Re: [PATCH v4 3/3] userfaultfd: use per-vma locks in userfaultfd operations

From: Liam R. Howlett
Date: Mon Feb 12 2024 - 10:21:20 EST


* Lokesh Gidra <lokeshgidra@xxxxxxxxxx> [240209 15:59]:
> On Fri, Feb 9, 2024 at 11:31 AM Liam R. Howlett <Liam.Howlett@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
..

> > > > > > > +static struct vm_area_struct *lock_vma(struct mm_struct *mm,
> > > > > > > + unsigned long address,
> > > > > > > + bool prepare_anon)
> > > > > > > +{
> > > > > > > + struct vm_area_struct *vma;
> > > > > > > +
> > > > > > > + vma = lock_vma_under_rcu(mm, address);
> > > > > > > + if (vma) {
> > > > > > > + /*
> > > > > > > + * lock_vma_under_rcu() only checks anon_vma for private
> > > > > > > + * anonymous mappings. But we need to ensure it is assigned in
> > > > > > > + * private file-backed vmas as well.
> > > > > > > + */
> > > > > > > + if (prepare_anon && !(vma->vm_flags & VM_SHARED) &&
> > > > > > > + !vma->anon_vma)
> > > > > > > + vma_end_read(vma);
> > > > > > > + else
> > > > > > > + return vma;
> > > > > > > + }
> > > > > > > +
> > > > > > > + mmap_read_lock(mm);
> > > > > > > + vma = vma_lookup(mm, address);
> > > > > > > + if (vma) {
> > > > > > > + if (prepare_anon && !(vma->vm_flags & VM_SHARED) &&
> > > > > > > + anon_vma_prepare(vma)) {
> > > > > > > + vma = ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
> > > > > > > + } else {
> > > > > > > + /*
> > > > > > > + * We cannot use vma_start_read() as it may fail due to
> > > > > > > + * false locked (see comment in vma_start_read()). We
> > > > > > > + * can avoid that by directly locking vm_lock under
> > > > > > > + * mmap_lock, which guarantees that nobody can lock the
> > > > > > > + * vma for write (vma_start_write()) under us.
> > > > > > > + */
> > > > > > > + down_read(&vma->vm_lock->lock);
> > > > > > > + }
> > > > > > > + }
> > > > > > > +
> > > > > > > + mmap_read_unlock(mm);
> > > > > > > + return vma;
> > > > > > > +}
> > > > > > > +
> > > > > > > +static void unlock_vma(struct vm_area_struct *vma)
> > > > > > > +{
> > > > > > > + vma_end_read(vma);
> > > > > > > +}
> > > > > > > +
..

>
> The current implementation has a deadlock problem:
>
> thread 1
> thread 2
>
> vma_start_read(dst_vma)
>
>
> mmap_write_lock()
>
> vma_start_write(src_vma)
> vma_start_read(src_vma) fails
> mmap_read_lock() blocks
>
>
> vma_start_write(dst_vma)
> blocks
>
>
> I think the solution is to implement it this way:
>
> long find_and_lock_vmas(...)
> {
> dst_vma = lock_vma(mm, dst_start, true);
> if (IS_ERR(dst_vma))
> return PTR_ERR(vma);
>
> src_vma = lock_vma_under_rcu(mm, src_start);
> if (!src_vma) {
> long err;
> if (mmap_read_trylock(mm)) {
> src_vma = vma_lookup(mm, src_start);
> if (src_vma) {
>
> down_read(&src_vma->vm_lock->lock);
> err = 0;
> } else {
> err = -ENOENT;
> }
> mmap_read_unlock(mm);
> } else {
> vma_end_read(dst_vma);
> err = lock_mm_and_find_vmas(..);
> if (!err) {

Right now lock_mm_and_find_vmas() doesn't use the per-vma locking, so
you'd have to lock those here too. I'm sure you realise that, but this
is very convoluted.

> mmap_read_unlock(mm);
> }
> }
> return err;

On contention you will now abort vs block.

> }
> return 0;
> }
>
> Of course this would need defining lock_mm_and_find_vmas() regardless
> of CONFIG_PER_VMA_LOCK. I can also remove the prepare_anon condition
> in lock_vma().

You are adding a lot of complexity for a relatively rare case, which is
probably not worth optimising.

I think you'd be better served by something like :

if (likely(src_vma))
return 0;

/* Undo any locking */
vma_end_read(dst_vma);

/* Fall back to locking both in mmap_lock critical section */
mmap_read_lock();
/*
* probably worth creating an inline function for a single vma
* find/populate that can be used in lock_vma() that does the anon vma
* population?
*/
dst_vm = lock_vma_populate_anon();
..

src_vma = lock_vma_under_rcu(mm, src_start);
..


mmap_read_unlock();
return 0;

src_failed:
vma_end_read(dst_vma);
dst_failed:
mmap_read_unlock();
return err;

Thanks,
Liam

..