On Fri, Jul 24, 2020 at 11:48 AM Stephen Smalley
<stephen.smalley.work@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> On Fri, Jul 24, 2020 at 11:34 AM Stephen Smalley
> <stephen.smalley.work@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> > On Fri, Jul 24, 2020 at 10:14 AM Mike Palmiotto
> > <mike.palmiotto@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > >
> > > Commit bc2a8f418e3b ("libselinux: add selinux_status_* interfaces for
> > > /selinux/status") introduced the sestatus mechanism, which allows for
> > > mmap()'ing of the kernel status page as a replacement for avc_netlink.
> > >
> > > The mechanism was initially intended for use by userspace object
> > > managers which were calculating access decisions within their
> > > application and did not rely on the libselinux AVC implementation. In
> > > order to properly make use of sestatus within avc_has_perm(), the status
> > > mechanism needs to properly set avc internals during status events;
> > > else, avc_enforcing is never updated upon sestatus changes.
> > >
> > > This commit introduces a new selinux_status_loop() function, which
> > > replaces the default netlink-equivalent, avc_netlink_loop(). The
> > > function watches the kernel status page until an error occurs, at which
> > > point it will exit the thread. In the event that the status page cannot
> > > be opened (on avc_open), the thread will continue to function as before
> > > by using a fallback netlink socket.
> > >
> > > This allows us to replace the call to avc_netlink_open() in
> > > avc_init_internal() with a call to selinux_status_open() and remove the
> > > avc_netlink_check_nb() call from the critical code path in
> > > avc_has_perm_noaudit(), as well as selinux_check_access().
> > >
> > > Userspace object managers that still need a netlink socket can call
> > > avc_netlink_acquire_fd() to open open and/or obtain one.
> > >
> > > Update the manpage to reflect the new avc_netlink_acquire_fd()
> > > functionality.
> > >
> > > Signed-off-by: Mike Palmiotto <mike.palmiotto@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > ---
> > > Testing:
> > > - dbus-daemon v1.12.8 on RHEL8.2
> > > - dbus-broker v22 on F32
> >
> > This looks good to me as far as the code is concerned. However,
> > installing the patched libselinux and rebooting, I notice that
> > afterward I have dbus-daemon running on a Fedora rawhide instance and
> > consuming nearly 100% CPU constantly. I'm guessing it is sitting in
> > the status loop. Not sure why there is a dbus-daemon instance running
> > at all since dbus-broker seems to be the default in Fedora and
> > systemctl shows dbus-daemon as disabled. But if I revert to the stock
> > libselinux, it stops hogging CPU. Thoughts?
>
> Used gdb to attach to the separate thread and got a traceback before
> and after the libselinux patch.
> Sure enough, before it is performing a blocking poll() operation and
> hence sleeping. After it is spinning in
> the status loop.
So, options would appear to be:
1) Drop the usage of avc_using_threads altogether, i.e. even if the
caller provided a thread callback, don't create another thread and
just call selinux_status_updated() on every avc_has_perm_noaudit()
unless avc_app_main_loop is set. Rationale: dbus-daemon was only
using threads to avoid the overhead of avc_netlink_check_nb() on every
avc_has_perm_noaudit() call, and we've eliminated that via use of
sestatus, hence we don't need to create a separate thread at all.
-or-
2) If using threads, then create the netlink socket during avc_init
and keep using the netlink loop for the thread. This preserves the
blocking behavior.
#1 seems more optimal to me and gets rid of threading for dbus-daemon,
which was something they didn't like anyway.
