Setting reg->precise to true in current state is not necessary from
correctness standpoint, but it does pessimise the whole precision (or
rather "imprecision", because that's what we want to keep as much as
possible) tracking. Why is somewhat subtle and my best attempt to
explain this is recorded in an extensive comment for __mark_chain_precise()
function. Some more careful thinking and code reading is probably required
still to grok this completely, unfortunately. Whiteboarding and a bunch
of extra handwaiving in person would be even more helpful, but is deemed
impractical in Git commit.
Next patch pushes this imprecision property even further, building on top of
the insights described in this patch.
End results are pretty nice, we get reduction in number of total instructions
and states verified due to a better states reuse, as some of the states are now
more generic and permissive due to less unnecessary precise=true requirements.
SELFTESTS RESULTS
=================
$ ./veristat -C -e file,prog,insns,states ~/subprog-precise-results.csv ~/imprecise-early-results.csv | grep -v '+0'
File Program Total insns (A) Total insns (B) Total insns (DIFF) Total states (A) Total states (B) Total states (DIFF)
--------------------------------------- ---------------------- --------------- --------------- ------------------ ---------------- ---------------- -------------------
bpf_iter_ksym.bpf.linked1.o dump_ksym 347 285 -62 (-17.87%) 20 19 -1 (-5.00%)
pyperf600_bpf_loop.bpf.linked1.o on_event 3678 3736 +58 (+1.58%) 276 285 +9 (+3.26%)
setget_sockopt.bpf.linked1.o skops_sockopt 4038 3947 -91 (-2.25%) 347 343 -4 (-1.15%)
test_l4lb.bpf.linked1.o balancer_ingress 4559 2611 -1948 (-42.73%) 118 105 -13 (-11.02%)
test_l4lb_noinline.bpf.linked1.o balancer_ingress 6279 6268 -11 (-0.18%) 237 236 -1 (-0.42%)
test_misc_tcp_hdr_options.bpf.linked1.o misc_estab 1307 1303 -4 (-0.31%) 100 99 -1 (-1.00%)
test_sk_lookup.bpf.linked1.o ctx_narrow_access 456 447 -9 (-1.97%) 39 38 -1 (-2.56%)
test_sysctl_loop1.bpf.linked1.o sysctl_tcp_mem 1389 1384 -5 (-0.36%) 26 25 -1 (-3.85%)
test_tc_dtime.bpf.linked1.o egress_fwdns_prio101 518 485 -33 (-6.37%) 51 46 -5 (-9.80%)
test_tc_dtime.bpf.linked1.o egress_host 519 468 -51 (-9.83%) 50 44 -6 (-12.00%)
test_tc_dtime.bpf.linked1.o ingress_fwdns_prio101 842 1000 +158 (+18.76%) 73 88 +15 (+20.55%)
xdp_synproxy_kern.bpf.linked1.o syncookie_tc 405757 373173 -32584 (-8.03%) 25735 22882 -2853 (-11.09%)
xdp_synproxy_kern.bpf.linked1.o syncookie_xdp 479055 371590 -107465 (-22.43%) 29145 22207 -6938 (-23.81%)
--------------------------------------- ---------------------- --------------- --------------- ------------------ ---------------- ---------------- -------------------
Slight regression in test_tc_dtime.bpf.linked1.o/ingress_fwdns_prio101
is left for a follow up, there might be some more precision-related bugs
in existing BPF verifier logic.
CILIUM RESULTS
==============
$ ./veristat -C -e file,prog,insns,states ~/subprog-precise-results-cilium.csv ~/imprecise-early-results-cilium.csv | grep -v '+0'
File Program Total insns (A) Total insns (B) Total insns (DIFF) Total states (A) Total states (B) Total states (DIFF)
------------- ------------------------------ --------------- --------------- ------------------ ---------------- ---------------- -------------------
bpf_host.o cil_from_host 762 556 -206 (-27.03%) 43 37 -6 (-13.95%)
bpf_host.o tail_handle_nat_fwd_ipv4 23541 23426 -115 (-0.49%) 1538 1537 -1 (-0.07%)
bpf_host.o tail_nodeport_nat_egress_ipv4 33592 33566 -26 (-0.08%) 2163 2161 -2 (-0.09%)
bpf_lxc.o tail_handle_nat_fwd_ipv4 23541 23426 -115 (-0.49%) 1538 1537 -1 (-0.07%)
bpf_overlay.o tail_nodeport_nat_egress_ipv4 33581 33543 -38 (-0.11%) 2160 2157 -3 (-0.14%)
bpf_xdp.o tail_handle_nat_fwd_ipv4 21659 20920 -739 (-3.41%) 1440 1376 -64 (-4.44%)
bpf_xdp.o tail_handle_nat_fwd_ipv6 17084 17039 -45 (-0.26%) 907 905 -2 (-0.22%)
bpf_xdp.o tail_lb_ipv4 73442 73430 -12 (-0.02%) 4370 4369 -1 (-0.02%)
bpf_xdp.o tail_lb_ipv6 152114 151895 -219 (-0.14%) 6493 6479 -14 (-0.22%)
bpf_xdp.o tail_nodeport_nat_egress_ipv4 17377 17200 -177 (-1.02%) 1125 1111 -14 (-1.24%)
bpf_xdp.o tail_nodeport_nat_ingress_ipv6 6405 6397 -8 (-0.12%) 309 308 -1 (-0.32%)
bpf_xdp.o tail_rev_nodeport_lb4 7126 6934 -192 (-2.69%) 414 402 -12 (-2.90%)
bpf_xdp.o tail_rev_nodeport_lb6 18059 17905 -154 (-0.85%) 1105 1096 -9 (-0.81%)
------------- ------------------------------ --------------- --------------- ------------------ ---------------- ---------------- -------------------
Signed-off-by: Andrii Nakryiko <andrii@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
kernel/bpf/verifier.c | 103 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-----
1 file changed, 91 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-)
diff --git a/kernel/bpf/verifier.c b/kernel/bpf/verifier.c
index c1169ee1bc7c..ff3fc21ce99b 100644
--- a/kernel/bpf/verifier.c
+++ b/kernel/bpf/verifier.c
@@ -2749,8 +2749,11 @@ static void mark_all_scalars_precise(struct bpf_verifier_env *env,
/* big hammer: mark all scalars precise in this path.
* pop_stack may still get !precise scalars.
+ * We also skip current state and go straight to first parent state,
+ * because precision markings in current non-checkpointed state are
+ * not needed. See why in the comment in __mark_chain_precision below.
*/
- for (; st; st = st->parent)
+ for (st = st->parent; st; st = st->parent) {
for (i = 0; i <= st->curframe; i++) {
func = st->frame[i];
for (j = 0; j < BPF_REG_FP; j++) {
@@ -2768,8 +2771,88 @@ static void mark_all_scalars_precise(struct bpf_verifier_env *env,
reg->precise = true;
}
}
+ }
}
+/*
+ * __mark_chain_precision() backtracks BPF program instruction sequence and
+ * chain of verifier states making sure that register *regno* (if regno >= 0)
+ * and/or stack slot *spi* (if spi >= 0) are marked as precisely tracked
+ * SCALARS, as well as any other registers and slots that contribute to
+ * a tracked state of given registers/stack slots, depending on specific BPF
+ * assembly instructions (see backtrack_insns() for exact instruction handling
+ * logic). This backtracking relies on recorded jmp_history and is able to
+ * traverse entire chain of parent states. This process ends only when all the
+ * necessary registers/slots and their transitive dependencies are marked as
+ * precise.
+ *
+ * One important and subtle aspect is that precise marks *do not matter* in
+ * the currently verified state (current state). It is important to understand
+ * why this is the case.
+ *
+ * First, note that current state is the state that is not yet "checkpointed",
+ * i.e., it is not yet put into env->explored_states, and it has no children
+ * states as well. It's ephemeral, and can end up either a) being discarded if
+ * compatible explored state is found at some point or BPF_EXIT instruction is
+ * reached or b) checkpointed and put into env->explored_states, branching out
+ * into one or more children states.
+ *
+ * In the former case, precise markings in current state are completely
+ * ignored by state comparison code (see regsafe() for details). Only
+ * checkpointed ("old") state precise markings are important, and if old
+ * state's register/slot is precise, regsafe() assumes current state's
+ * register/slot as precise and checks value ranges exactly and precisely. If
+ * states turn out to be compatible, current state's necessary precise
+ * markings and any required parent states' precise markings are enforced
+ * after the fact with propagate_precision() logic, after the fact. But it's
+ * important to realize that in this case, even after marking current state
+ * registers/slots as precise, we immediately discard current state. So what
+ * actually matters is any of the precise markings propagated into current
+ * state's parent states, which are always checkpointed (due to b) case above).
+ * As such, for scenario a) it doesn't matter if current state has precise
+ * markings set or not.
+ *
+ * Now, for the scenario b), checkpointing and forking into child(ren)
+ * state(s). Note that before current state gets to checkpointing step, any
+ * processed instruction always assumes precise SCALAR register/slot
+ * knowledge: if precise value or range is useful to prune jump branch, BPF
+ * verifier takes this opportunity enthusiastically. Similarly, when
+ * register's value is used to calculate offset or memory address, exact
+ * knowledge of SCALAR range is assumed, checked, and enforced. So, similar to
+ * what we mentioned above about state comparison ignoring precise markings
+ * during state comparison, BPF verifier ignores and also assumes precise
+ * markings *at will* during instruction verification process. But as verifier
+ * assumes precision, it also propagates any precision dependencies across
+ * parent states, which are not yet finalized, so can be further restricted
+ * based on new knowledge gained from restrictions enforced by their children
+ * states. This is so that once those parent states are finalized, i.e., when
+ * they have no more active children state, state comparison logic in
+ * is_state_visited() would enforce strict and precise SCALAR ranges, if
+ * required for correctness.
+ *
+ * To build a bit more intuition, note also that once a state is checkpointed,
+ * the path we took to get to that state is not important. This is crucial
+ * property for state pruning. When state is checkpointed and finalized at
+ * some instruction index, it can be correctly and safely used to "short
+ * circuit" any *compatible* state that reaches exactly the same instruction
+ * index. I.e., if we jumped to that instruction from a completely different
+ * code path than original finalized state was derived from, it doesn't
+ * matter, current state can be discarded because from that instruction
+ * forward having a compatible state will ensure we will safely reach the
+ * exit. States describe preconditions for further exploration, but completely
+ * forget the history of how we got here.
+ *
+ * This also means that even if we needed precise SCALAR range to get to
+ * finalized state, but from that point forward *that same* SCALAR register is
+ * never used in a precise context (i.e., it's precise value is not needed for
+ * correctness), it's correct and safe to mark such register as "imprecise"
+ * (i.e., precise marking set to false). This is what we rely on when we do
+ * not set precise marking in current state. If no child state requires
+ * precision for any given SCALAR register, it's safe to dictate that it can
+ * be imprecise. If any child state does require this register to be precise,
+ * we'll mark it precise later retroactively during precise markings
+ * propagation from child state to parent states.
+ */
static int __mark_chain_precision(struct bpf_verifier_env *env, int frame, int regno,
int spi)
{
@@ -2787,6 +2870,10 @@ static int __mark_chain_precision(struct bpf_verifier_env *env, int frame, int r
if (!env->bpf_capable)
return 0;
+ /* Do sanity checks against current state of register and/or stack
+ * slot, but don't set precise flag in current state, as precision
+ * tracking in the current state is unnecessary.
+ */
func = st->frame[frame];
if (regno >= 0) {
reg = &func->regs[regno];
@@ -2794,11 +2881,7 @@ static int __mark_chain_precision(struct bpf_verifier_env *env, int frame, int r
WARN_ONCE(1, "backtracing misuse");
return -EFAULT;
}
- if (!reg->precise)
- new_marks = true;
- else
- reg_mask = 0;
- reg->precise = true;
+ new_marks = true;
}
while (spi >= 0) {
@@ -2811,11 +2894,7 @@ static int __mark_chain_precision(struct bpf_verifier_env *env, int frame, int r
stack_mask = 0;
break;
}
- if (!reg->precise)
- new_marks = true;
- else
- stack_mask = 0;
- reg->precise = true;
+ new_marks = true;
break;
}
@@ -11534,7 +11613,7 @@ static bool regsafe(struct bpf_verifier_env *env, struct bpf_reg_state *rold,
if (env->explore_alu_limits)
return false;
if (rcur->type == SCALAR_VALUE) {
- if (!rold->precise && !rcur->precise)
+ if (!rold->precise)
return true;
/* new val must satisfy old val knowledge */
return range_within(rold, rcur) &&
--
2.30.2
