Is it possible to avoid adding any syscall? Since holding /proc/pid/reg_file can also hold the pid. With this guarantee, /proc/pid/uuid (universally unique identifier ) can be introduced to identify tasks, the kernel generates a uuid for every task when created. save_pid_uuid_pair_for_later_kill(int pid) { /* save via /proc/$pid/uuid */ /* don't need to keep any fd after save */ } safe_kill(pid, uuid, sig) { fd = open(/proc/$pid/uuid); /* also hold the pid until close() if open() successes */ if (open successes and read uuid from fd and if it equals to uuid) kill(pid, sig) close(fd) } All things needed to be done is to implement /proc/pid/uuid. And if pid can't be recycled within 1 ticket, or the user can ensure it. The user can use starttime(in /proc/pid/stat) instead. save_pid_starttime_pair_for_later_kill(int pid) { /* save via /proc/$pid/stat */ /* don't need to keep any fd after save or keep it for 1 ticket at most */ } safe_kill(pid, starttime, sig) { fd = open(/proc/$pid/stat); /* also hold the pid until close() if open() successes */ if (open successes and read starttime from fd and if it equals to starttime) kill(pid, sig) close(fd) } In this case, zero LOC is added in the kernel. All of it depends on the guarantee that holding /proc/pid/reg_file also holds the pid, one of which I haven't checked carefully either. On Fri, Dec 7, 2018 at 3:05 AM Christian Brauner <christian@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > On December 7, 2018 7:56:44 AM GMT+13:00, Florian Weimer <fweimer@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > >* Andy Lutomirski: > > > >>> I suppose that's fine. Or alternatively, when thread group support > >is > >>> added, introduce a flag that applications have to use to enable it, > >so > >>> that they can probe for support by checking support for the flag. > >>> > >>> I wouldn't be opposed to a new system call like this either: > >>> > >>> int procfd_open (pid_t thread_group, pid_t thread_id, unsigned > >flags); > >>> > >>> But I think this is frowned upon on the kernel side. > >> > >> I have no problem with it, except that I think it shouldn’t return an > >> fd that can be used for proc filesystem access. > > > >Oh no, my intention was that it would just be used with *_send_signal > >and related functions. > > Let's postpone that discussion a little. > I think we don't need a syscall to base this off of pids. > As I said I rather send my revived version of CLONE_NEWFD that would serve the same task. > The same way we could also just add a new open() flag that blocks fs access completely. > I just pitched that idea to Serge a few days back: O_NOCHDIR or similar. > That could even be part of Aleksa's path resolution patchset. > > > > >Thanks, > >Florian >