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unwind_user: Deferred unwinding infrastructure

PATCH Applied Steven Rostedt 6 participants 21 messages Jul 29, 2025 – Sep 21, 2025

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#0 lore raw

v16 cover unwind_user: Deferred unwinding infrastructure

Jen Remus suggested some updates from v15:

https://lore.kernel.org/linux-trace-kernel/[email protected]/

Those were:

- Make fp_frame into a constant

- Removed useless initializing ra variable to zero

git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/trace/linux-trace.git
unwind/core

Head SHA1: cf079f0176cc16e937f0fd868f0ec2d649ad53dd

Josh Poimboeuf (3):
unwind_user: Add user space unwinding API with frame pointer support unwind_user/deferred: Add unwind cache unwind_user/deferred: Add deferred unwinding interface

Steven Rostedt (7):
unwind_user/deferred: Add unwind_user_faultable() unwind_user/deferred: Make unwind deferral requests NMI-safe unwind deferred: Use bitmask to determine which callbacks to call unwind deferred: Add unwind_completed mask to stop spurious callbacks
unwind: Add USED bit to only have one conditional on way back to user space unwind deferred: Use SRCU unwind_deferred_task_work()
unwind: Finish up unwind when a task exits

----

 MAINTAINERS                           |   8 +
 arch/Kconfig                          |   7 +
 include/asm-generic/Kbuild            |   1 +
 include/asm-generic/unwind_user.h     |   5 +
 include/linux/entry-common.h          |   2 +
 include/linux/sched.h                 |   5 +
 include/linux/unwind_deferred.h       |  81 ++++++++
 include/linux/unwind_deferred_types.h |  39 ++++
 include/linux/unwind_user.h           |  14 ++
 include/linux/unwind_user_types.h     |  44 +++++
 kernel/Makefile                       |   1 +
 kernel/exit.c                         |   2 +
 kernel/fork.c                         |   4 +
 kernel/unwind/Makefile                |   1 +
 kernel/unwind/deferred.c              | 362 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 kernel/unwind/user.c                  | 128 ++++++++++++
 16 files changed, 704 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 include/asm-generic/unwind_user.h
 create mode 100644 include/linux/unwind_deferred.h
 create mode 100644 include/linux/unwind_deferred_types.h
 create mode 100644 include/linux/unwind_user.h
 create mode 100644 include/linux/unwind_user_types.h
 create mode 100644 kernel/unwind/Makefile
 create mode 100644 kernel/unwind/deferred.c
 create mode 100644 kernel/unwind/user.c
#1 lore raw

PATCH v16 1/10 unwind_user: Add user space unwinding API with frame pointer support

From: Josh Poimboeuf <[email protected]>

Introduce a generic API for unwinding user stacks.

In order to expand user space unwinding to be able to handle more complex scenarios, such as deferred unwinding and reading user space information, create a generic interface that all architectures can use that support the various unwinding methods.

This is an alternative method for handling user space stack traces from the simple stack_trace_save_user() API. This does not replace that interface, but this interface will be used to expand the functionality of user space stack walking.

None of the structures introduced will be exposed to user space tooling.

Support for frame pointer unwinding is added. For an architecture to support frame pointer unwinding it needs to enable CONFIG_HAVE_UNWIND_USER_FP and define ARCH_INIT_USER_FP_FRAME.

By encoding the frame offsets in struct unwind_user_frame, much of this code can also be reused for future unwinder implementations like sframe.

---
Changes since v15: https://lore.kernel.org/[email protected]

- Made fp_frame into a constant (Jens Remus)

- Removed useless initializing ra variable to zero (Jens Remus)

 MAINTAINERS                       |   8 ++
 arch/Kconfig                      |   7 ++
 include/asm-generic/Kbuild        |   1 +
 include/asm-generic/unwind_user.h |   5 ++
 include/linux/unwind_user.h       |  14 ++++
 include/linux/unwind_user_types.h |  44 ++++++++++
 kernel/Makefile                   |   1 +
 kernel/unwind/Makefile            |   1 +
 kernel/unwind/user.c              | 128 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 9 files changed, 209 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 include/asm-generic/unwind_user.h
 create mode 100644 include/linux/unwind_user.h
 create mode 100644 include/linux/unwind_user_types.h
 create mode 100644 kernel/unwind/Makefile
 create mode 100644 kernel/unwind/user.c
MAINTAINERS +8 -0
index fad6cb025a19..370d780fd5f8 100644
@@ -25928,6 +25928,14 @@ F:	Documentation/driver-api/uio-howto.rst
 F:	drivers/uio/
 F:	include/linux/uio_driver.h
 
+USERSPACE STACK UNWINDING
+M:	Josh Poimboeuf <[email protected]>
+M:	Steven Rostedt <[email protected]>
+S:	Maintained
+F:	include/linux/unwind*.h
+F:	kernel/unwind/
+
+
 UTIL-LINUX PACKAGE
 M:	Karel Zak <[email protected]>
 L:	[email protected]
arch/Kconfig +7 -0
index a3308a220f86..8e3fd723bd74 100644
@@ -435,6 +435,13 @@ config HAVE_HARDLOCKUP_DETECTOR_ARCH
 	  It uses the same command line parameters, and sysctl interface,
 	  as the generic hardlockup detectors.
 
+config UNWIND_USER
+	bool
+
+config HAVE_UNWIND_USER_FP
+	bool
+	select UNWIND_USER
+
 config HAVE_PERF_REGS
 	bool
 	help
include/asm-generic/Kbuild +1 -0
index 8675b7b4ad23..295c94a3ccc1 100644
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ mandatory-y += tlbflush.h
 mandatory-y += topology.h
 mandatory-y += trace_clock.h
 mandatory-y += uaccess.h
+mandatory-y += unwind_user.h
 mandatory-y += vermagic.h
 mandatory-y += vga.h
 mandatory-y += video.h
include/asm-generic/unwind_user.h new file +5 -0
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..b8882b909944
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0 */
+#ifndef _ASM_GENERIC_UNWIND_USER_H
+#define _ASM_GENERIC_UNWIND_USER_H
+
+#endif /* _ASM_GENERIC_UNWIND_USER_H */
include/linux/unwind_user.h new file +14 -0
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..7f7282516bf5
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0 */
+#ifndef _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_H
+#define _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_H
+
+#include <linux/unwind_user_types.h>
+#include <asm/unwind_user.h>
+
+#ifndef ARCH_INIT_USER_FP_FRAME
+ #define ARCH_INIT_USER_FP_FRAME
+#endif
+
+int unwind_user(struct unwind_stacktrace *trace, unsigned int max_entries);
+
+#endif /* _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_H */
include/linux/unwind_user_types.h new file +44 -0

44 lines not on this page · raw message

kernel/Makefile +1 -0
index 32e80dd626af..541186050251 100644
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ obj-y += rcu/
 obj-y += livepatch/
 obj-y += dma/
 obj-y += entry/
+obj-y += unwind/
 obj-$(CONFIG_MODULES) += module/
 
 obj-$(CONFIG_KCMP) += kcmp.o
kernel/unwind/Makefile new file +1 -0
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..349ce3677526
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+ obj-$(CONFIG_UNWIND_USER) += user.o
kernel/unwind/user.c new file +128 -0

128 lines not on this page · raw message

Signature · 1 line
2.47.2
#2 lore raw

PATCH v16 2/10 unwind_user/deferred: Add unwind_user_faultable()

In reply to Steven Rostedt

From: Steven Rostedt <[email protected]>

Add a new API to retrieve a user space callstack called unwind_user_faultable(). The difference between this user space stack tracer from the current user space stack tracer is that this must be called from faultable context as it may use routines to access user space data that needs to be faulted in.

It can be safely called from entering or exiting a system call as the code can still be faulted in there.

This code is based on work by Josh Poimboeuf's deferred unwinding code:

---
 include/linux/sched.h                 |  5 +++
 include/linux/unwind_deferred.h       | 24 +++++++++++
 include/linux/unwind_deferred_types.h |  9 ++++
 kernel/fork.c                         |  4 ++
 kernel/unwind/Makefile                |  2 +-
 kernel/unwind/deferred.c              | 60 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 6 files changed, 103 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
 create mode 100644 include/linux/unwind_deferred.h
 create mode 100644 include/linux/unwind_deferred_types.h
 create mode 100644 kernel/unwind/deferred.c
include/linux/sched.h +5 -0
index 4f78a64beb52..59fdf7d9bb1e 100644
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 #include <linux/rv.h>
 #include <linux/uidgid_types.h>
 #include <linux/tracepoint-defs.h>
+#include <linux/unwind_deferred_types.h>
 #include <asm/kmap_size.h>
 
 /* task_struct member predeclarations (sorted alphabetically): */
@@ -1654,6 +1655,10 @@ struct task_struct {
 	struct user_event_mm		*user_event_mm;
 #endif
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_UNWIND_USER
+	struct unwind_task_info		unwind_info;
+#endif
+
 	/* CPU-specific state of this task: */
 	struct thread_struct		thread;
 
include/linux/unwind_deferred.h new file +24 -0
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a5f6e8f8a1a2
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0 */
+#ifndef _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_DEFERRED_H
+#define _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_DEFERRED_H
+
+#include <linux/unwind_user.h>
+#include <linux/unwind_deferred_types.h>
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_UNWIND_USER
+
+void unwind_task_init(struct task_struct *task);
+void unwind_task_free(struct task_struct *task);
+
+int unwind_user_faultable(struct unwind_stacktrace *trace);
+
+#else /* !CONFIG_UNWIND_USER */
+
+static inline void unwind_task_init(struct task_struct *task) {}
+static inline void unwind_task_free(struct task_struct *task) {}
+
+static inline int unwind_user_faultable(struct unwind_stacktrace *trace) { return -ENOSYS; }
+
+#endif /* !CONFIG_UNWIND_USER */
+
+#endif /* _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_DEFERRED_H */
include/linux/unwind_deferred_types.h new file +9 -0
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..aa32db574e43
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0 */
+#ifndef _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_DEFERRED_TYPES_H
+#define _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_DEFERRED_TYPES_H
+
+struct unwind_task_info {
+	unsigned long		*entries;
+};
+
+#endif /* _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_DEFERRED_TYPES_H */
kernel/fork.c +4 -0
index 1ee8eb11f38b..3341d50c61f2 100644
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@
 #include <uapi/linux/pidfd.h>
 #include <linux/pidfs.h>
 #include <linux/tick.h>
+#include <linux/unwind_deferred.h>
 
 #include <asm/pgalloc.h>
 #include <linux/uaccess.h>
@@ -732,6 +733,7 @@ void __put_task_struct(struct task_struct *tsk)
 	WARN_ON(refcount_read(&tsk->usage));
 	WARN_ON(tsk == current);
 
+	unwind_task_free(tsk);
 	sched_ext_free(tsk);
 	io_uring_free(tsk);
 	cgroup_free(tsk);
@@ -2135,6 +2137,8 @@ __latent_entropy struct task_struct *copy_process(
 	p->bpf_ctx = NULL;
 #endif
 
+	unwind_task_init(p);
+
 	/* Perform scheduler related setup. Assign this task to a CPU. */
 	retval = sched_fork(clone_flags, p);
 	if (retval)
kernel/unwind/Makefile +1 -1
index 349ce3677526..eae37bea54fd 100644
@@ -1 +1 @@
- obj-$(CONFIG_UNWIND_USER) += user.o
+ obj-$(CONFIG_UNWIND_USER)	+= user.o deferred.o
kernel/unwind/deferred.c new file +60 -0

60 lines not on this page · raw message

Signature · 1 line
2.47.2
#3 lore raw

PATCH v16 3/10 unwind_user/deferred: Add unwind cache

In reply to Steven Rostedt

From: Josh Poimboeuf <[email protected]>

Cache the results of the unwind to ensure the unwind is only performed once, even when called by multiple tracers.

The cache nr_entries gets cleared every time the task exits the kernel. When a stacktrace is requested, nr_entries gets set to the number of entries in the stacktrace. If another stacktrace is requested, if nr_entries is not zero, then it contains the same stacktrace that would be retrieved so it is not processed again and the entries is given to the caller.

---
 include/linux/entry-common.h          |  2 ++
 include/linux/unwind_deferred.h       |  8 +++++++
 include/linux/unwind_deferred_types.h |  7 +++++-
 kernel/unwind/deferred.c              | 31 +++++++++++++++++++++------
 4 files changed, 40 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)
include/linux/entry-common.h +2 -0
index f94f3fdf15fc..8908b8eeb99b 100644
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <linux/resume_user_mode.h>
 #include <linux/tick.h>
 #include <linux/kmsan.h>
+#include <linux/unwind_deferred.h>
 
 #include <asm/entry-common.h>
 #include <asm/syscall.h>
@@ -362,6 +363,7 @@ static __always_inline void exit_to_user_mode(void)
 	lockdep_hardirqs_on_prepare();
 	instrumentation_end();
 
+	unwind_reset_info();
 	user_enter_irqoff();
 	arch_exit_to_user_mode();
 	lockdep_hardirqs_on(CALLER_ADDR0);
include/linux/unwind_deferred.h +8 -0
index a5f6e8f8a1a2..baacf4a1eb4c 100644
@@ -12,6 +12,12 @@ void unwind_task_free(struct task_struct *task);
 
 int unwind_user_faultable(struct unwind_stacktrace *trace);
 
+static __always_inline void unwind_reset_info(void)
+{
+	if (unlikely(current->unwind_info.cache))
+		current->unwind_info.cache->nr_entries = 0;
+}
+
 #else /* !CONFIG_UNWIND_USER */
 
 static inline void unwind_task_init(struct task_struct *task) {}
@@ -19,6 +25,8 @@ static inline void unwind_task_free(struct task_struct *task) {}
 
 static inline int unwind_user_faultable(struct unwind_stacktrace *trace) { return -ENOSYS; }
 
+static inline void unwind_reset_info(void) {}
+
 #endif /* !CONFIG_UNWIND_USER */
 
 #endif /* _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_DEFERRED_H */
include/linux/unwind_deferred_types.h +6 -1
index aa32db574e43..db5b54b18828 100644
@@ -2,8 +2,13 @@
 #ifndef _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_DEFERRED_TYPES_H
 #define _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_DEFERRED_TYPES_H
 
+struct unwind_cache {
+	unsigned int		nr_entries;
+	unsigned long		entries[];
+};
+
 struct unwind_task_info {
-	unsigned long		*entries;
+	struct unwind_cache	*cache;
 };
 
 #endif /* _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_DEFERRED_TYPES_H */
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +24 -7
index a0badbeb3cc1..96368a5aa522 100644
@@ -4,10 +4,13 @@
  */
 #include <linux/kernel.h>
 #include <linux/sched.h>
+#include <linux/sizes.h>
 #include <linux/slab.h>
 #include <linux/unwind_deferred.h>
 
-#define UNWIND_MAX_ENTRIES 512
+/* Make the cache fit in a 4K page */
+#define UNWIND_MAX_ENTRIES					\
+	((SZ_4K - sizeof(struct unwind_cache)) / sizeof(long))
 
 /**
  * unwind_user_faultable - Produce a user stacktrace in faultable context
@@ -24,6 +27,7 @@
 int unwind_user_faultable(struct unwind_stacktrace *trace)
 {
 	struct unwind_task_info *info = &current->unwind_info;
+	struct unwind_cache *cache;
 
 	/* Should always be called from faultable context */
 	might_fault();
@@ -31,17 +35,30 @@ int unwind_user_faultable(struct unwind_stacktrace *trace)
 	if (current->flags & PF_EXITING)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	if (!info->entries) {
-		info->entries = kmalloc_array(UNWIND_MAX_ENTRIES, sizeof(long),
-					      GFP_KERNEL);
-		if (!info->entries)
+	if (!info->cache) {
+		info->cache = kzalloc(struct_size(cache, entries, UNWIND_MAX_ENTRIES),
+				      GFP_KERNEL);
+		if (!info->cache)
 			return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 
+	cache = info->cache;
+	trace->entries = cache->entries;
+
+	if (cache->nr_entries) {
+		/*
+		 * The user stack has already been previously unwound in this
+		 * entry context.  Skip the unwind and use the cache.
+		 */
+		trace->nr = cache->nr_entries;
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	trace->nr = 0;
-	trace->entries = info->entries;
 	unwind_user(trace, UNWIND_MAX_ENTRIES);
 
+	cache->nr_entries = trace->nr;
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -56,5 +73,5 @@ void unwind_task_free(struct task_struct *task)
 {
 	struct unwind_task_info *info = &task->unwind_info;
 
-	kfree(info->entries);
+	kfree(info->cache);
 }
Signature · 1 line
2.47.2
#4 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v16 03/10] unwind_user/deferred: Add unwind cache

Quoted 49 lines · Steven Rostedt

From: Josh Poimboeuf <[email protected]>

Cache the results of the unwind to ensure the unwind is only performed once, even when called by multiple tracers.

The cache nr_entries gets cleared every time the task exits the kernel. When a stacktrace is requested, nr_entries gets set to the number of entries in the stacktrace. If another stacktrace is requested, if nr_entries is not zero, then it contains the same stacktrace that would be retrieved so it is not processed again and the entries is given to the caller.

---
  include/linux/entry-common.h          |  2 ++
  include/linux/unwind_deferred.h       |  8 +++++++
  include/linux/unwind_deferred_types.h |  7 +++++-
  kernel/unwind/deferred.c              | 31 +++++++++++++++++++++------
  4 files changed, 40 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)
include/linux/entry-common.h +2 -0
index f94f3fdf15fc..8908b8eeb99b 100644
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
  #include <linux/resume_user_mode.h>
  #include <linux/tick.h>
  #include <linux/kmsan.h>
+#include <linux/unwind_deferred.h>
 
  #include <asm/entry-common.h>
  #include <asm/syscall.h>
@@ -362,6 +363,7 @@ static __always_inline void exit_to_user_mode(void)
  	lockdep_hardirqs_on_prepare();
  	instrumentation_end();
 
+	unwind_reset_info();
  	user_enter_irqoff();
  	arch_exit_to_user_mode();
  	lockdep_hardirqs_on(CALLER_ADDR0);
include/linux/unwind_deferred.h +0 -0
index a5f6e8f8a1a2..baacf4a1eb4c 100644

include/linux/unwind_deferred.h void unwind_task_free(struct task_struct *task); · line 19

Quoted 8 lines
include/linux/unwind_deferred.h +5 -0
@@ -12,6 +12,12 @@ void unwind_task_free(struct task_struct *task);
 
  int unwind_user_faultable(struct unwind_stacktrace *trace);
 
+static __always_inline void unwind_reset_info(void)
+{
+	if (unlikely(current->unwind_info.cache))
+		current->unwind_info.cache->nr_entries = 0;
+}

Should the entries[] items upto nr_entries (stack trace info from the previous request) also be reset to 0 here ?

Quoted 18 lines
include/linux/unwind_deferred.h +3 -0
+
  #else /* !CONFIG_UNWIND_USER */
 
  static inline void unwind_task_init(struct task_struct *task) {}
@@ -19,6 +25,8 @@ static inline void unwind_task_free(struct task_struct *task) {}
 
  static inline int unwind_user_faultable(struct unwind_stacktrace *trace) { return -ENOSYS; }
 
+static inline void unwind_reset_info(void) {}
+
  #endif /* !CONFIG_UNWIND_USER */
 
  #endif /* _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_DEFERRED_H */
include/linux/unwind_deferred_types.h +0 -0
index aa32db574e43..db5b54b18828 100644

include/linux/unwind_deferred_types.h line 9

Quoted 8 lines
include/linux/unwind_deferred_types.h +5 -0
@@ -2,8 +2,13 @@
  #ifndef _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_DEFERRED_TYPES_H
  #define _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_DEFERRED_TYPES_H
 
+struct unwind_cache {
+	unsigned int		nr_entries;
+	unsigned long		entries[];
+};
+

Should we use __counted_by ?

Quoted 76 lines
include/linux/unwind_deferred_types.h +1 -1
  struct unwind_task_info {
-	unsigned long		*entries;
+	struct unwind_cache	*cache;
  };
 
  #endif /* _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_DEFERRED_TYPES_H */
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +24 -7
index a0badbeb3cc1..96368a5aa522 100644
@@ -4,10 +4,13 @@
   */
  #include <linux/kernel.h>
  #include <linux/sched.h>
+#include <linux/sizes.h>
  #include <linux/slab.h>
  #include <linux/unwind_deferred.h>
 
-#define UNWIND_MAX_ENTRIES 512
+/* Make the cache fit in a 4K page */
+#define UNWIND_MAX_ENTRIES					\
+	((SZ_4K - sizeof(struct unwind_cache)) / sizeof(long))
 
  /**
   * unwind_user_faultable - Produce a user stacktrace in faultable context
@@ -24,6 +27,7 @@
  int unwind_user_faultable(struct unwind_stacktrace *trace)
  {
  	struct unwind_task_info *info = &current->unwind_info;
+	struct unwind_cache *cache;
 
  	/* Should always be called from faultable context */
  	might_fault();
@@ -31,17 +35,30 @@ int unwind_user_faultable(struct unwind_stacktrace *trace)
  	if (current->flags & PF_EXITING)
  		return -EINVAL;
 
-	if (!info->entries) {
-		info->entries = kmalloc_array(UNWIND_MAX_ENTRIES, sizeof(long),
-					      GFP_KERNEL);
-		if (!info->entries)
+	if (!info->cache) {
+		info->cache = kzalloc(struct_size(cache, entries, UNWIND_MAX_ENTRIES),
+				      GFP_KERNEL);
+		if (!info->cache)
  			return -ENOMEM;
  	}
 
+	cache = info->cache;
+	trace->entries = cache->entries;
+
+	if (cache->nr_entries) {
+		/*
+		 * The user stack has already been previously unwound in this
+		 * entry context.  Skip the unwind and use the cache.
+		 */
+		trace->nr = cache->nr_entries;
+		return 0;
+	}
+
  	trace->nr = 0;
-	trace->entries = info->entries;
  	unwind_user(trace, UNWIND_MAX_ENTRIES);
 
+	cache->nr_entries = trace->nr;
+
  	return 0;
  }
 
@@ -56,5 +73,5 @@ void unwind_task_free(struct task_struct *task)
  {
  	struct unwind_task_info *info = &task->unwind_info;
 
-	kfree(info->entries);
+	kfree(info->cache);
  }
maintainer
#5 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v16 03/10] unwind_user/deferred: Add unwind cache

Quoted 8 lines · On Tue, 29 Jul 2025 21:55:39 -0700 Indu Bhagat <[email protected]> wrote:
Quoted 8 lines
include/linux/unwind_deferred.h +0 -0
index a5f6e8f8a1a2..baacf4a1eb4c 100644
@@ -12,6 +12,12 @@ void unwind_task_free(struct task_struct *task);
 
  int unwind_user_faultable(struct unwind_stacktrace *trace);
 
Quoted 8 lines

include/linux/unwind_deferred.h void unwind_task_free(struct task_struct *task); · line 19

Quoted 5 lines
include/linux/unwind_deferred.h +5 -0
+static __always_inline void unwind_reset_info(void)
+{
+	if (unlikely(current->unwind_info.cache))
+		current->unwind_info.cache->nr_entries = 0;
+}  

Should the entries[] items upto nr_entries (stack trace info from the previous request) also be reset to 0 here ?

This is in a critical path, there's no reason to reset to zero. The data will just be stale. Nothing should care about anything over nr_entries.

Quoted 8 lines
Quoted 8 lines
include/linux/unwind_deferred_types.h +0 -0
index aa32db574e43..db5b54b18828 100644
@@ -2,8 +2,13 @@
  #ifndef _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_DEFERRED_TYPES_H
  #define _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_DEFERRED_TYPES_H
 
Quoted 7 lines

include/linux/unwind_deferred_types.h line 9

Quoted 5 lines
include/linux/unwind_deferred_types.h +5 -0
+struct unwind_cache {
+	unsigned int		nr_entries;
+	unsigned long		entries[];
+};
+  

Should we use __counted_by ?

The size of entries[] is not determined by nr_entries. It is allocated on the first use, and not freed until the task exits. It's a fixed size defined by:

/* Make the cache fit in a 4K page */
#define UNWIND_MAX_ENTRIES \
((SZ_4K - sizeof(struct unwind_cache)) / sizeof(long))

-- Steve

Reviewed-by
#6 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v16 03/10] unwind_user/deferred: Add unwind cache

Quoted 20 lines · Steven Rostedt
Quoted 8 lines · On Tue, 29 Jul 2025 21:55:39 -0700 Indu Bhagat <[email protected]> wrote:
Quoted 8 lines
include/linux/unwind_deferred.h +0 -0
index a5f6e8f8a1a2..baacf4a1eb4c 100644
@@ -12,6 +12,12 @@ void unwind_task_free(struct task_struct *task);
 
   int unwind_user_faultable(struct unwind_stacktrace *trace);
 
Quoted 8 lines

include/linux/unwind_deferred.h void unwind_task_free(struct task_struct *task); · line 19

Quoted 5 lines
include/linux/unwind_deferred.h +5 -0
+static __always_inline void unwind_reset_info(void)
+{
+	if (unlikely(current->unwind_info.cache))
+		current->unwind_info.cache->nr_entries = 0;
+}

Should the entries[] items upto nr_entries (stack trace info from the previous request) also be reset to 0 here ?

Quoted 3 lines

This is in a critical path, there's no reason to reset to zero. The data will just be stale. Nothing should care about anything over nr_entries.

OK.

#7 lore raw

PATCH v16 4/10 unwind_user/deferred: Add deferred unwinding interface

In reply to Steven Rostedt

From: Josh Poimboeuf <[email protected]>

Add an interface for scheduling task work to unwind the user space stack before returning to user space. This solves several problems for its callers:

- Ensure the unwind happens in task context even if the caller may be running in interrupt context.

- Avoid duplicate unwinds, whether called multiple times by the same caller or by different callers.

- Create a "context cookie" which allows trace post-processing to correlate kernel unwinds/traces with the user unwind.

A concept of a "cookie" is created to detect when the stacktrace is the same. A cookie is generated the first time a user space stacktrace is requested after the task enters the kernel. As the stacktrace is saved on the task_struct while the task is in the kernel, if another request comes in, if the cookie is still the same, it will use the saved stacktrace, and not have to regenerate one.

The cookie is passed to the caller on request, and when the stacktrace is generated upon returning to user space, it calls the requester's callback with the cookie as well as the stacktrace. The cookie is cleared when it goes back to user space. Note, this currently adds another conditional to the unwind_reset_info() path that is always called returning to user space, but future changes will put this back to a single conditional.

A global list is created and protected by a global mutex that holds tracers that register with the unwind infrastructure. The number of registered tracers will be limited in future changes. Each perf program or ftrace instance will register its own descriptor to use for deferred unwind stack traces.

Note, in the function unwind_deferred_task_work() that gets called when returning to user space, it uses a global mutex for synchronization which will cause a big bottleneck. This will be replaced by SRCU, but that change adds some complex synchronization that deservers its own commit.

---
 include/linux/unwind_deferred.h       |  24 ++++
 include/linux/unwind_deferred_types.h |  24 ++++
 kernel/unwind/deferred.c              | 156 +++++++++++++++++++++++++-
 3 files changed, 203 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
include/linux/unwind_deferred.h +24 -0
index baacf4a1eb4c..14efd8c027aa 100644
@@ -2,9 +2,19 @@
 #ifndef _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_DEFERRED_H
 #define _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_DEFERRED_H
 
+#include <linux/task_work.h>
 #include <linux/unwind_user.h>
 #include <linux/unwind_deferred_types.h>
 
+struct unwind_work;
+
+typedef void (*unwind_callback_t)(struct unwind_work *work, struct unwind_stacktrace *trace, u64 cookie);
+
+struct unwind_work {
+	struct list_head		list;
+	unwind_callback_t		func;
+};
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_UNWIND_USER
 
 void unwind_task_init(struct task_struct *task);
@@ -12,8 +22,19 @@ void unwind_task_free(struct task_struct *task);
 
 int unwind_user_faultable(struct unwind_stacktrace *trace);
 
+int unwind_deferred_init(struct unwind_work *work, unwind_callback_t func);
+int unwind_deferred_request(struct unwind_work *work, u64 *cookie);
+void unwind_deferred_cancel(struct unwind_work *work);
+
 static __always_inline void unwind_reset_info(void)
 {
+	if (unlikely(current->unwind_info.id.id))
+		current->unwind_info.id.id = 0;
+	/*
+	 * As unwind_user_faultable() can be called directly and
+	 * depends on nr_entries being cleared on exit to user,
+	 * this needs to be a separate conditional.
+	 */
 	if (unlikely(current->unwind_info.cache))
 		current->unwind_info.cache->nr_entries = 0;
 }
@@ -24,6 +45,9 @@ static inline void unwind_task_init(struct task_struct *task) {}
 static inline void unwind_task_free(struct task_struct *task) {}
 
 static inline int unwind_user_faultable(struct unwind_stacktrace *trace) { return -ENOSYS; }
+static inline int unwind_deferred_init(struct unwind_work *work, unwind_callback_t func) { return -ENOSYS; }
+static inline int unwind_deferred_request(struct unwind_work *work, u64 *timestamp) { return -ENOSYS; }
+static inline void unwind_deferred_cancel(struct unwind_work *work) {}
 
 static inline void unwind_reset_info(void) {}
 
include/linux/unwind_deferred_types.h +24 -0
index db5b54b18828..104c477d5609 100644
@@ -7,8 +7,32 @@ struct unwind_cache {
 	unsigned long		entries[];
 };
 
+/*
+ * The unwind_task_id is a unique identifier that maps to a user space
+ * stacktrace. It is generated the first time a deferred user space
+ * stacktrace is requested after a task has entered the kerenl and
+ * is cleared to zero when it exits. The mapped id will be a non-zero
+ * number.
+ *
+ * To simplify the generation of the 64 bit number, 32 bits will be
+ * the CPU it was generated on, and the other 32 bits will be a per
+ * cpu counter that gets incremented by two every time a new identifier
+ * is generated. The LSB will always be set to keep the value
+ * from being zero.
+ */
+union unwind_task_id {
+	struct {
+		u32		cpu;
+		u32		cnt;
+	};
+	u64			id;
+};
+
 struct unwind_task_info {
 	struct unwind_cache	*cache;
+	struct callback_head	work;
+	union unwind_task_id	id;
+	int			pending;
 };
 
 #endif /* _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_DEFERRED_TYPES_H */
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +155 -1

186 lines not on this page · raw message

Signature · 1 line
2.47.2
#8 lore raw

PATCH v16 5/10 unwind_user/deferred: Make unwind deferral requests NMI-safe

In reply to Steven Rostedt

From: Steven Rostedt <[email protected]>

Make unwind_deferred_request() NMI-safe so tracers in NMI context can call it and safely request a user space stacktrace when the task exits.

Note, this is only allowed for architectures that implement a safe cmpxchg. If an architecture requests a deferred stack trace from NMI context that does not support a safe NMI cmpxchg, it will get an -EINVAL and trigger a warning. For those architectures, they would need another method (perhaps an irqwork), to request a deferred user space stack trace. That can be dealt with later if one of theses architectures require this feature.

---
 kernel/unwind/deferred.c | 52 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------
 1 file changed, 44 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +44 -8
index 2cbae2ada309..c5ac087d2396 100644
@@ -12,6 +12,31 @@
 #include <linux/slab.h>
 #include <linux/mm.h>
 
+/*
+ * For requesting a deferred user space stack trace from NMI context
+ * the architecture must support a safe cmpxchg in NMI context.
+ * For those architectures that do not have that, then it cannot ask
+ * for a deferred user space stack trace from an NMI context. If it
+ * does, then it will get -EINVAL.
+ */
+#if defined(CONFIG_ARCH_HAVE_NMI_SAFE_CMPXCHG)
+# define CAN_USE_IN_NMI		1
+static inline bool try_assign_cnt(struct unwind_task_info *info, u32 cnt)
+{
+	u32 old = 0;
+
+	return try_cmpxchg(&info->id.cnt, &old, cnt);
+}
+#else
+# define CAN_USE_IN_NMI		0
+/* When NMIs are not allowed, this always succeeds */
+static inline bool try_assign_cnt(struct unwind_task_info *info, u32 cnt)
+{
+	info->id.cnt = cnt;
+	return true;
+}
+#endif
+
 /* Make the cache fit in a 4K page */
 #define UNWIND_MAX_ENTRIES					\
 	((SZ_4K - sizeof(struct unwind_cache)) / sizeof(long))
@@ -42,14 +67,13 @@ static DEFINE_PER_CPU(u32, unwind_ctx_ctr);
 static u64 get_cookie(struct unwind_task_info *info)
 {
 	u32 cnt = 1;
-	u32 old = 0;
 
 	if (info->id.cpu)
 		return info->id.id;
 
 	/* LSB is always set to ensure 0 is an invalid value */
 	cnt |= __this_cpu_read(unwind_ctx_ctr) + 2;
-	if (try_cmpxchg(&info->id.cnt, &old, cnt)) {
+	if (try_assign_cnt(info, cnt)) {
 		/* Update the per cpu counter */
 		__this_cpu_write(unwind_ctx_ctr, cnt);
 	}
@@ -167,31 +191,43 @@ static void unwind_deferred_task_work(struct callback_head *head)
 int unwind_deferred_request(struct unwind_work *work, u64 *cookie)
 {
 	struct unwind_task_info *info = &current->unwind_info;
+	long pending;
 	int ret;
 
 	*cookie = 0;
 
-	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(in_nmi()))
-		return -EINVAL;
-
 	if ((current->flags & (PF_KTHREAD | PF_EXITING)) ||
 	    !user_mode(task_pt_regs(current)))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	/*
+	 * NMI requires having safe cmpxchg operations.
+	 * Trigger a warning to make it obvious that an architecture
+	 * is using this in NMI when it should not be.
+	 */
+	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!CAN_USE_IN_NMI && in_nmi()))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	guard(irqsave)();
 
 	*cookie = get_cookie(info);
 
 	/* callback already pending? */
-	if (info->pending)
+	pending = READ_ONCE(info->pending);
+	if (pending)
+		return 1;
+
+	/* Claim the work unless an NMI just now swooped in to do so. */
+	if (!try_cmpxchg(&info->pending, &pending, 1))
 		return 1;
 
 	/* The work has been claimed, now schedule it. */
 	ret = task_work_add(current, &info->work, TWA_RESUME);
-	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(ret))
+	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(ret)) {
+		WRITE_ONCE(info->pending, 0);
 		return ret;
+	}
 
-	info->pending = 1;
 	return 0;
 }
 
Signature · 1 line
2.47.2
#9 lore raw

PATCH v16 6/10 unwind deferred: Use bitmask to determine which callbacks to call

In reply to Steven Rostedt

From: Steven Rostedt <[email protected]>

In order to know which registered callback requested a stacktrace for when the task goes back to user space, add a bitmask to keep track of all registered tracers. The bitmask is the size of long, which means that on a 32 bit machine, it can have at most 32 registered tracers, and on 64 bit, it can have at most 64 registered tracers. This should not be an issue as there should not be more than 10 (unless BPF can abuse this?).

When a tracer registers with unwind_deferred_init() it will get a bit number assigned to it. When a tracer requests a stacktrace, it will have its bit set within the task_struct. When the task returns back to user space, it will call the callbacks for all the registered tracers where their bits are set in the task's mask.

When a tracer is removed by the unwind_deferred_cancel() all current tasks will clear the associated bit, just in case another tracer gets registered immediately afterward and then gets their callback called unexpectedly.

To prevent live locks from happening if an event that happens between the task_work and when the task goes back to user space, triggers the deferred unwind, have the unwind_mask get cleared on exit to user space and not after the callback is made.

Move the pending bit from a value on the task_struct to bit zero of the unwind_mask (saves space on the task_struct). This will allow modifying the pending bit along with the work bits atomically.

Instead of clearing a work's bit after its callback is called, it is delayed until exit. If the work is requested again, the task_work is not queued again and the request will be notified that the task has already been called by returning a positive number (the same as if it was already pending).

The pending bit is cleared before calling the callback functions but the current work bits remain. If one of the called works registers again, it will not trigger a task_work if its bit is still present in the task's unwind_mask.

If a new work requests a deferred unwind, then it will set both the pending bit and its own bit. Note this will also cause any work that was previously queued and had their callback already executed to be executed again. Future work will remove these spurious callbacks.

The use of atomic_long bit operations were suggested by Peter Zijlstra:

The unwind_mask could not be converted to atomic_long_t do to atomic_long not having all the bit operations needed by unwind_mask. Instead it follows other use cases in the kernel and just typecasts the unwind_mask to atomic_long_t when using the two atomic_long functions.

---
 include/linux/unwind_deferred.h       | 26 +++++++-
 include/linux/unwind_deferred_types.h |  2 +-
 kernel/unwind/deferred.c              | 87 +++++++++++++++++++++------
 3 files changed, 92 insertions(+), 23 deletions(-)
include/linux/unwind_deferred.h +23 -3
index 14efd8c027aa..337ead927d4d 100644
@@ -13,10 +13,19 @@ typedef void (*unwind_callback_t)(struct unwind_work *work, struct unwind_stackt
 struct unwind_work {
 	struct list_head		list;
 	unwind_callback_t		func;
+	int				bit;
 };
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_UNWIND_USER
 
+enum {
+	UNWIND_PENDING_BIT = 0,
+};
+
+enum {
+	UNWIND_PENDING		= BIT(UNWIND_PENDING_BIT),
+};
+
 void unwind_task_init(struct task_struct *task);
 void unwind_task_free(struct task_struct *task);
 
@@ -28,15 +37,26 @@ void unwind_deferred_cancel(struct unwind_work *work);
 
 static __always_inline void unwind_reset_info(void)
 {
-	if (unlikely(current->unwind_info.id.id))
+	struct unwind_task_info *info = &current->unwind_info;
+	unsigned long bits;
+
+	/* Was there any unwinding? */
+	if (unlikely(info->unwind_mask)) {
+		bits = info->unwind_mask;
+		do {
+			/* Is a task_work going to run again before going back */
+			if (bits & UNWIND_PENDING)
+				return;
+		} while (!try_cmpxchg(&info->unwind_mask, &bits, 0UL));
 		current->unwind_info.id.id = 0;
+	}
 	/*
 	 * As unwind_user_faultable() can be called directly and
 	 * depends on nr_entries being cleared on exit to user,
 	 * this needs to be a separate conditional.
 	 */
-	if (unlikely(current->unwind_info.cache))
-		current->unwind_info.cache->nr_entries = 0;
+	if (unlikely(info->cache))
+		info->cache->nr_entries = 0;
 }
 
 #else /* !CONFIG_UNWIND_USER */
include/linux/unwind_deferred_types.h +1 -1
index 104c477d5609..5dc9cda141ff 100644
@@ -29,10 +29,10 @@ union unwind_task_id {
 };
 
 struct unwind_task_info {
+	unsigned long		unwind_mask;
 	struct unwind_cache	*cache;
 	struct callback_head	work;
 	union unwind_task_id	id;
-	int			pending;
 };
 
 #endif /* _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_DEFERRED_TYPES_H */
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +68 -19

154 lines not on this page · raw message

Signature · 1 line
2.47.2
maintainer
#10 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v16 06/10] unwind deferred: Use bitmask to determine which callbacks to call

Quoted 21 lines · Steven Rostedt
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +8 -6
@@ -212,32 +225,59 @@ int unwind_deferred_request(struct unwind_work *work, u64 *cookie)
 
 	*cookie = get_cookie(info);
 
-	/* callback already pending? */
-	pending = READ_ONCE(info->pending);
-	if (pending)
-		return 1;
+	old = READ_ONCE(info->unwind_mask);
 
-	/* Claim the work unless an NMI just now swooped in to do so. */
-	if (!try_cmpxchg(&info->pending, &pending, 1))
+	/* Is this already queued or executed */
+	if (old & bit)
 		return 1;
 
+	/*
+	 * This work's bit hasn't been set yet. Now set it with the PENDING
+	 * bit and fetch the current value of unwind_mask. If ether the
+	 * work's bit or PENDING was already set, then this is already queued
+	 * to have a callback.

kernel/unwind/deferred.c int unwind_deferred_request(struct unwind_work *work, u64 *cookie) · line 248

Quoted 10 lines
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +10 -0
+	 */
+	bits = UNWIND_PENDING | bit;
+	old = atomic_long_fetch_or(bits, (atomic_long_t *)&info->unwind_mask);
+	if (old & bits) {
+		/*
+		 * If the work's bit was set, whatever set it had better
+		 * have also set pending and queued a callback.
+		 */
+		WARN_ON_ONCE(!(old & UNWIND_PENDING));
+		return old & bit;

Per the function comment, the function returns 0, 1, or negative. So this should be

return !!(old & bit)

right?

Signature · 1 line
Josh
#11 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v16 06/10] unwind deferred: Use bitmask to determine which callbacks to call

Quoted 8 lines · On Fri, 19 Sep 2025 18:00:30 -0700 Josh Poimboeuf <[email protected]> wrote:

kernel/unwind/deferred.c int unwind_deferred_request(struct unwind_work *work, u64 *cookie) · line 248

Quoted 1 line
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +1 -0
+		return old & bit;  

Per the function comment, the function returns 0, 1, or negative. So this should be

return !!(old & bit)

right?

Right. Thanks!

-- Steve

#12 lore raw

PATCH v16 7/10 unwind deferred: Add unwind_completed mask to stop spurious callbacks

In reply to Steven Rostedt

From: Steven Rostedt <[email protected]>

If there's more than one registered tracer to the unwind deferred infrastructure, it is currently possible that one tracer could cause extra callbacks to happen for another tracer if the former requests a deferred stacktrace after the latter's callback was executed and before the task went back to user space.

Here's an example of how this could occur:

[Task enters kernel]

    tracer 1 request -> add cookie to its buffer
    tracer 1 request -> add cookie to its buffer
    <..>
    [ task work executes ]
    tracer 1 callback -> add trace + cookie to its buffer

    [tracer 2 requests and triggers the task work again]
    [ task work executes again ]
    tracer 1 callback -> add trace + cookie to its buffer
    tracer 2 callback -> add trace + cookie to its buffer

[Task exits back to user space]

This is because the bit for tracer 1 gets set in the task's unwind_mask when it did its request and does not get cleared until the task returns back to user space. But if another tracer were to request another deferred stacktrace, then the next task work will executed all tracer's callbacks that have their bits set in the task's unwind_mask.

To fix this issue, add another mask called unwind_completed and place it into the task's info->cache structure. The cache structure is allocated on the first occurrence of a deferred stacktrace and this unwind_completed mask is not needed until then. It's better to have it in the cache than to permanently waste space in the task_struct.

After a tracer's callback is executed, it's bit gets set in this unwind_completed mask. When the task_work enters, it will AND the task's unwind_mask with the inverse of the unwind_completed which will eliminate any work that already had its callback executed since the task entered the kernel.

When the task leaves the kernel, it will reset this unwind_completed mask just like it resets the other values as it enters user space.

---
 include/linux/unwind_deferred.h       |  4 +++-
 include/linux/unwind_deferred_types.h |  1 +
 kernel/unwind/deferred.c              | 19 +++++++++++++++----
 3 files changed, 19 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)
include/linux/unwind_deferred.h +3 -1
index 337ead927d4d..b9ec4c8515c7 100644
@@ -55,8 +55,10 @@ static __always_inline void unwind_reset_info(void)
 	 * depends on nr_entries being cleared on exit to user,
 	 * this needs to be a separate conditional.
 	 */
-	if (unlikely(info->cache))
+	if (unlikely(info->cache)) {
 		info->cache->nr_entries = 0;
+		info->cache->unwind_completed = 0;
+	}
 }
 
 #else /* !CONFIG_UNWIND_USER */
include/linux/unwind_deferred_types.h +1 -0
index 5dc9cda141ff..33b62ac25c86 100644
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #define _LINUX_UNWIND_USER_DEFERRED_TYPES_H
 
 struct unwind_cache {
+	unsigned long		unwind_completed;
 	unsigned int		nr_entries;
 	unsigned long		entries[];
 };
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +15 -4
index e19f02ef416d..a3d26014a2e6 100644
@@ -166,12 +166,18 @@ static void unwind_deferred_task_work(struct callback_head *head)
 
 	unwind_user_faultable(&trace);
 
+	if (info->cache)
+		bits &= ~(info->cache->unwind_completed);
+
 	cookie = info->id.id;
 
 	guard(mutex)(&callback_mutex);
 	list_for_each_entry(work, &callbacks, list) {
-		if (test_bit(work->bit, &bits))
+		if (test_bit(work->bit, &bits)) {
 			work->func(work, &trace, cookie);
+			if (info->cache)
+				info->cache->unwind_completed |= BIT(work->bit);
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -260,23 +266,28 @@ int unwind_deferred_request(struct unwind_work *work, u64 *cookie)
 void unwind_deferred_cancel(struct unwind_work *work)
 {
 	struct task_struct *g, *t;
+	int bit;
 
 	if (!work)
 		return;
 
+	bit = work->bit;
+
 	/* No work should be using a reserved bit */
-	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(BIT(work->bit) & RESERVED_BITS))
+	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(BIT(bit) & RESERVED_BITS))
 		return;
 
 	guard(mutex)(&callback_mutex);
 	list_del(&work->list);
 
-	__clear_bit(work->bit, &unwind_mask);
+	__clear_bit(bit, &unwind_mask);
 
 	guard(rcu)();
 	/* Clear this bit from all threads */
 	for_each_process_thread(g, t) {
-		clear_bit(work->bit, &t->unwind_info.unwind_mask);
+		clear_bit(bit, &t->unwind_info.unwind_mask);
+		if (t->unwind_info.cache)
+			clear_bit(bit, &t->unwind_info.cache->unwind_completed);
 	}
 }
 
Signature · 1 line
2.47.2
#13 lore raw

PATCH v16 8/10 unwind: Add USED bit to only have one conditional on way back to user space

In reply to Steven Rostedt

From: Steven Rostedt <[email protected]>

On the way back to user space, the function unwind_reset_info() is called unconditionally (but always inlined). It currently has two conditionals. One that checks the unwind_mask which is set whenever a deferred trace is called and is used to know that the mask needs to be cleared. The other checks if the cache has been allocated, and if so, it resets the nr_entries so that the unwinder knows it needs to do the work to get a new user space stack trace again (it only does it once per entering the kernel).

Use one of the bits in the unwind mask as a "USED" bit that gets set whenever a trace is created. This will make it possible to only check the unwind_mask in the unwind_reset_info() to know if it needs to do work or not and eliminates a conditional that happens every time the task goes back to user space.

---
 include/linux/unwind_deferred.h | 18 +++++++++---------
 kernel/unwind/deferred.c        |  5 ++++-
 2 files changed, 13 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)
include/linux/unwind_deferred.h +9 -9
index b9ec4c8515c7..2efbda01e959 100644
@@ -20,10 +20,14 @@ struct unwind_work {
 
 enum {
 	UNWIND_PENDING_BIT = 0,
+	UNWIND_USED_BIT,
 };
 
 enum {
 	UNWIND_PENDING		= BIT(UNWIND_PENDING_BIT),
+
+	/* Set if the unwinding was used (directly or deferred) */
+	UNWIND_USED		= BIT(UNWIND_USED_BIT)
 };
 
 void unwind_task_init(struct task_struct *task);
@@ -49,15 +53,11 @@ static __always_inline void unwind_reset_info(void)
 				return;
 		} while (!try_cmpxchg(&info->unwind_mask, &bits, 0UL));
 		current->unwind_info.id.id = 0;
-	}
-	/*
-	 * As unwind_user_faultable() can be called directly and
-	 * depends on nr_entries being cleared on exit to user,
-	 * this needs to be a separate conditional.
-	 */
-	if (unlikely(info->cache)) {
-		info->cache->nr_entries = 0;
-		info->cache->unwind_completed = 0;
+
+		if (unlikely(info->cache)) {
+			info->cache->nr_entries = 0;
+			info->cache->unwind_completed = 0;
+		}
 	}
 }
 
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +4 -1
index a3d26014a2e6..2311b725d691 100644
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ static inline bool try_assign_cnt(struct unwind_task_info *info, u32 cnt)
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(callback_mutex);
 static LIST_HEAD(callbacks);
 
-#define RESERVED_BITS	(UNWIND_PENDING)
+#define RESERVED_BITS	(UNWIND_PENDING | UNWIND_USED)
 
 /* Zero'd bits are available for assigning callback users */
 static unsigned long unwind_mask = RESERVED_BITS;
@@ -140,6 +140,9 @@ int unwind_user_faultable(struct unwind_stacktrace *trace)
 
 	cache->nr_entries = trace->nr;
 
+	/* Clear nr_entries on way back to user space */
+	set_bit(UNWIND_USED_BIT, &info->unwind_mask);
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
Signature · 1 line
2.47.2
#14 lore raw

PATCH v16 9/10 unwind deferred: Use SRCU unwind_deferred_task_work()

In reply to Steven Rostedt

From: Steven Rostedt <[email protected]>

Instead of using the callback_mutex to protect the link list of callbacks in unwind_deferred_task_work(), use SRCU instead. This gets called every time a task exits that has to record a stack trace that was requested. This can happen for many tasks on several CPUs at the same time. A mutex is a bottleneck and can cause a bit of contention and slow down performance.

As the callbacks themselves are allowed to sleep, regular RCU cannot be used to protect the list. Instead use SRCU, as that still allows the callbacks to sleep and the list can be read without needing to hold the callback_mutex.

---
 kernel/unwind/deferred.c | 27 +++++++++++++++++++++------
 1 file changed, 21 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +21 -6
index 2311b725d691..a5ef1c1f915e 100644
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ static inline bool try_assign_cnt(struct unwind_task_info *info, u32 cnt)
 #define UNWIND_MAX_ENTRIES					\
 	((SZ_4K - sizeof(struct unwind_cache)) / sizeof(long))
 
-/* Guards adding to and reading the list of callbacks */
+/* Guards adding to or removing from the list of callbacks */
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(callback_mutex);
 static LIST_HEAD(callbacks);
 
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ static LIST_HEAD(callbacks);
 
 /* Zero'd bits are available for assigning callback users */
 static unsigned long unwind_mask = RESERVED_BITS;
+DEFINE_STATIC_SRCU(unwind_srcu);
 
 static inline bool unwind_pending(struct unwind_task_info *info)
 {
@@ -174,8 +175,9 @@ static void unwind_deferred_task_work(struct callback_head *head)
 
 	cookie = info->id.id;
 
-	guard(mutex)(&callback_mutex);
-	list_for_each_entry(work, &callbacks, list) {
+	guard(srcu)(&unwind_srcu);
+	list_for_each_entry_srcu(work, &callbacks, list,
+				 srcu_read_lock_held(&unwind_srcu)) {
 		if (test_bit(work->bit, &bits)) {
 			work->func(work, &trace, cookie);
 			if (info->cache)
@@ -213,7 +215,7 @@ int unwind_deferred_request(struct unwind_work *work, u64 *cookie)
 {
 	struct unwind_task_info *info = &current->unwind_info;
 	unsigned long old, bits;
-	unsigned long bit = BIT(work->bit);
+	unsigned long bit;
 	int ret;
 
 	*cookie = 0;
@@ -230,6 +232,14 @@ int unwind_deferred_request(struct unwind_work *work, u64 *cookie)
 	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!CAN_USE_IN_NMI && in_nmi()))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	/* Do not allow cancelled works to request again */
+	bit = READ_ONCE(work->bit);
+	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(bit < 0))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	/* Only need the mask now */
+	bit = BIT(bit);
+
 	guard(irqsave)();
 
 	*cookie = get_cookie(info);
@@ -281,10 +291,15 @@ void unwind_deferred_cancel(struct unwind_work *work)
 		return;
 
 	guard(mutex)(&callback_mutex);
-	list_del(&work->list);
+	list_del_rcu(&work->list);
+
+	/* Do not allow any more requests and prevent callbacks */
+	work->bit = -1;
 
 	__clear_bit(bit, &unwind_mask);
 
+	synchronize_srcu(&unwind_srcu);
+
 	guard(rcu)();
 	/* Clear this bit from all threads */
 	for_each_process_thread(g, t) {
@@ -307,7 +322,7 @@ int unwind_deferred_init(struct unwind_work *work, unwind_callback_t func)
 	work->bit = ffz(unwind_mask);
 	__set_bit(work->bit, &unwind_mask);
 
-	list_add(&work->list, &callbacks);
+	list_add_rcu(&work->list, &callbacks);
 	work->func = func;
 	return 0;
 }
Signature · 1 line
2.47.2
#15 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v16 09/10] unwind deferred: Use SRCU unwind_deferred_task_work()

Quoted 13 lines · Steven Rostedt

From: Steven Rostedt <[email protected]>

Instead of using the callback_mutex to protect the link list of callbacks in unwind_deferred_task_work(), use SRCU instead. This gets called every time a task exits that has to record a stack trace that was requested. This can happen for many tasks on several CPUs at the same time. A mutex is a bottleneck and can cause a bit of contention and slow down performance.

As the callbacks themselves are allowed to sleep, regular RCU cannot be used to protect the list. Instead use SRCU, as that still allows the callbacks to sleep and the list can be read without needing to hold the callback_mutex.

Quoted 5 lines

One quite likely stupid question below.

Thanx, Paul

Quoted 62 lines
---
 kernel/unwind/deferred.c | 27 +++++++++++++++++++++------
 1 file changed, 21 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +14 -4
index 2311b725d691..a5ef1c1f915e 100644
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ static inline bool try_assign_cnt(struct unwind_task_info *info, u32 cnt)
 #define UNWIND_MAX_ENTRIES					\
 	((SZ_4K - sizeof(struct unwind_cache)) / sizeof(long))
 
-/* Guards adding to and reading the list of callbacks */
+/* Guards adding to or removing from the list of callbacks */
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(callback_mutex);
 static LIST_HEAD(callbacks);
 
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ static LIST_HEAD(callbacks);
 
 /* Zero'd bits are available for assigning callback users */
 static unsigned long unwind_mask = RESERVED_BITS;
+DEFINE_STATIC_SRCU(unwind_srcu);
 
 static inline bool unwind_pending(struct unwind_task_info *info)
 {
@@ -174,8 +175,9 @@ static void unwind_deferred_task_work(struct callback_head *head)
 
 	cookie = info->id.id;
 
-	guard(mutex)(&callback_mutex);
-	list_for_each_entry(work, &callbacks, list) {
+	guard(srcu)(&unwind_srcu);
+	list_for_each_entry_srcu(work, &callbacks, list,
+				 srcu_read_lock_held(&unwind_srcu)) {
 		if (test_bit(work->bit, &bits)) {
 			work->func(work, &trace, cookie);
 			if (info->cache)
@@ -213,7 +215,7 @@ int unwind_deferred_request(struct unwind_work *work, u64 *cookie)
 {
 	struct unwind_task_info *info = &current->unwind_info;
 	unsigned long old, bits;
-	unsigned long bit = BIT(work->bit);
+	unsigned long bit;
 	int ret;
 
 	*cookie = 0;
@@ -230,6 +232,14 @@ int unwind_deferred_request(struct unwind_work *work, u64 *cookie)
 	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!CAN_USE_IN_NMI && in_nmi()))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	/* Do not allow cancelled works to request again */
+	bit = READ_ONCE(work->bit);
+	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(bit < 0))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	/* Only need the mask now */
+	bit = BIT(bit);
+
 	guard(irqsave)();
 
 	*cookie = get_cookie(info);

kernel/unwind/deferred.c void unwind_deferred_cancel(struct unwind_work *work) · line 284

Quoted 4 lines
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +0 -1
@@ -281,10 +291,15 @@ void unwind_deferred_cancel(struct unwind_work *work)
 		return;
 
 	guard(mutex)(&callback_mutex);
-	list_del(&work->list);

What happens if unwind_deferred_task_work() finds this item right here...

kernel/unwind/deferred.c void unwind_deferred_cancel(struct unwind_work *work) · line 294

Quoted 1 line
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +1 -0
+	list_del_rcu(&work->list);

...and then unwind_deferred_request() does its WARN_ON_ONCE() check against -1 right here?

Can't that cause UAF?

This is quite possibly a stupid question because I am not seeing where to apply this patch, so I don't know what other mechanisms might be in place.

Quoted 23 lines
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +5 -1
+	/* Do not allow any more requests and prevent callbacks */
+	work->bit = -1;
 
 	__clear_bit(bit, &unwind_mask);
 
+	synchronize_srcu(&unwind_srcu);
+
 	guard(rcu)();
 	/* Clear this bit from all threads */
 	for_each_process_thread(g, t) {
@@ -307,7 +322,7 @@ int unwind_deferred_init(struct unwind_work *work, unwind_callback_t func)
 	work->bit = ffz(unwind_mask);
 	__set_bit(work->bit, &unwind_mask);
 
-	list_add(&work->list, &callbacks);
+	list_add_rcu(&work->list, &callbacks);
 	work->func = func;
 	return 0;
 }
Signature · 1 line
2.47.2
#16 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v16 09/10] unwind deferred: Use SRCU unwind_deferred_task_work()

Quoted 7 lines · On Thu, 31 Jul 2025 17:29:44 -0700 "Paul E. McKenney" <[email protected]>…

kernel/unwind/deferred.c void unwind_deferred_cancel(struct unwind_work *work) · line 284

Quoted 5 lines
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +0 -1
@@ -281,10 +291,15 @@ void unwind_deferred_cancel(struct unwind_work *work)
 		return;
 
 	guard(mutex)(&callback_mutex);
-	list_del(&work->list);  

What happens if unwind_deferred_task_work() finds this item right here...

Should be fine.

Quoted 5 lines

kernel/unwind/deferred.c void unwind_deferred_cancel(struct unwind_work *work) · line 294

Quoted 2 lines
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +1 -0
+	list_del_rcu(&work->list);  

...and then unwind_deferred_request() does its WARN_ON_ONCE() check against -1 right here?

If unwind_deferred_request() is called after unwind_deferred_cancel() then that's a bug. As both functions are called by the tracer. The cancel() function is for the tracer to tell this infrastructure that it's done with the deferred tracing. If it calls a request() function after (or during) the call to cancel(), then it's a bug in the tracer. The tracer is responsible for making sure it will not do any more requests before calling the cancel() function.

But what the tracer can't do is to know if there's a pending request still happening and this has to handle that.

Quoted 5 lines

Can't that cause UAF?

This is quite possibly a stupid question because I am not seeing where to apply this patch, so I don't know what other mechanisms might be in place.

Yeah, you were only Cc'd on this patch because it was the only one that uses RCU. You can see the entire series here:

https://lore.kernel.org/all/[email protected]/

Or in patchwork:

https://patchwork.kernel.org/project/linux-trace-kernel/list/?series=986813

-- Steve

Quoted 11 lines
Quoted 11 lines
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +4 -0
+	/* Do not allow any more requests and prevent callbacks */
+	work->bit = -1;
 
 	__clear_bit(bit, &unwind_mask);
 
+	synchronize_srcu(&unwind_srcu);
+
 	guard(rcu)();
 	/* Clear this bit from all threads */
 	for_each_process_thread(g, t) {
maintainer
#17 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v16 09/10] unwind deferred: Use SRCU unwind_deferred_task_work()

In reply to Steven Rostedt

kernel/unwind/deferred.c int unwind_deferred_request(struct unwind_work *work, u64 *cookie) · line 238

Quoted 8 lines · Steven Rostedt
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +4 -0
@@ -230,6 +232,14 @@ int unwind_deferred_request(struct unwind_work *work, u64 *cookie)
 	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!CAN_USE_IN_NMI && in_nmi()))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	/* Do not allow cancelled works to request again */
+	bit = READ_ONCE(work->bit);
+	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(bit < 0))
+		return -EINVAL;

The local 'bit' variable is unsigned long, so this will never be < 0.

Should be "bit == -1"?

Signature · 1 line
Josh
#18 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v16 09/10] unwind deferred: Use SRCU unwind_deferred_task_work()

Quoted 5 lines · On Fri, 19 Sep 2025 17:31:15 -0700 Josh Poimboeuf <[email protected]> wrote:
Quoted 4 lines · Steven Rostedt
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +0 -0
@@ -230,6 +232,14 @@ int unwind_deferred_request(struct unwind_work *work, u64 *cookie)
 	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!CAN_USE_IN_NMI && in_nmi()))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
Quoted 9 lines

kernel/unwind/deferred.c int unwind_deferred_request(struct unwind_work *work, u64 *cookie) · line 238

Quoted 4 lines
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +4 -0
+	/* Do not allow cancelled works to request again */
+	bit = READ_ONCE(work->bit);
+	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(bit < 0))
+		return -EINVAL;  

The local 'bit' variable is unsigned long, so this will never be < 0.

Should be "bit == -1"?

Yeah, that needs to be fixed. Thanks!

-- Steve

#19 lore raw

PATCH v16 10/10 unwind: Finish up unwind when a task exits

In reply to Steven Rostedt

From: Steven Rostedt <[email protected]>

On do_exit() when a task is exiting, if a unwind is requested and the deferred user stacktrace is deferred via the task_work, the task_work callback is called after exit_mm() is called in do_exit(). This means that the user stack trace will not be retrieved and an empty stack is created.

Instead, add a function unwind_deferred_task_exit() and call it just before exit_mm() so that the unwinder can call the requested callbacks with the user space stack.

---
 include/linux/unwind_deferred.h |  3 +++
 kernel/exit.c                   |  2 ++
 kernel/unwind/deferred.c        | 23 ++++++++++++++++++++---
 3 files changed, 25 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)
include/linux/unwind_deferred.h +3 -0
index 2efbda01e959..26122d00708a 100644
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ int unwind_deferred_init(struct unwind_work *work, unwind_callback_t func);
 int unwind_deferred_request(struct unwind_work *work, u64 *cookie);
 void unwind_deferred_cancel(struct unwind_work *work);
 
+void unwind_deferred_task_exit(struct task_struct *task);
+
 static __always_inline void unwind_reset_info(void)
 {
 	struct unwind_task_info *info = &current->unwind_info;
@@ -71,6 +73,7 @@ static inline int unwind_deferred_init(struct unwind_work *work, unwind_callback
 static inline int unwind_deferred_request(struct unwind_work *work, u64 *timestamp) { return -ENOSYS; }
 static inline void unwind_deferred_cancel(struct unwind_work *work) {}
 
+static inline void unwind_deferred_task_exit(struct task_struct *task) {}
 static inline void unwind_reset_info(void) {}
 
 #endif /* !CONFIG_UNWIND_USER */
kernel/exit.c +2 -0
index bb184a67ac73..1d8c8ac33c4f 100644
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@
 #include <linux/rethook.h>
 #include <linux/sysfs.h>
 #include <linux/user_events.h>
+#include <linux/unwind_deferred.h>
 #include <linux/uaccess.h>
 #include <linux/pidfs.h>
 
@@ -938,6 +939,7 @@ void __noreturn do_exit(long code)
 
 	tsk->exit_code = code;
 	taskstats_exit(tsk, group_dead);
+	unwind_deferred_task_exit(tsk);
 	trace_sched_process_exit(tsk, group_dead);
 
 	/*
kernel/unwind/deferred.c +20 -3
index a5ef1c1f915e..dc6040aae3ee 100644
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ int unwind_user_faultable(struct unwind_stacktrace *trace)
 	/* Should always be called from faultable context */
 	might_fault();
 
-	if (current->flags & PF_EXITING)
+	if (!current->mm)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	if (!info->cache) {
@@ -147,9 +147,9 @@ int unwind_user_faultable(struct unwind_stacktrace *trace)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void unwind_deferred_task_work(struct callback_head *head)
+static void process_unwind_deferred(struct task_struct *task)
 {
-	struct unwind_task_info *info = container_of(head, struct unwind_task_info, work);
+	struct unwind_task_info *info = &task->unwind_info;
 	struct unwind_stacktrace trace;
 	struct unwind_work *work;
 	unsigned long bits;
@@ -186,6 +186,23 @@ static void unwind_deferred_task_work(struct callback_head *head)
 	}
 }
 
+static void unwind_deferred_task_work(struct callback_head *head)
+{
+	process_unwind_deferred(current);
+}
+
+void unwind_deferred_task_exit(struct task_struct *task)
+{
+	struct unwind_task_info *info = &current->unwind_info;
+
+	if (!unwind_pending(info))
+		return;
+
+	process_unwind_deferred(task);
+
+	task_work_cancel(task, &info->work);
+}
+
 /**
  * unwind_deferred_request - Request a user stacktrace on task kernel exit
  * @work: Unwind descriptor requesting the trace
Signature · 1 line
2.47.2
#20 lore raw
In reply to Steven Rostedt
This series was applied to bpf/bpf-next.git (master) by Steven Rostedt (Google) <[email protected]>:

Hello:

This series was applied to bpf/bpf-next.git (master) by Steven Rostedt (Google) <[email protected]>:

Quoted 9 lines · On Tue, 29 Jul 2025 14:23:04 -0400 you wrote:

Jen Remus suggested some updates from v15:

https://lore.kernel.org/linux-trace-kernel/[email protected]/

Those were:

- Make fp_frame into a constant

[...]

Here is the summary with links:
- [v16,01/10] unwind_user: Add user space unwinding API with frame pointer support

    https://git.kernel.org/bpf/bpf-next/c/71753c6ed2bf
  - [v16,02/10] unwind_user/deferred: Add unwind_user_faultable()
    https://git.kernel.org/bpf/bpf-next/c/5e32d0f15cc5
  - [v16,03/10] unwind_user/deferred: Add unwind cache
    https://git.kernel.org/bpf/bpf-next/c/b9c73524106e
  - [v16,04/10] unwind_user/deferred: Add deferred unwinding interface
    https://git.kernel.org/bpf/bpf-next/c/2dffa355f6c2
  - [v16,05/10] unwind_user/deferred: Make unwind deferral requests NMI-safe
    https://git.kernel.org/bpf/bpf-next/c/055c7060e7ca
  - [v16,06/10] unwind deferred: Use bitmask to determine which callbacks to call
    https://git.kernel.org/bpf/bpf-next/c/be3d526a5b34
  - [v16,07/10] unwind deferred: Add unwind_completed mask to stop spurious callbacks
    https://git.kernel.org/bpf/bpf-next/c/4c75133e745a
  - [v16,08/10] unwind: Add USED bit to only have one conditional on way back to user space
    https://git.kernel.org/bpf/bpf-next/c/858fa8a3b083
  - [v16,09/10] unwind deferred: Use SRCU unwind_deferred_task_work()
    https://git.kernel.org/bpf/bpf-next/c/357eda2d7450
  - [v16,10/10] unwind: Finish up unwind when a task exits
    https://git.kernel.org/bpf/bpf-next/c/b3b9cb11aa03

You are awesome, thank you!

Signature · 2 lines
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