Re: [PATCH 5.18 01/11] Documentation: Add documentation for Processor MMIO Stale Data

[Pawan Gupta]

On Wed, Jun 15, 2022 at 08:06:37AM +0700, Bagas Sanjaya wrote:
> On 6/15/22 01:40, Greg Kroah-Hartman wrote:
> > +  .. list-table::
> > +
> > +     * - 'Not affected'
> > +       - The processor is not vulnerable
> > +     * - 'Vulnerable'
> > +       - The processor is vulnerable, but no mitigation enabled
> > +     * - 'Vulnerable: Clear CPU buffers attempted, no microcode'
> > +       - The processor is vulnerable, but microcode is not updated. The
> > +         mitigation is enabled on a best effort basis.
> > +     * - 'Mitigation: Clear CPU buffers'
> > +       - The processor is vulnerable and the CPU buffer clearing mitigation is
> > +         enabled.
> > +
> > +If the processor is vulnerable then the following information is appended to
> > +the above information:
> > +
> > +  ========================  ===========================================
> > +  'SMT vulnerable'          SMT is enabled
> > +  'SMT disabled'            SMT is disabled
> > +  'SMT Host state unknown'  Kernel runs in a VM, Host SMT state unknown
> > +  ========================  ===========================================
> > +
>
> Why is list-table used in sysfs table instead of usual ASCII table in SMT
> vulnerabilities list above? I think using ASCII table in both cases is enough
> for the purpose.

Maybe you are right (and I am no expert in this), but quite a few
documents use list-table for sysfs status:

  https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/admin-guide/hw-vuln/mds.rst
  https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/admin-guide/hw-vuln/spectre.rst
  https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/admin-guide/hw-vuln/tsx_async_abort.rst