From: Thomas Gleixner <tglx@linutronix.de>

Provide functions that are related to the safe handover mechanism
and allow console drivers to dynamically specify unsafe regions:

 - nbcon_context_can_proceed()

   Invoked by a console owner to check whether a handover request
   is pending or whether the console has been taken over by another
   context. If a handover request is pending, this function will
   also perform the handover, thus cancelling its own ownership.

 - nbcon_context_enter_unsafe()/nbcon_context_exit_unsafe()

   Invoked by a console owner to denote that the driver is about
   to enter or leave a critical region where a take over is unsafe.
   These functions are also cancellation points where loss of
   ownership can occur.

   The unsafe state is stored in the console state and allows a
   new context to make informed decisions whether to attempt a
   takeover of such a console. The unsafe state is also available
   to the driver so that it can make informed decisions about the
   required actions and possibly take a special emergency path.

Co-developed-by: John Ogness <john.ogness@linutronix.de>
Signed-off-by: John Ogness <john.ogness@linutronix.de>
Signed-off-by: Thomas Gleixner (Intel) <tglx@linutronix.de>
Reviewed-by: Petr Mladek <pmladek@suse.com>
---
 kernel/printk/nbcon.c | 110 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-
 1 file changed, 109 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/kernel/printk/nbcon.c b/kernel/printk/nbcon.c
index cad1cf663078..644c4b9a4540 100644
--- a/kernel/printk/nbcon.c
+++ b/kernel/printk/nbcon.c
@@ -464,7 +464,6 @@ static bool nbcon_owner_matches(struct nbcon_state *cur, int expected_cpu,
  * nbcon_context_release - Release the console
  * @ctxt:	The nbcon context from nbcon_context_try_acquire()
  */
-__maybe_unused
 static void nbcon_context_release(struct nbcon_context *ctxt)
 {
 	unsigned int cpu = smp_processor_id();
@@ -492,6 +491,115 @@ static void nbcon_context_release(struct nbcon_context *ctxt)
 	ctxt->pbufs = NULL;
 }
 
+/**
+ * nbcon_context_can_proceed - Check whether ownership can proceed
+ * @ctxt:	The nbcon context from nbcon_context_try_acquire()
+ * @cur:	The current console state
+ *
+ * Return:	True if this context still owns the console. False if
+ *		ownership was handed over or taken.
+ *
+ * Must be invoked after the record was dumped into the assigned buffer
+ * and at appropriate safe places in the driver.
+ *
+ * When this function returns false then the calling context no longer owns
+ * the console and is no longer allowed to go forward. In this case it must
+ * back out immediately and carefully. The buffer content is also no longer
+ * trusted since it no longer belongs to the calling context.
+ */
+static bool nbcon_context_can_proceed(struct nbcon_context *ctxt, struct nbcon_state *cur)
+{
+	unsigned int cpu = smp_processor_id();
+
+	/* Make sure this context still owns the console. */
+	if (!nbcon_owner_matches(cur, cpu, ctxt->prio))
+		return false;
+
+	/* The console owner can proceed if there is no waiter. */
+	if (cur->req_prio == NBCON_PRIO_NONE)
+		return true;
+
+	/*
+	 * A console owner within an unsafe region is always allowed to
+	 * proceed, even if there are waiters. It can perform a handover
+	 * when exiting the unsafe region. Otherwise the waiter will
+	 * need to perform an unsafe hostile takeover.
+	 */
+	if (cur->unsafe)
+		return true;
+
+	/* Waiters always have higher priorities than owners. */
+	WARN_ON_ONCE(cur->req_prio <= cur->prio);
+
+	/*
+	 * Having a safe point for take over and eventually a few
+	 * duplicated characters or a full line is way better than a
+	 * hostile takeover. Post processing can take care of the garbage.
+	 * Release and hand over.
+	 */
+	nbcon_context_release(ctxt);
+
+	/*
+	 * It is not known whether the handover succeeded. The outermost
+	 * callsite has to make the final decision whether printing
+	 * should proceed or not (via reacquire, possibly hostile). The
+	 * console is now unlocked so go back all the way instead of
+	 * trying to implement heuristics in tons of places.
+	 */
+	return false;
+}
+
+#define nbcon_context_enter_unsafe(c)	__nbcon_context_update_unsafe(c, true)
+#define nbcon_context_exit_unsafe(c)	__nbcon_context_update_unsafe(c, false)
+
+/**
+ * __nbcon_context_update_unsafe - Update the unsafe bit in @con->nbcon_state
+ * @ctxt:	The nbcon context from nbcon_context_try_acquire()
+ * @unsafe:	The new value for the unsafe bit
+ *
+ * Return:	True if the unsafe state was updated and this context still
+ *		owns the console. Otherwise false if ownership was handed
+ *		over or taken.
+ *
+ * This function allows console owners to modify the unsafe status of the
+ * console.
+ *
+ * When this function returns false then the calling context no longer owns
+ * the console and is no longer allowed to go forward. In this case it must
+ * back out immediately and carefully. The buffer content is also no longer
+ * trusted since it no longer belongs to the calling context.
+ *
+ * Internal helper to avoid duplicated code.
+ */
+__maybe_unused
+static bool __nbcon_context_update_unsafe(struct nbcon_context *ctxt, bool unsafe)
+{
+	struct console *con = ctxt->console;
+	struct nbcon_state cur;
+	struct nbcon_state new;
+
+	nbcon_state_read(con, &cur);
+
+	do {
+		/*
+		 * The unsafe bit must not be cleared if an
+		 * unsafe hostile takeover has occurred.
+		 */
+		if (!unsafe && cur.unsafe_takeover)
+			goto out;
+
+		if (!nbcon_context_can_proceed(ctxt, &cur))
+			return false;
+
+		new.atom = cur.atom;
+		new.unsafe = unsafe;
+	} while (!nbcon_state_try_cmpxchg(con, &cur, &new));
+
+	cur.atom = new.atom;
+out:
+	return nbcon_context_can_proceed(ctxt, &cur);
+}
+
 /**
  * nbcon_alloc - Allocate buffers needed by the nbcon console
  * @con:	Console to allocate buffers for
-- 
2.39.2

On Fri 2023-09-08 20:56:05, John Ogness wrote:
> From: Thomas Gleixner <tglx@linutronix.de>
> 
> Provide functions that are related to the safe handover mechanism
> and allow console drivers to dynamically specify unsafe regions:
> 
>  - nbcon_context_can_proceed()
> 
>    Invoked by a console owner to check whether a handover request
>    is pending or whether the console has been taken over by another
>    context. If a handover request is pending, this function will
>    also perform the handover, thus cancelling its own ownership.
> 
>  - nbcon_context_enter_unsafe()/nbcon_context_exit_unsafe()
> 
>    Invoked by a console owner to denote that the driver is about
>    to enter or leave a critical region where a take over is unsafe.
>    These functions are also cancellation points where loss of
>    ownership can occur.

The last sentence is not completely clear to me. I would write:

     The exit variant is the point where the current owner releases
     the lock for a higher priority context which asked for
     the friendly handover.

>    The unsafe state is stored in the console state and allows a
>    new context to make informed decisions whether to attempt a
>    takeover of such a console. The unsafe state is also available
>    to the driver so that it can make informed decisions about the
>    required actions and possibly take a special emergency path.
> 
> --- a/kernel/printk/nbcon.c
> +++ b/kernel/printk/nbcon.c
> @@ -492,6 +491,115 @@ static void nbcon_context_release(struct nbcon_context *ctxt)
>  	ctxt->pbufs = NULL;
>  }
>  
> +/**
> + * nbcon_context_can_proceed - Check whether ownership can proceed
> + * @ctxt:	The nbcon context from nbcon_context_try_acquire()
> + * @cur:	The current console state
> + *
> + * Return:	True if this context still owns the console. False if
> + *		ownership was handed over or taken.
> + *
> + * Must be invoked after the record was dumped into the assigned buffer
> + * and at appropriate safe places in the driver.

I think that is not longer called explicitly in nbcon_emit_next_record().

I would write something like:

  * Must be invoked when entering the unsafe state to make sure that it still
  * owns the lock. Also must be invoked when exiting the unsafe context
  * to eventually free the lock for a higher priority context which asked
  * for the friendly handover.
  *
  * It can be called inside an unsafe section when the console is just
  * temporary in safe state instead of exiting and entering the unsafe
  * state.
  *
  * Also it can be called in the safe context before doing an expensive
  * safe operation. It does not make sense to do the operation when
  * a higher priority context took the lock.


> + *
> + * When this function returns false then the calling context no longer owns
> + * the console and is no longer allowed to go forward. In this case it must
> + * back out immediately and carefully. The buffer content is also no longer
> + * trusted since it no longer belongs to the calling context.
> + */
> +static bool nbcon_context_can_proceed(struct nbcon_context *ctxt, struct nbcon_state *cur)
> +{
> +	unsigned int cpu = smp_processor_id();

With the proposed changes:

Reviewed-by: Petr Mladek <pmladek@suse.com>

Best Regards,
Petr