call trace:
[1135630.434828]  kprobe_perf_func+0x30/0x260
[1135630.441661]  kprobe_dispatcher+0x44/0x60
[1135630.448396]  aggr_pre_handler+0x70/0xc8
[1135630.454959]  kprobe_breakpoint_handler+0x140/0x1e0
[1135630.462435]  brk_handler+0xbc/0xd8
[1135630.468437]  do_debug_exception+0x84/0x138
[1135630.475074]  el1_dbg+0x18/0x8c
[1135630.480582]  security_file_permission+0x0/0xd0
[1135630.487426]  vfs_write+0x70/0x1c0
[1135630.493059]  ksys_write+0x5c/0xc8
[1135630.498638]  __arm64_sys_write+0x24/0x30
[1135630.504821]  el0_svc_common+0x78/0x130
[1135630.510838]  el0_svc_handler+0x38/0x78
[1135630.516834]  el0_svc+0x8/0x1b0

kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c: 1308
0xffff3df8995039ec :     ldr     x21, [x24,#120]
include/linux/compiler.h: 294
0xffff3df8995039f0 :     ldr     x1, [x21,x0]

kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c
1308: head = this_cpu_ptr(call->perf_events);
1309: if (hlist_empty(head))
1310: 	return 0;

crash> struct trace_event_call -o
struct trace_event_call {
  ...
  [120] struct hlist_head *perf_events;  //(call->perf_event)
  ...
}

crash> struct trace_event_call ffffaf015340e528
struct trace_event_call {
  ...
  perf_events = 0xffff0ad5fa89f088, //this value is correct, but x21 = 0
  ...
}

Race Condition Analysis:

The race occurs between kprobe activation and perf_events initialization:

  CPU0                                    CPU1
  ====                                    ====
  perf_kprobe_init
    perf_trace_event_init
      tp_event->perf_events = list;(1)
      tp_event->class->reg (2)← KPROBE ACTIVE
                                          Debug exception triggers
                                          ...
                                          kprobe_dispatcher
                                            kprobe_perf_func (tk->tp.flags & TP_FLAG_PROFILE)
                                              head = this_cpu_ptr(call->perf_events)(3)
                                              (perf_events is still NULL)

Problem:
1. CPU0 executes (1) assigning tp_event->perf_events = list
2. CPU0 executes (2) enabling kprobe functionality via class->reg()
3. CPU1 triggers and reaches kprobe_dispatcher
4. CPU1 checks TP_FLAG_PROFILE - condition passes (step 2 completed)
5. CPU1 calls kprobe_perf_func() and crashes at (3) because
   call->perf_events is still NULL

CPU1 sees that kprobe functionality is enabled but does not see that
perf_events has been assigned.

Add pairing read and write memory barriers to guarantee that if CPU1
sees that kprobe functionality is enabled, it must also see that
perf_events has been assigned.

Link: https://lore.kernel.org/all/20251001022025.44626-1-chenyuan_fl@163.com/

Fixes: 50d780560785 ("tracing/kprobes: Add probe handler dispatcher to support perf and ftrace concurrent use")
Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org
Signed-off-by: Yuan Chen 
Signed-off-by: Masami Hiramatsu (Google)

tracing: probe: Allocate traceprobe_parse_context from heap

2025-07-23T15:21:30+00:00

Instead of allocating traceprobe_parse_context on stack, allocate it
dynamically from heap (slab).

This change is likely intended to prevent potential stack overflow
issues, which can be a concern in the kernel environment where stack
space is limited.

Link: https://lore.kernel.org/all/175323425650.57270.280750740753792504.stgit@devnote2/

Reported-by: kernel test robot 
Closes: https://lore.kernel.org/oe-kbuild-all/202506240416.nZIhDXoO-lkp@intel.com/
Signed-off-by: Masami Hiramatsu (Google) 
Reviewed-by: Steven Rostedt (Google)

tracing: probes: Sort #include alphabetically

2025-07-23T15:21:22+00:00

Sort the #include directives in trace_probe* files alphabetically for
easier maintenance and avoid double includes.
This also groups headers as linux-generic, asm-generic, and local
headers.

Link: https://lore.kernel.org/all/175323424678.57270.11975372127870059007.stgit@devnote2/

Signed-off-by: Masami Hiramatsu (Google)

tracing: probe-events: Log error for exceeding the number of arguments

2025-03-27T12:19:54+00:00

Add error message when the number of arguments exceeds the limitation.

Link: https://lore.kernel.org/all/174055075075.4079315.10916648136898316476.stgit@mhiramat.tok.corp.google.com/

Signed-off-by: Masami Hiramatsu (Google) 
Reviewed-by: Steven Rostedt (Google)

tracing: probe-events: Remove unused MAX_ARG_BUF_LEN macro

2025-03-03T02:17:54+00:00

Commit 18b1e870a496 ("tracing/probes: Add $arg* meta argument for all
function args") introduced MAX_ARG_BUF_LEN but it is not used.
Remove it.

Link: https://lore.kernel.org/all/174055075876.4079315.8805416872155957588.stgit@mhiramat.tok.corp.google.com/

Fixes: 18b1e870a496 ("tracing/probes: Add $arg* meta argument for all function args")
Signed-off-by: Masami Hiramatsu (Google) 
Reviewed-by: Steven Rostedt (Google)

tracing: fprobe-events: Log error for exceeding the number of entry args

2025-02-27T00:11:51+00:00

Add error message when the number of entry argument exceeds the
maximum size of entry data.
This is currently checked when registering fprobe, but in this case
no error message is shown in the error_log file.

Link: https://lore.kernel.org/all/174055074269.4079315.17809232650360988538.stgit@mhiramat.tok.corp.google.com/

Fixes: 25f00e40ce79 ("tracing/probes: Support $argN in return probe (kprobe and fprobe)")
Signed-off-by: Masami Hiramatsu (Google) 
Reviewed-by: Steven Rostedt (Google)

tracing: tprobe-events: Reject invalid tracepoint name

2025-02-27T00:10:58+00:00

Commit 57a7e6de9e30 ("tracing/fprobe: Support raw tracepoints on
future loaded modules") allows user to set a tprobe on non-exist
tracepoint but it does not check the tracepoint name is acceptable.
So it leads tprobe has a wrong character for events (e.g. with
subsystem prefix). In this case, the event is not shown in the
events directory.

Reject such invalid tracepoint name.

The tracepoint name must consist of alphabet or digit or '_'.

Link: https://lore.kernel.org/all/174055073461.4079315.15875502830565214255.stgit@mhiramat.tok.corp.google.com/

Fixes: 57a7e6de9e30 ("tracing/fprobe: Support raw tracepoints on future loaded modules")
Signed-off-by: Masami Hiramatsu (Google) 
Reviewed-by: Steven Rostedt (Google) 
Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org

tracing/probes: support '%pd' type for print struct dentry's name

2024-05-01T14:18:47+00:00

During fault locating, the file name needs to be printed based on the
dentry  address. The offset needs to be calculated each time, which
is troublesome. Similar to printk, kprobe support print type '%pd' for
print dentry's name. For example "name=$arg1:%pd" casts the `$arg1`
as (struct dentry *), dereferences the "d_name.name" field and stores
it to "name" argument as a kernel string.
Here is an example:
[tracing]# echo 'p:testprobe dput name=$arg1:%pd' > kprobe_events
[tracing]# echo 1 > events/kprobes/testprobe/enable
[tracing]# grep -q "1" events/kprobes/testprobe/enable
[tracing]# echo 0 > events/kprobes/testprobe/enable
[tracing]# cat trace | grep "enable"
	    bash-14844   [002] ..... 16912.889543: testprobe: (dput+0x4/0x30) name="enable"
            grep-15389   [003] ..... 16922.834182: testprobe: (dput+0x4/0x30) name="enable"
            grep-15389   [003] ..... 16922.836103: testprobe: (dput+0x4/0x30) name="enable"
            bash-14844   [001] ..... 16931.820909: testprobe: (dput+0x4/0x30) name="enable"

Note that this expects the given argument (e.g. $arg1) is an address of struct
dentry. User must ensure it.

Link: https://lore.kernel.org/all/20240322064308.284457-2-yebin10@huawei.com/

Signed-off-by: Ye Bin 
Acked-by: Masami Hiramatsu (Google) 
Signed-off-by: Masami Hiramatsu (Google)

tracing/probes: Support $argN in return probe (kprobe and fprobe)

2024-03-06T15:27:34+00:00

Support accessing $argN in the return probe events. This will help users to
record entry data in function return (exit) event for simplfing the function
entry/exit information in one event, and record the result values (e.g.
allocated object/initialized object) at function exit.

For example, if we have a function `int init_foo(struct foo *obj, int param)`
sometimes we want to check how `obj` is initialized. In such case, we can
define a new return event like below;

 # echo 'r init_foo retval=$retval param=$arg2 field1=+0($arg1)' >> kprobe_events

Thus it records the function parameter `param` and its result `obj->field1`
(the dereference will be done in the function exit timing) value at once.

This also support fprobe, BTF args and'$arg*'. So if CONFIG_DEBUG_INFO_BTF
is enabled, we can trace both function parameters and the return value
by following command.

 # echo 'f target_function%return $arg* $retval' >> dynamic_events

Link: https://lore.kernel.org/all/170952365552.229804.224112990211602895.stgit@devnote2/

Signed-off-by: Masami Hiramatsu (Google)

tracing/probes: cleanup: Set trace_probe::nr_args at trace_probe_init

2024-03-06T15:27:15+00:00

Instead of incrementing the trace_probe::nr_args, init it at
trace_probe_init(). Without this change, there is no way to get the number
of trace_probe arguments while parsing it.
This is a cleanup, so the behavior is not changed.

Link: https://lore.kernel.org/all/170952363585.229804.13060759900346411951.stgit@devnote2/

Signed-off-by: Masami Hiramatsu (Google)