summaryrefslogtreecommitdiffstats
path: root/Documentation/admin-guide
diff options
context:
space:
mode:
Diffstat (limited to '')
-rw-r--r--Documentation/admin-guide/hw-vuln/index.rst1
-rw-r--r--Documentation/admin-guide/hw-vuln/reg-file-data-sampling.rst104
-rw-r--r--Documentation/admin-guide/hw-vuln/spectre.rst18
-rw-r--r--Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt27
4 files changed, 140 insertions, 10 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/hw-vuln/index.rst b/Documentation/admin-guide/hw-vuln/index.rst
index 84742be22..e020d1637 100644
--- a/Documentation/admin-guide/hw-vuln/index.rst
+++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/hw-vuln/index.rst
@@ -18,3 +18,4 @@ are configurable at compile, boot or run time.
processor_mmio_stale_data.rst
gather_data_sampling.rst
srso
+ reg-file-data-sampling
diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/hw-vuln/reg-file-data-sampling.rst b/Documentation/admin-guide/hw-vuln/reg-file-data-sampling.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..810424b4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/hw-vuln/reg-file-data-sampling.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+==================================
+Register File Data Sampling (RFDS)
+==================================
+
+Register File Data Sampling (RFDS) is a microarchitectural vulnerability that
+only affects Intel Atom parts(also branded as E-cores). RFDS may allow
+a malicious actor to infer data values previously used in floating point
+registers, vector registers, or integer registers. RFDS does not provide the
+ability to choose which data is inferred. CVE-2023-28746 is assigned to RFDS.
+
+Affected Processors
+===================
+Below is the list of affected Intel processors [#f1]_:
+
+ =================== ============
+ Common name Family_Model
+ =================== ============
+ ATOM_GOLDMONT 06_5CH
+ ATOM_GOLDMONT_D 06_5FH
+ ATOM_GOLDMONT_PLUS 06_7AH
+ ATOM_TREMONT_D 06_86H
+ ATOM_TREMONT 06_96H
+ ALDERLAKE 06_97H
+ ALDERLAKE_L 06_9AH
+ ATOM_TREMONT_L 06_9CH
+ RAPTORLAKE 06_B7H
+ RAPTORLAKE_P 06_BAH
+ ALDERLAKE_N 06_BEH
+ RAPTORLAKE_S 06_BFH
+ =================== ============
+
+As an exception to this table, Intel Xeon E family parts ALDERLAKE(06_97H) and
+RAPTORLAKE(06_B7H) codenamed Catlow are not affected. They are reported as
+vulnerable in Linux because they share the same family/model with an affected
+part. Unlike their affected counterparts, they do not enumerate RFDS_CLEAR or
+CPUID.HYBRID. This information could be used to distinguish between the
+affected and unaffected parts, but it is deemed not worth adding complexity as
+the reporting is fixed automatically when these parts enumerate RFDS_NO.
+
+Mitigation
+==========
+Intel released a microcode update that enables software to clear sensitive
+information using the VERW instruction. Like MDS, RFDS deploys the same
+mitigation strategy to force the CPU to clear the affected buffers before an
+attacker can extract the secrets. This is achieved by using the otherwise
+unused and obsolete VERW instruction in combination with a microcode update.
+The microcode clears the affected CPU buffers when the VERW instruction is
+executed.
+
+Mitigation points
+-----------------
+VERW is executed by the kernel before returning to user space, and by KVM
+before VMentry. None of the affected cores support SMT, so VERW is not required
+at C-state transitions.
+
+New bits in IA32_ARCH_CAPABILITIES
+----------------------------------
+Newer processors and microcode update on existing affected processors added new
+bits to IA32_ARCH_CAPABILITIES MSR. These bits can be used to enumerate
+vulnerability and mitigation capability:
+
+- Bit 27 - RFDS_NO - When set, processor is not affected by RFDS.
+- Bit 28 - RFDS_CLEAR - When set, processor is affected by RFDS, and has the
+ microcode that clears the affected buffers on VERW execution.
+
+Mitigation control on the kernel command line
+---------------------------------------------
+The kernel command line allows to control RFDS mitigation at boot time with the
+parameter "reg_file_data_sampling=". The valid arguments are:
+
+ ========== =================================================================
+ on If the CPU is vulnerable, enable mitigation; CPU buffer clearing
+ on exit to userspace and before entering a VM.
+ off Disables mitigation.
+ ========== =================================================================
+
+Mitigation default is selected by CONFIG_MITIGATION_RFDS.
+
+Mitigation status information
+-----------------------------
+The Linux kernel provides a sysfs interface to enumerate the current
+vulnerability status of the system: whether the system is vulnerable, and
+which mitigations are active. The relevant sysfs file is:
+
+ /sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/reg_file_data_sampling
+
+The possible values in this file are:
+
+ .. list-table::
+
+ * - 'Not affected'
+ - The processor is not vulnerable
+ * - 'Vulnerable'
+ - The processor is vulnerable, but no mitigation enabled
+ * - 'Vulnerable: No microcode'
+ - The processor is vulnerable but microcode is not updated.
+ * - 'Mitigation: Clear Register File'
+ - The processor is vulnerable and the CPU buffer clearing mitigation is
+ enabled.
+
+References
+----------
+.. [#f1] Affected Processors
+ https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/developer/topic-technology/software-security-guidance/processors-affected-consolidated-product-cpu-model.html
diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/hw-vuln/spectre.rst b/Documentation/admin-guide/hw-vuln/spectre.rst
index 0fba3758d..305600351 100644
--- a/Documentation/admin-guide/hw-vuln/spectre.rst
+++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/hw-vuln/spectre.rst
@@ -484,11 +484,14 @@ Spectre variant 2
Systems which support enhanced IBRS (eIBRS) enable IBRS protection once at
boot, by setting the IBRS bit, and they're automatically protected against
- Spectre v2 variant attacks, including cross-thread branch target injections
- on SMT systems (STIBP). In other words, eIBRS enables STIBP too.
+ Spectre v2 variant attacks.
- Legacy IBRS systems clear the IBRS bit on exit to userspace and
- therefore explicitly enable STIBP for that
+ On Intel's enhanced IBRS systems, this includes cross-thread branch target
+ injections on SMT systems (STIBP). In other words, Intel eIBRS enables
+ STIBP, too.
+
+ AMD Automatic IBRS does not protect userspace, and Legacy IBRS systems clear
+ the IBRS bit on exit to userspace, therefore both explicitly enable STIBP.
The retpoline mitigation is turned on by default on vulnerable
CPUs. It can be forced on or off by the administrator
@@ -622,9 +625,10 @@ kernel command line.
retpoline,generic Retpolines
retpoline,lfence LFENCE; indirect branch
retpoline,amd alias for retpoline,lfence
- eibrs enhanced IBRS
- eibrs,retpoline enhanced IBRS + Retpolines
- eibrs,lfence enhanced IBRS + LFENCE
+ eibrs Enhanced/Auto IBRS
+ eibrs,retpoline Enhanced/Auto IBRS + Retpolines
+ eibrs,lfence Enhanced/Auto IBRS + LFENCE
+ ibrs use IBRS to protect kernel
Not specifying this option is equivalent to
spectre_v2=auto.
diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt b/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
index f1f7c068c..8e4882bb8 100644
--- a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
+++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
@@ -993,6 +993,26 @@
The filter can be disabled or changed to another
driver later using sysfs.
+ reg_file_data_sampling=
+ [X86] Controls mitigation for Register File Data
+ Sampling (RFDS) vulnerability. RFDS is a CPU
+ vulnerability which may allow userspace to infer
+ kernel data values previously stored in floating point
+ registers, vector registers, or integer registers.
+ RFDS only affects Intel Atom processors.
+
+ on: Turns ON the mitigation.
+ off: Turns OFF the mitigation.
+
+ This parameter overrides the compile time default set
+ by CONFIG_MITIGATION_RFDS. Mitigation cannot be
+ disabled when other VERW based mitigations (like MDS)
+ are enabled. In order to disable RFDS mitigation all
+ VERW based mitigations need to be disabled.
+
+ For details see:
+ Documentation/admin-guide/hw-vuln/reg-file-data-sampling.rst
+
driver_async_probe= [KNL]
List of driver names to be probed asynchronously.
Format: <driver_name1>,<driver_name2>...
@@ -2919,6 +2939,7 @@
nopti [X86,PPC]
nospectre_v1 [X86,PPC]
nospectre_v2 [X86,PPC,S390,ARM64]
+ reg_file_data_sampling=off [X86]
retbleed=off [X86]
spec_store_bypass_disable=off [X86,PPC]
spectre_v2_user=off [X86]
@@ -5091,9 +5112,9 @@
retpoline,generic - Retpolines
retpoline,lfence - LFENCE; indirect branch
retpoline,amd - alias for retpoline,lfence
- eibrs - enhanced IBRS
- eibrs,retpoline - enhanced IBRS + Retpolines
- eibrs,lfence - enhanced IBRS + LFENCE
+ eibrs - Enhanced/Auto IBRS
+ eibrs,retpoline - Enhanced/Auto IBRS + Retpolines
+ eibrs,lfence - Enhanced/Auto IBRS + LFENCE
ibrs - use IBRS to protect kernel
Not specifying this option is equivalent to