Re: [PATCH v2] ethtool: Replace 0-length array with flexible array

From: Kees Cook
Date: Thu Jan 05 2023 - 23:23:03 EST


On Fri, Jan 06, 2023 at 09:55:30AM +0900, Vincent MAILHOL wrote:
> On Fri. 6 Jan 2023 at 08:34, Kees Cook <keescook@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > Zero-length arrays are deprecated[1]. Replace struct ethtool_rxnfc's
> > "rule_locs" 0-length array with a flexible array. Detected with GCC 13,
> > using -fstrict-flex-arrays=3:
> >
> > net/ethtool/common.c: In function 'ethtool_get_max_rxnfc_channel':
> > net/ethtool/common.c:558:55: warning: array subscript i is outside array bounds of '__u32[0]' {aka 'unsigned int[]'} [-Warray-bounds=]
> > 558 | .fs.location = info->rule_locs[i],
> > | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^~~
> > In file included from include/linux/ethtool.h:19,
> > from include/uapi/linux/ethtool_netlink.h:12,
> > from include/linux/ethtool_netlink.h:6,
> > from net/ethtool/common.c:3:
> > include/uapi/linux/ethtool.h:1186:41: note: while referencing
> > 'rule_locs'
> > 1186 | __u32 rule_locs[0];
> > | ^~~~~~~~~
> >
> > [1] https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/process/deprecated.html#zero-length-and-one-element-arrays
> >
> > Cc: "David S. Miller" <davem@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Cc: Jakub Kicinski <kuba@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > Cc: Andrew Lunn <andrew@xxxxxxx>
> > Cc: kernel test robot <lkp@xxxxxxxxx>
> > Cc: Oleksij Rempel <linux@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Cc: Sean Anderson <sean.anderson@xxxxxxxx>
> > Cc: Alexandru Tachici <alexandru.tachici@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > Cc: Amit Cohen <amcohen@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > Cc: "Gustavo A. R. Silva" <gustavoars@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > Cc: Vincent Mailhol <mailhol.vincent@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > Cc: netdev@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Signed-off-by: Kees Cook <keescook@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > ---
> > v2: resend, this time without missing netdev CC. :)
> > ---
> > include/uapi/linux/ethtool.h | 2 +-
> > 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
> >
> > diff --git a/include/uapi/linux/ethtool.h b/include/uapi/linux/ethtool.h
> > index 58e587ba0450..9b97b3e0ec1f 100644
> > --- a/include/uapi/linux/ethtool.h
> > +++ b/include/uapi/linux/ethtool.h
> > @@ -1183,7 +1183,7 @@ struct ethtool_rxnfc {
> > __u32 rule_cnt;
> > __u32 rss_context;
> > };
> > - __u32 rule_locs[0];
> > + __DECLARE_FLEX_ARRAY(__u32, rule_locs);
>
> Can't this simply be a C99 flexible array member?
>
> __u32 rule_locs[];
>
> As far as I understand, __DECLARE_FLEX_ARRAY() is a hack to allow the
> declaration of a flexible array within unions (which otherwise do not
> accept flexible array members). However, ethtool_rxnfc being a struct,
> I do not see the need for __DECLARE_FLEX_ARRAY() here.

Good point -- I think my eyes scanned through the "union" above and I
just jumped at using __DECLARE_FLEX_ARRAY. I'll send a v2. Thanks!

--
Kees Cook