diff options
| author | Dmitry Vyukov <dvyukov@google.com> | 2018-08-21 21:55:24 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org> | 2018-08-22 10:52:46 -0700 |
| commit | 96c6a32ccb55a366054fd82cc63523bb7f7493d3 (patch) | |
| tree | fb339e055035609ea3616e64a5a4262ccf20da65 /include/asm-generic | |
| parent | 23c85094fe1895caefdd19ef624ee687ec5f4507 (diff) | |
| download | linux-96c6a32ccb55a366054fd82cc63523bb7f7493d3.tar.bz2 | |
include/asm-generic/bug.h: clarify valid uses of WARN()
Explicitly state that WARN*() should be used only for recoverable kernel
issues/bugs and that it should not be used for any kind of invalid
external inputs or transient conditions.
Motivation: it's a very useful capability to be able to understand if a
particular kernel splat means a kernel bug or simply an invalid user-space
program. For the former one wants to notify kernel developers, while
notifying kernel developers for the latter is annoying. Even a kernel
developer may not know what to do with a WARNING in an unfamiliar
subsystem. This is especially critical for any automated testing systems
that may use panic_on_warn and mail kernel developers.
The clear separation also serves as an additional documentation: is it a
condition that must never occur because of additional checks/logic
elsewhere? or is it simply a check for invalid inputs or unfortunate
conditions?
Use of pr_err() for user messages also leads to better error messages.
"Something is wrong in file foo on line X" is not particularly useful
message for end user. pr_err() forces developers to write more meaningful
error messages for user.
As of now we are almost there. We are doing systematic kernel testing
with panic_on_warn and are not seeing massive amounts of false positives.
But every now and then another WARN on ENOMEM or invalid inputs pops up
and leads to a lengthy argument each time. The goal of this change is to
officially document the rules.
Link: http://lkml.kernel.org/r/20180620103716.61636-1-dvyukov@gmail.com
Signed-off-by: Dmitry Vyukov <dvyukov@google.com>
Acked-by: Greg Kroah-Hartman <gregkh@linuxfoundation.org>
Signed-off-by: Andrew Morton <akpm@linux-foundation.org>
Signed-off-by: Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org>
Diffstat (limited to 'include/asm-generic')
| -rw-r--r-- | include/asm-generic/bug.h | 16 |
1 files changed, 13 insertions, 3 deletions
diff --git a/include/asm-generic/bug.h b/include/asm-generic/bug.h index a7613e1b0c87..20561a60db9c 100644 --- a/include/asm-generic/bug.h +++ b/include/asm-generic/bug.h @@ -75,9 +75,19 @@ struct bug_entry { /* * WARN(), WARN_ON(), WARN_ON_ONCE, and so on can be used to report - * significant issues that need prompt attention if they should ever - * appear at runtime. Use the versions with printk format strings - * to provide better diagnostics. + * significant kernel issues that need prompt attention if they should ever + * appear at runtime. + * + * Do not use these macros when checking for invalid external inputs + * (e.g. invalid system call arguments, or invalid data coming from + * network/devices), and on transient conditions like ENOMEM or EAGAIN. + * These macros should be used for recoverable kernel issues only. + * For invalid external inputs, transient conditions, etc use + * pr_err[_once/_ratelimited]() followed by dump_stack(), if necessary. + * Do not include "BUG"/"WARNING" in format strings manually to make these + * conditions distinguishable from kernel issues. + * + * Use the versions with printk format strings to provide better diagnostics. */ #ifndef __WARN_TAINT extern __printf(3, 4) |