Re: [PATCH v2 2/3] x86/mm: add .data..decrypted section to hold shared variables

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On 08/29/2018 10:03 AM, Sean Christopherson wrote:
On Tue, Aug 28, 2018 at 05:12:56PM -0500, Brijesh Singh wrote:
kvmclock defines few static variables which are shared with hypervisor
during the kvmclock initialization.

When SEV is active, memory is encrypted with a guest-specific key, and
if guest OS wants to share the memory region with hypervisor then it must
clear the C-bit before sharing it. Currently, we use
kernel_physical_mapping_init() to split large pages before clearing the
C-bit on shared pages. But the kernel_physical_mapping_init fails when
called from the kvmclock initialization (mainly because memblock allocator
was not ready).

The '__decrypted' can be used to define a shared variable; the variables
will be put in the .data.decryption section. This section is mapped with
C=0 early in the boot, we also ensure that the initialized values are
updated to match with C=0 (i.e perform an in-place decryption). The
.data..decrypted section is PMD aligned and sized so that we avoid the
need to split the large pages when mapping this section.

What about naming the attribute (and section) '__unencrypted' instead
of '__decrypted'?  The attribute should be a property describing how
the data must be accessed, it shouldn't imply anything regarding the
history of the data.  Decrypted implies that data was once encrypted,
whereas unencrypted simply states that the data is stored in plain
text.  All data that has been decrypted is also unencrypted, but the
reverse does not hold true.



During the initial SEV/SME patch review cycle we had some discussion about using decrypted vs unencrypted. At that time the consensus was
that a memory range mapped with C=0 should be referred as 'decrypted'.
Having said so, I do see your point and I am not oppose to calling it
'unencrypted' if others agrees to it.

Tom and Boris, thoughts ?



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