[PATCH v3 3/5] x86/alternative: Walk all replacements during self tests

Andrew Cooper <[email protected]> Mon, 3 Aug 2026 08:20:04 +0100
Newsgroups org.xenproject.lists.xen-devel
Message-ID <[email protected]>
When self tests are active, walk all alternative replacements with
x86_decode_lite().

This checks that we can decode all instructions, and also lets us check that
disp8's don't leave the replacement block as such a case will definitely
malfunction.

Signed-off-by: Andrew Cooper <[email protected]>
Reviewed-by: Jan Beulich <[email protected]>
---
CC: Jan Beulich <[email protected]>
CC: Roger Pau MonnĂ© <[email protected]>
CC: Teddy Astie <[email protected]>

v2:
 * Rebase over API changes in patch 1
 * Use +%lu and drop casts
 * Swap to CONFIG_SELF_TESTS
---
 xen/arch/x86/alternative.c | 52 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 52 insertions(+)

diff --git a/xen/arch/x86/alternative.c b/xen/arch/x86/alternative.c
index 5ed0c2672589..fd03147bdd12 100644
--- a/xen/arch/x86/alternative.c
+++ b/xen/arch/x86/alternative.c
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include <asm/traps.h>
 #include <asm/nmi.h>
 #include <asm/nops.h>
+#include <asm/x86_emulate.h>
 #include <xen/livepatch.h>
 
 #define MAX_PATCH_LEN (255-1)
@@ -586,6 +587,57 @@ static void __init _alternative_instructions(unsigned int what)
 void __init alternative_instructions(void)
 {
     arch_init_ideal_nops();
+
+    /*
+     * Walk all replacement instructions with x86_decode_lite().  This checks
+     * both that we can decode all instructions within the replacement, and
+     * that any near branch with a disp8 stays within the alternative itself.
+     */
+    if ( IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SELF_TESTS) )
+    {
+        struct alt_instr *a;
+
+        for ( a = __alt_instructions;
+              a < __alt_instructions_end; ++a )
+        {
+            void *repl = ALT_REPL_PTR(a);
+            void *ip = repl, *end = ip + a->repl_len;
+
+            if ( !a->repl_len )
+                continue;
+
+            for ( x86_decode_lite_t res; ip < end; ip += res.len )
+            {
+                const int8_t *d8;
+                const void *target;
+
+                res = x86_decode_lite(ip, end);
+
+                if ( res.len == 0 )
+                {
+                    printk("Alt for %ps [%*ph]\n",
+                           ALT_ORIG_PTR(a), a->repl_len, repl);
+                    panic("  Unable to decode instruction at +%lu in alternative\n",
+                          ip - repl);
+                }
+
+                if ( res.rel_sz != 1 )
+                    continue;
+
+                d8 = res.rel;
+                target = ip + res.len + *d8;
+
+                if ( target < repl || target > end )
+                {
+                    printk("Alt for %ps [%*ph]\n",
+                           ALT_ORIG_PTR(a), a->repl_len, repl);
+                    panic("  'JMP/Jcc disp8' at +%lu leaves alternative block\n",
+                          ip - repl);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     _alternative_instructions(ALT_INSNS);
 }
 
-- 
2.39.5