[PATCH 0/4] XEN 4.2 libxl: fix event races exposed by libvirt

[PATCH 0/4] XEN 4.2 libxl: fix event races exposed by libvirt

[Ian Jackson]

If we prefix my event race fixes with a couple of backports they apply
cleanly.

This is a backport of part of a changeset from unstable, which makes
the two codebases more textually similar:
 1/4 libxl: rename "abs" variables to "absolute"

This is a straightforward cherry pick of a bugfix from unstable:
 2/4 libxl: Fix passing of application data to timeout_deregister hook

These are the meat:
 3/4 libxl: fix stale fd event callback race
 4/4 libxl: fix stale timeout event callback race

[PATCH 1/4] libxl: rename "abs" variables to "absolute"

[Ian Jackson]

No functional change.

The purpose is to make it easier to backport patches from Xen 4.3's
libxl, as Xen 4.3's libxl has had this done:

    libxl: Enable -Wshadow.

    It was convenient to invent $(CFLAGS_LIBXL) to do this.

    Various renamings to avoid shadowing standard functions:
      - index(3)
      - listen(2)
      - link(2)
      - abort(3)
      - abs(3)

    Signed-off-by: Ian Campbell <ian.campbell@citrix.com>

In this patch we do not change the others, and we do not enable
-Wshadow.  We're just trying to bring 4.2's libxl textually closer to
4.3's.

Signed-off-by: Ian Jackson <ian.jackson@eu.citrix.com>
---
 tools/libxl/libxl_event.c |   34 +++++++++++++++++-----------------
 1 files changed, 17 insertions(+), 17 deletions(-)

diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_event.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_event.c
index 939906c..aea58bb 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_event.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_event.c
@@ -167,15 +167,15 @@ static void time_insert_finite(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev)
 }
 
 static int time_register_finite(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev,
-                                struct timeval abs)
+                                struct timeval absolute)
 {
     int rc;
 
-    rc = OSEVENT_HOOK(timeout_register, &ev->for_app_reg, abs, ev);
+    rc = OSEVENT_HOOK(timeout_register, &ev->for_app_reg, absolute, ev);
     if (rc) return rc;
 
     ev->infinite = 0;
-    ev->abs = abs;
+    ev->abs = absolute;
     time_insert_finite(gc, ev);
 
     return 0;
@@ -202,16 +202,16 @@ static void time_done_debug(libxl__gc *gc, const char *func,
 
 int libxl__ev_time_register_abs(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev,
                                 libxl__ev_time_callback *func,
-                                struct timeval abs)
+                                struct timeval absolute)
 {
     int rc;
 
     CTX_LOCK;
 
     DBG("ev_time=%p register abs=%lu.%06lu",
-        ev, (unsigned long)abs.tv_sec, (unsigned long)abs.tv_usec);
+        ev, (unsigned long)absolute.tv_sec, (unsigned long)absolute.tv_usec);
 
-    rc = time_register_finite(gc, ev, abs);
+    rc = time_register_finite(gc, ev, absolute);
     if (rc) goto out;
 
     ev->func = func;
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ int libxl__ev_time_register_rel(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev,
                                 libxl__ev_time_callback *func,
                                 int milliseconds /* as for poll(2) */)
 {
-    struct timeval abs;
+    struct timeval absolute;
     int rc;
 
     CTX_LOCK;
@@ -238,10 +238,10 @@ int libxl__ev_time_register_rel(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev,
     if (milliseconds < 0) {
         ev->infinite = 1;
     } else {
-        rc = time_rel_to_abs(gc, milliseconds, &abs);
+        rc = time_rel_to_abs(gc, milliseconds, &absolute);
         if (rc) goto out;
 
-        rc = time_register_finite(gc, ev, abs);
+        rc = time_register_finite(gc, ev, absolute);
         if (rc) goto out;
     }
 
@@ -255,26 +255,26 @@ int libxl__ev_time_register_rel(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev,
 }
 
 int libxl__ev_time_modify_abs(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev,
-                              struct timeval abs)
+                              struct timeval absolute)
 {
     int rc;
 
     CTX_LOCK;
 
     DBG("ev_time=%p modify abs==%lu.%06lu",
-        ev, (unsigned long)abs.tv_sec, (unsigned long)abs.tv_usec);
+        ev, (unsigned long)absolute.tv_sec, (unsigned long)absolute.tv_usec);
 
     assert(libxl__ev_time_isregistered(ev));
 
     if (ev->infinite) {
-        rc = time_register_finite(gc, ev, abs);
+        rc = time_register_finite(gc, ev, absolute);
         if (rc) goto out;
     } else {
-        rc = OSEVENT_HOOK(timeout_modify, &ev->for_app_reg, abs);
+        rc = OSEVENT_HOOK(timeout_modify, &ev->for_app_reg, absolute);
         if (rc) goto out;
 
         LIBXL_TAILQ_REMOVE(&CTX->etimes, ev, entry);
-        ev->abs = abs;
+        ev->abs = absolute;
         time_insert_finite(gc, ev);
     }
 
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ int libxl__ev_time_modify_abs(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev,
 int libxl__ev_time_modify_rel(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev,
                               int milliseconds)
 {
-    struct timeval abs;
+    struct timeval absolute;
     int rc;
 
     CTX_LOCK;
@@ -304,10 +304,10 @@ int libxl__ev_time_modify_rel(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev,
         goto out;
     }
 
-    rc = time_rel_to_abs(gc, milliseconds, &abs);
+    rc = time_rel_to_abs(gc, milliseconds, &absolute);
     if (rc) goto out;
 
-    rc = libxl__ev_time_modify_abs(gc, ev, abs);
+    rc = libxl__ev_time_modify_abs(gc, ev, absolute);
     if (rc) goto out;
 
     rc = 0;
-- 
1.7.2.5

[PATCH 2/4] libxl: Fix passing of application data to timeout_deregister hook

[Ian Jackson]

From: Jim Fehlig <jfehlig@suse.com>

When deregistering a timeout, the address of application data was
being passed to the timeout_deregister hook instead of the data
itself.

Signed-off-by: Jim Fehlig <jfehlig@suse.com>
Acked-by: Ian Campbell <ian.campbell@citrix.com>
Committed-by: Ian Campbell <ian.campbell@citrix.com>

xen-unstable changeset: 26155:babb84d9a82e
Backport-requested-by: Ian Jackson <ian.jackson@eu.citrix.com>
Backported-by: Ian Jackson <ian.jackson@eu.citrix.com>
Signed-off-by: Ian Jackson <ian.jackson@eu.citrix.com>
---
 tools/libxl/libxl_event.c |    2 +-
 1 files changed, 1 insertions(+), 1 deletions(-)

diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_event.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_event.c
index aea58bb..06a29f2 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_event.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_event.c
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ static int time_register_finite(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev,
 static void time_deregister(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev)
 {
     if (!ev->infinite) {
-        OSEVENT_HOOK_VOID(timeout_deregister, &ev->for_app_reg);
+        OSEVENT_HOOK_VOID(timeout_deregister, ev->for_app_reg);
         LIBXL_TAILQ_REMOVE(&CTX->etimes, ev, entry);
     }
 }
-- 
1.7.2.5

[PATCH 3/4] libxl: fix stale fd event callback race

[Ian Jackson]

Because there is not necessarily any lock held at the point the
application (eg, libvirt) calls libxl_osevent_occurred_timeout and
..._fd, in a multithreaded program those calls may be arbitrarily
delayed in relation to other activities within the program.

libxl therefore needs to be prepared to receive very old event
callbacks.  Arrange for this to be the case for fd callbacks.

This requires a new layer of indirection through a "hook nexus" struct
which can outlive the libxl__ev_foo.  Allocation and deallocation of
these nexi is mostly handled in the OSEVENT macros which wrap up
the application's callbacks.

Document the problem and the solution in a comment in libxl_event.c
just before the definition of struct libxl__osevent_hook_nexus.

There is still a race relating to libxl__osevent_occurred_timeout;
this will be addressed in the following patch.

Reported-by: Bamvor Jian Zhang <bjzhang@suse.com>
Cc: Bamvor Jian Zhang <bjzhang@suse.com>
Cc: Ian Campbell <Ian.Campbell@citrix.com>
Tested-by: Jim Fehlig <jfehlig@suse.com>
Acked-by: Jim Fehlig <jfehlig@suse.com>
Signed-off-by: Ian Jackson <ian.jackson@eu.citrix.com>

Backport-requested-by: Stefano Stabellini <Stefano.Stabellini@eu.citrix.com>
Backported-by: Ian Jackson <ian.jackson@eu.citrix.com>
Signed-off-by: Ian Jackson <ian.jackson@eu.citrix.com>
---
 tools/libxl/libxl_event.c    |  184 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++------
 tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h |    8 ++-
 2 files changed, 163 insertions(+), 29 deletions(-)

diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_event.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_event.c
index 06a29f2..186b3c4 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_event.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_event.c
@@ -38,23 +38,131 @@
  * The application's registration hooks should be called ONLY via
  * these macros, with the ctx locked.  Likewise all the "occurred"
  * entrypoints from the application should assert(!in_hook);
+ *
+ * During the hook call - including while the arguments are being
+ * evaluated - ev->nexus is guaranteed to be valid and refer to the
+ * nexus which is being used for this event registration.  The
+ * arguments should specify ev->nexus for the for_libxl argument and
+ * ev->nexus->for_app_reg (or a pointer to it) for for_app_reg.
  */
-#define OSEVENT_HOOK_INTERN(retval, hookname, ...) do {                      \
-    if (CTX->osevent_hooks) {                                                \
-        CTX->osevent_in_hook++;                                              \
-        retval CTX->osevent_hooks->hookname(CTX->osevent_user, __VA_ARGS__); \
-        CTX->osevent_in_hook--;                                              \
-    }                                                                        \
+#define OSEVENT_HOOK_INTERN(retval, failedp, evkind, hookop, nexusop, ...) do { \
+    if (CTX->osevent_hooks) {                                           \
+        CTX->osevent_in_hook++;                                         \
+        libxl__osevent_hook_nexi *nexi = &CTX->hook_##evkind##_nexi_idle; \
+        osevent_hook_pre_##nexusop(gc, ev, nexi, &ev->nexus);            \
+        retval CTX->osevent_hooks->evkind##_##hookop                    \
+            (CTX->osevent_user, __VA_ARGS__);                           \
+        if ((failedp))                                                  \
+            osevent_hook_failed_##nexusop(gc, ev, nexi, &ev->nexus);     \
+        CTX->osevent_in_hook--;                                         \
+    }                                                                   \
 } while (0)
 
-#define OSEVENT_HOOK(hookname, ...) ({                                       \
-    int osevent_hook_rc = 0;                                                 \
-    OSEVENT_HOOK_INTERN(osevent_hook_rc = , hookname, __VA_ARGS__);          \
-    osevent_hook_rc;                                                         \
+#define OSEVENT_HOOK(evkind, hookop, nexusop, ...) ({                   \
+    int osevent_hook_rc = 0;                                    \
+    OSEVENT_HOOK_INTERN(osevent_hook_rc =, !!osevent_hook_rc,   \
+                        evkind, hookop, nexusop, __VA_ARGS__);          \
+    osevent_hook_rc;                                            \
 })
 
-#define OSEVENT_HOOK_VOID(hookname, ...) \
-    OSEVENT_HOOK_INTERN(/* void */, hookname, __VA_ARGS__)
+#define OSEVENT_HOOK_VOID(evkind, hookop, nexusop, ...)                         \
+    OSEVENT_HOOK_INTERN(/* void */, 0, evkind, hookop, nexusop, __VA_ARGS__)
+
+/*
+ * The application's calls to libxl_osevent_occurred_... may be
+ * indefinitely delayed with respect to the rest of the program (since
+ * they are not necessarily called with any lock held).  So the
+ * for_libxl value we receive may be (almost) arbitrarily old.  All we
+ * know is that it came from this ctx.
+ *
+ * Therefore we may not free the object referred to by any for_libxl
+ * value until we free the whole libxl_ctx.  And if we reuse it we
+ * must be able to tell when an old use turns up, and discard the
+ * stale event.
+ *
+ * Thus we cannot use the ev directly as the for_libxl value - we need
+ * a layer of indirection.
+ *
+ * We do this by keeping a pool of libxl__osevent_hook_nexus structs,
+ * and use pointers to them as for_libxl values.  In fact, there are
+ * two pools: one for fds and one for timeouts.  This ensures that we
+ * don't risk a type error when we upcast nexus->ev.  In each nexus
+ * the ev is either null or points to a valid libxl__ev_time or
+ * libxl__ev_fd, as applicable.
+ *
+ * We /do/ allow ourselves to reassociate an old nexus with a new ev
+ * as otherwise we would have to leak nexi.  (This reassociation
+ * might, of course, be an old ev being reused for a new purpose so
+ * simply comparing the ev pointer is not sufficient.)  Thus the
+ * libxl_osevent_occurred functions need to check that the condition
+ * allegedly signalled by this event actually exists.
+ *
+ * The nexi and the lists are all protected by the ctx lock.
+ */
+ 
+struct libxl__osevent_hook_nexus {
+    void *ev;
+    void *for_app_reg;
+    LIBXL_SLIST_ENTRY(libxl__osevent_hook_nexus) next;
+};
+
+static void *osevent_ev_from_hook_nexus(libxl_ctx *ctx,
+           libxl__osevent_hook_nexus *nexus /* pass  void *for_libxl */)
+{
+    return nexus->ev;
+}
+
+static void osevent_release_nexus(libxl__gc *gc,
+                                  libxl__osevent_hook_nexi *nexi_idle,
+                                  libxl__osevent_hook_nexus *nexus)
+{
+    nexus->ev = 0;
+    LIBXL_SLIST_INSERT_HEAD(nexi_idle, nexus, next);
+}
+
+/*----- OSEVENT* hook functions for nexusop "alloc" -----*/
+static void osevent_hook_pre_alloc(libxl__gc *gc, void *ev,
+                                   libxl__osevent_hook_nexi *nexi_idle,
+                                   libxl__osevent_hook_nexus **nexus_r)
+{
+    libxl__osevent_hook_nexus *nexus = LIBXL_SLIST_FIRST(nexi_idle);
+    if (nexus) {
+        LIBXL_SLIST_REMOVE_HEAD(nexi_idle, next);
+    } else {
+        nexus = libxl__zalloc(NOGC, sizeof(*nexus));
+    }
+    nexus->ev = ev;
+    *nexus_r = nexus;
+}
+static void osevent_hook_failed_alloc(libxl__gc *gc, void *ev,
+                                      libxl__osevent_hook_nexi *nexi_idle,
+                                      libxl__osevent_hook_nexus **nexus)
+{
+    osevent_release_nexus(gc, nexi_idle, *nexus);
+}
+
+/*----- OSEVENT* hook functions for nexusop "release" -----*/
+static void osevent_hook_pre_release(libxl__gc *gc, void *ev,
+                                     libxl__osevent_hook_nexi *nexi_idle,
+                                     libxl__osevent_hook_nexus **nexus)
+{
+    osevent_release_nexus(gc, nexi_idle, *nexus);
+}
+static void osevent_hook_failed_release(libxl__gc *gc, void *ev,
+                                        libxl__osevent_hook_nexi *nexi_idle,
+                                        libxl__osevent_hook_nexus **nexus)
+{
+    abort();
+}
+
+/*----- OSEVENT* hook functions for nexusop "noop" -----*/
+static void osevent_hook_pre_noop(libxl__gc *gc, void *ev,
+                                  libxl__osevent_hook_nexi *nexi_idle,
+                                  libxl__osevent_hook_nexus **nexus) { }
+static void osevent_hook_failed_noop(libxl__gc *gc, void *ev,
+                                     libxl__osevent_hook_nexi *nexi_idle,
+                                     libxl__osevent_hook_nexus **nexus) { }
+
 
 /*
  * fd events
@@ -72,7 +180,8 @@ int libxl__ev_fd_register(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_fd *ev,
 
     DBG("ev_fd=%p register fd=%d events=%x", ev, fd, events);
 
-    rc = OSEVENT_HOOK(fd_register, fd, &ev->for_app_reg, events, ev);
+    rc = OSEVENT_HOOK(fd,register, alloc, fd, &ev->nexus->for_app_reg,
+                      events, ev->nexus);
     if (rc) goto out;
 
     ev->fd = fd;
@@ -97,7 +206,7 @@ int libxl__ev_fd_modify(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_fd *ev, short events)
 
     DBG("ev_fd=%p modify fd=%d events=%x", ev, ev->fd, events);
 
-    rc = OSEVENT_HOOK(fd_modify, ev->fd, &ev->for_app_reg, events);
+    rc = OSEVENT_HOOK(fd,modify, noop, ev->fd, &ev->nexus->for_app_reg, events);
     if (rc) goto out;
 
     ev->events = events;
@@ -119,7 +228,7 @@ void libxl__ev_fd_deregister(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_fd *ev)
 
     DBG("ev_fd=%p deregister fd=%d", ev, ev->fd);
 
-    OSEVENT_HOOK_VOID(fd_deregister, ev->fd, ev->for_app_reg);
+    OSEVENT_HOOK_VOID(fd,deregister, release, ev->fd, ev->nexus->for_app_reg);
     LIBXL_LIST_REMOVE(ev, entry);
     ev->fd = -1;
 
@@ -171,7 +280,8 @@ static int time_register_finite(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev,
 {
     int rc;
 
-    rc = OSEVENT_HOOK(timeout_register, &ev->for_app_reg, absolute, ev);
+    rc = OSEVENT_HOOK(timeout,register, alloc, &ev->nexus->for_app_reg,
+                      absolute, ev->nexus);
     if (rc) return rc;
 
     ev->infinite = 0;
@@ -184,7 +294,7 @@ static int time_register_finite(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev,
 static void time_deregister(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev)
 {
     if (!ev->infinite) {
-        OSEVENT_HOOK_VOID(timeout_deregister, ev->for_app_reg);
+        OSEVENT_HOOK_VOID(timeout,deregister, release, ev->nexus->for_app_reg);
         LIBXL_TAILQ_REMOVE(&CTX->etimes, ev, entry);
     }
 }
@@ -270,7 +380,8 @@ int libxl__ev_time_modify_abs(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev,
         rc = time_register_finite(gc, ev, absolute);
         if (rc) goto out;
     } else {
-        rc = OSEVENT_HOOK(timeout_modify, &ev->for_app_reg, absolute);
+        rc = OSEVENT_HOOK(timeout,modify, noop,
+                          &ev->nexus->for_app_reg, absolute);
         if (rc) goto out;
 
         LIBXL_TAILQ_REMOVE(&CTX->etimes, ev, entry);
@@ -1009,35 +1120,54 @@ void libxl_osevent_register_hooks(libxl_ctx *ctx,
 
 
 void libxl_osevent_occurred_fd(libxl_ctx *ctx, void *for_libxl,
-                               int fd, short events, short revents)
+                               int fd, short events_ign, short revents_ign)
 {
-    libxl__ev_fd *ev = for_libxl;
-
     EGC_INIT(ctx);
     CTX_LOCK;
     assert(!CTX->osevent_in_hook);
 
-    assert(fd == ev->fd);
-    revents &= ev->events;
-    if (revents)
-        ev->func(egc, ev, fd, ev->events, revents);
+    libxl__ev_fd *ev = osevent_ev_from_hook_nexus(ctx, for_libxl);
+    if (!ev) goto out;
+    if (ev->fd != fd) goto out;
 
+    struct pollfd check;
+    for (;;) {
+        check.fd = fd;
+        check.events = ev->events;
+        int r = poll(&check, 1, 0);
+        if (!r)
+            goto out;
+        if (r==1)
+            break;
+        assert(r<0);
+        if (errno != EINTR) {
+            LIBXL__EVENT_DISASTER(egc, "failed poll to check for fd", errno, 0);
+            goto out;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (check.revents)
+        ev->func(egc, ev, fd, ev->events, check.revents);
+
+ out:
     CTX_UNLOCK;
     EGC_FREE;
 }
 
 void libxl_osevent_occurred_timeout(libxl_ctx *ctx, void *for_libxl)
 {
-    libxl__ev_time *ev = for_libxl;
-
     EGC_INIT(ctx);
     CTX_LOCK;
     assert(!CTX->osevent_in_hook);
 
+    libxl__ev_time *ev = osevent_ev_from_hook_nexus(ctx, for_libxl);
+    if (!ev) goto out;
     assert(!ev->infinite);
+
     LIBXL_TAILQ_REMOVE(&CTX->etimes, ev, entry);
     ev->func(egc, ev, &ev->abs);
 
+ out:
     CTX_UNLOCK;
     EGC_FREE;
 }
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h b/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h
index b6f54ba..077d362 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h
@@ -136,6 +136,8 @@ typedef struct libxl__gc libxl__gc;
 typedef struct libxl__egc libxl__egc;
 typedef struct libxl__ao libxl__ao;
 typedef struct libxl__aop_occurred libxl__aop_occurred;
+typedef struct libxl__osevent_hook_nexus libxl__osevent_hook_nexus;
+typedef struct libxl__osevent_hook_nexi libxl__osevent_hook_nexi;
 
 _hidden void libxl__alloc_failed(libxl_ctx *, const char *func,
                          size_t nmemb, size_t size) __attribute__((noreturn));
@@ -163,7 +165,7 @@ struct libxl__ev_fd {
     libxl__ev_fd_callback *func;
     /* remainder is private for libxl__ev_fd... */
     LIBXL_LIST_ENTRY(libxl__ev_fd) entry;
-    void *for_app_reg;
+    libxl__osevent_hook_nexus *nexus;
 };
 
 
@@ -178,7 +180,7 @@ struct libxl__ev_time {
     int infinite; /* not registered in list or with app if infinite */
     LIBXL_TAILQ_ENTRY(libxl__ev_time) entry;
     struct timeval abs;
-    void *for_app_reg;
+    libxl__osevent_hook_nexus *nexus;
 };
 
 typedef struct libxl__ev_xswatch libxl__ev_xswatch;
@@ -329,6 +331,8 @@ struct libxl__ctx {
     libxl__poller poller_app; /* libxl_osevent_beforepoll and _afterpoll */
     LIBXL_LIST_HEAD(, libxl__poller) pollers_event, pollers_idle;
 
+    LIBXL_SLIST_HEAD(libxl__osevent_hook_nexi, libxl__osevent_hook_nexus)
+        hook_fd_nexi_idle, hook_timeout_nexi_idle;
     LIBXL_LIST_HEAD(, libxl__ev_fd) efds;
     LIBXL_TAILQ_HEAD(, libxl__ev_time) etimes;
 
-- 
1.7.2.5

[PATCH 4/4] libxl: fix stale timeout event callback race

[Ian Jackson]

Because there is not necessarily any lock held at the point the
application (eg, libvirt) calls libxl_osevent_occurred_timeout, in a
multithreaded program those calls may be arbitrarily delayed in
relation to other activities within the program.

Specifically this means when ->timeout_deregister returns, libxl does
not know whether it can safely dispose of the for_libxl value or
whether it needs to retain it in case of an in-progress call to
_occurred_timeout.

The interface could be fixed by requiring the application to make a
new call into libxl to say that the deregistration was complete.

However that new call would have to be threaded through the
application's event loop; this is complicated and some application
authors are likely not to implement it properly.  Furthermore the
easiest way to implement this facility in most event loops is to queue
up a time event for "now".

Shortcut all of this by having libxl always call timeout_modify
setting abs={0,0} (ie, ASAP) instead of timeout_deregister.  This will
cause the application to call _occurred_timeout.  When processing this
calldown we see that we were no longer actually interested and simply
throw it away.

Additionally, there is a race between _occurred_timeout and
->timeout_modify.  If libxl ever adjusts the deadline for a timeout
the application may already be in the process of calling _occurred, in
which case the situation with for_app's lifetime becomes very
complicated.  Therefore abolish libxl__ev_time_modify_{abs,rel} (which
have no callers) and promise to the application only ever to call
->timeout_modify with abs=={0,0}.  The application still needs to cope
with ->timeout_modify racing with its internal function which calls
_occurred_timeout.  Document this.

This is a forwards-compatible change for applications using the libxl
API, and will hopefully eliminate these races in callback-supplying
applications (such as libvirt) without the need for corresponding
changes to the application.  (It is possible that this might expose
bugs in applications, though, as previously libxl would never call
libxl_osevent_hooks->timeout_modify and now it never calls
->timeout_deregister).

For clarity, fold the body of time_register_finite into its one
remaining call site.  This makes the semantics of ev->infinite
slightly clearer.

Cc: Bamvor Jian Zhang <bjzhang@suse.com>
Cc: Ian Campbell <Ian.Campbell@citrix.com>
Tested-by: Jim Fehlig <jfehlig@suse.com>
Acked-by: Jim Fehlig <jfehlig@suse.com>
Signed-off-by: Ian Jackson <ian.jackson@eu.citrix.com>

--
v4:
  - Fix the wrong number of levels of indirection of for_app_reg
    in the new call to ->timeout_modify.  (Reported by Jim Fehlig.)
  - Add Jim Fehlig's Tested-by and Acked-by.
  - Improve the commit message somewhat.
---
 tools/libxl/libxl_event.c |   89 +++++++--------------------------------------
 tools/libxl/libxl_event.h |   17 ++++++++-
 2 files changed, 29 insertions(+), 77 deletions(-)

diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_event.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_event.c
index 186b3c4..a7171f5 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_event.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_event.c
@@ -267,18 +267,11 @@ static int time_rel_to_abs(libxl__gc *gc, int ms, struct timeval *abs_out)
     return 0;
 }
 
-static void time_insert_finite(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev)
-{
-    libxl__ev_time *evsearch;
-    LIBXL_TAILQ_INSERT_SORTED(&CTX->etimes, entry, ev, evsearch, /*empty*/,
-                              timercmp(&ev->abs, &evsearch->abs, >));
-    ev->infinite = 0;
-}
-
 static int time_register_finite(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev,
                                 struct timeval absolute)
 {
     int rc;
+    libxl__ev_time *evsearch;
 
     rc = OSEVENT_HOOK(timeout,register, alloc, &ev->nexus->for_app_reg,
                       absolute, ev->nexus);
@@ -286,7 +279,8 @@ static int time_register_finite(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev,
 
     ev->infinite = 0;
     ev->abs = absolute;
-    time_insert_finite(gc, ev);
+    LIBXL_TAILQ_INSERT_SORTED(&CTX->etimes, entry, ev, evsearch, /*empty*/,
+                              timercmp(&ev->abs, &evsearch->abs, >));
 
     return 0;
 }
@@ -294,7 +288,12 @@ static int time_register_finite(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev,
 static void time_deregister(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev)
 {
     if (!ev->infinite) {
-        OSEVENT_HOOK_VOID(timeout,deregister, release, ev->nexus->for_app_reg);
+        struct timeval right_away = { 0, 0 };
+        if (ev->nexus) /* only set if app provided hooks */
+            ev->nexus->ev = 0;
+        OSEVENT_HOOK_VOID(timeout,modify,
+                          noop /* release nexus in _occurred_ */,
+                          &ev->nexus->for_app_reg, right_away);
         LIBXL_TAILQ_REMOVE(&CTX->etimes, ev, entry);
     }
 }
@@ -364,70 +363,6 @@ int libxl__ev_time_register_rel(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev,
     return rc;
 }
 
-int libxl__ev_time_modify_abs(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev,
-                              struct timeval absolute)
-{
-    int rc;
-
-    CTX_LOCK;
-
-    DBG("ev_time=%p modify abs==%lu.%06lu",
-        ev, (unsigned long)absolute.tv_sec, (unsigned long)absolute.tv_usec);
-
-    assert(libxl__ev_time_isregistered(ev));
-
-    if (ev->infinite) {
-        rc = time_register_finite(gc, ev, absolute);
-        if (rc) goto out;
-    } else {
-        rc = OSEVENT_HOOK(timeout,modify, noop,
-                          &ev->nexus->for_app_reg, absolute);
-        if (rc) goto out;
-
-        LIBXL_TAILQ_REMOVE(&CTX->etimes, ev, entry);
-        ev->abs = absolute;
-        time_insert_finite(gc, ev);
-    }
-
-    rc = 0;
- out:
-    time_done_debug(gc,__func__,ev,rc);
-    CTX_UNLOCK;
-    return rc;
-}
-
-int libxl__ev_time_modify_rel(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev,
-                              int milliseconds)
-{
-    struct timeval absolute;
-    int rc;
-
-    CTX_LOCK;
-
-    DBG("ev_time=%p modify ms=%d", ev, milliseconds);
-
-    assert(libxl__ev_time_isregistered(ev));
-
-    if (milliseconds < 0) {
-        time_deregister(gc, ev);
-        ev->infinite = 1;
-        rc = 0;
-        goto out;
-    }
-
-    rc = time_rel_to_abs(gc, milliseconds, &absolute);
-    if (rc) goto out;
-
-    rc = libxl__ev_time_modify_abs(gc, ev, absolute);
-    if (rc) goto out;
-
-    rc = 0;
- out:
-    time_done_debug(gc,__func__,ev,rc);
-    CTX_UNLOCK;
-    return rc;
-}
-
 void libxl__ev_time_deregister(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev)
 {
     CTX_LOCK;
@@ -1160,7 +1095,11 @@ void libxl_osevent_occurred_timeout(libxl_ctx *ctx, void *for_libxl)
     CTX_LOCK;
     assert(!CTX->osevent_in_hook);
 
-    libxl__ev_time *ev = osevent_ev_from_hook_nexus(ctx, for_libxl);
+    libxl__osevent_hook_nexus *nexus = for_libxl;
+    libxl__ev_time *ev = osevent_ev_from_hook_nexus(ctx, nexus);
+
+    osevent_release_nexus(gc, &CTX->hook_timeout_nexi_idle, nexus);
+
     if (!ev) goto out;
     assert(!ev->infinite);
 
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_event.h b/tools/libxl/libxl_event.h
index 3bcb6d3..51f2721 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_event.h
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_event.h
@@ -287,8 +287,10 @@ typedef struct libxl_osevent_hooks {
   int (*timeout_register)(void *user, void **for_app_registration_out,
                           struct timeval abs, void *for_libxl);
   int (*timeout_modify)(void *user, void **for_app_registration_update,
-                         struct timeval abs);
-  void (*timeout_deregister)(void *user, void *for_app_registration);
+                         struct timeval abs)
+      /* only ever called with abs={0,0}, meaning ASAP */;
+  void (*timeout_deregister)(void *user, void *for_app_registration)
+      /* will never be called */;
 } libxl_osevent_hooks;
 
 /* The application which calls register_fd_hooks promises to
@@ -337,6 +339,17 @@ typedef struct libxl_osevent_hooks {
  * register (or modify), and pass it to subsequent calls to modify
  * or deregister.
  *
+ * Note that the application must cope with a call from libxl to
+ * timeout_modify racing with its own call to
+ * libxl__osevent_occurred_timeout.  libxl guarantees that
+ * timeout_modify will only be called with abs={0,0} but the
+ * application must still ensure that libxl's attempt to cause the
+ * timeout to occur immediately is safely ignored even the timeout is
+ * actually already in the process of occurring.
+ *
+ * timeout_deregister is not used because it forms part of a
+ * deprecated unsafe mode of use of the API.
+ *
  * osevent_register_hooks may be called only once for each libxl_ctx.
  * libxl may make calls to register/modify/deregister from within
  * any libxl function (indeed, it will usually call register from
-- 
1.7.2.5

Re: [PATCH 0/4] XEN 4.2 libxl: fix event races exposed by libvirt

[Stefano Stabellini]

Jim,
do you have a corresponding libvirt patch that I can try to backport to
0.9.4?

On Wed, 23 Jan 2013, Ian Jackson wrote:
> If we prefix my event race fixes with a couple of backports they apply
> cleanly.
> 
> This is a backport of part of a changeset from unstable, which makes
> the two codebases more textually similar:
>  1/4 libxl: rename "abs" variables to "absolute"
> 
> This is a straightforward cherry pick of a bugfix from unstable:
>  2/4 libxl: Fix passing of application data to timeout_deregister hook
> 
> These are the meat:
>  3/4 libxl: fix stale fd event callback race
>  4/4 libxl: fix stale timeout event callback race
> 

Re: [PATCH 2/4] libxl: Fix passing of application data to timeout_deregister hook

[Jim Fehlig]

Ian Jackson wrote:
> From: Jim Fehlig <jfehlig@suse.com>
>
> When deregistering a timeout, the address of application data was
> being passed to the timeout_deregister hook instead of the data
> itself.
>
> Signed-off-by: Jim Fehlig <jfehlig@suse.com>
> Acked-by: Ian Campbell <ian.campbell@citrix.com>
> Committed-by: Ian Campbell <ian.campbell@citrix.com>
>
> xen-unstable changeset: 26155:babb84d9a82e
> Backport-requested-by: Ian Jackson <ian.jackson@eu.citrix.com>
> Backported-by: Ian Jackson <ian.jackson@eu.citrix.com>
> Signed-off-by: Ian Jackson <ian.jackson@eu.citrix.com>
> ---
>  tools/libxl/libxl_event.c |    2 +-
>  1 files changed, 1 insertions(+), 1 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_event.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_event.c
> index aea58bb..06a29f2 100644
> --- a/tools/libxl/libxl_event.c
> +++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_event.c
> @@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ static int time_register_finite(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev,
>  static void time_deregister(libxl__gc *gc, libxl__ev_time *ev)
>  {
>      if (!ev->infinite) {
> -        OSEVENT_HOOK_VOID(timeout_deregister, &ev->for_app_reg);
> +        OSEVENT_HOOK_VOID(timeout_deregister, ev->for_app_reg);
>          LIBXL_TAILQ_REMOVE(&CTX->etimes, ev, entry);
>      }
>  }
>   

This one is already in 4.2-testing as c/s 25927.

Regards,
Jim

Re: [PATCH 0/4] XEN 4.2 libxl: fix event races exposed by libvirt

[Ian Jackson]

Ian Jackson writes ("[Xen-devel] [PATCH 0/4] XEN 4.2 libxl: fix event races exposed by libvirt"):
> If we prefix my event race fixes with a couple of backports they apply
> cleanly.
> 
> This is a backport of part of a changeset from unstable, which makes
> the two codebases more textually similar:
>  1/4 libxl: rename "abs" variables to "absolute"
> 
> This is a straightforward cherry pick of a bugfix from unstable:
>  2/4 libxl: Fix passing of application data to timeout_deregister hook
> 
> These are the meat:
>  3/4 libxl: fix stale fd event callback race
>  4/4 libxl: fix stale timeout event callback race

3 and 4 have been in unstable for a while without problems, so I have
pushed 1,3,4 to 4.2-staging (and as Jim notes 2 was there already).

Ian.