[PATCH] prism54: Replace zero-length array with flexible-array

[PATCH] prism54: Replace zero-length array with flexible-array

[Gustavo A. R. Silva]

The current codebase makes use of the zero-length array language
extension to the C90 standard, but the preferred mechanism to declare
variable-length types such as these ones is a flexible array member[1][2],
introduced in C99:

struct foo {
        int stuff;
        struct boo array[];
};

By making use of the mechanism above, we will get a compiler warning
in case the flexible array does not occur last in the structure, which
will help us prevent some kind of undefined behavior bugs from being
inadvertently introduced[3] to the codebase from now on.

Also, notice that, dynamic memory allocations won't be affected by
this change:

"Flexible array members have incomplete type, and so the sizeof operator
may not be applied. As a quirk of the original implementation of
zero-length arrays, sizeof evaluates to zero."[1]

sizeof(flexible-array-member) triggers a warning because flexible array
members have incomplete type[1]. There are some instances of code in
which the sizeof operator is being incorrectly/erroneously applied to
zero-length arrays and the result is zero. Such instances may be hiding
some bugs. So, this work (flexible-array member conversions) will also
help to get completely rid of those sorts of issues.

This issue was found with the help of Coccinelle.

[1] https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Zero-Length.html
[2] https://github.com/KSPP/linux/issues/21
[3] commit 76497732932f ("cxgb3/l2t: Fix undefined behaviour")

Signed-off-by: Gustavo A. R. Silva <gustavoars@kernel.org>
---
 drivers/net/wireless/intersil/prism54/isl_oid.h    |    8 ++++----
 drivers/net/wireless/intersil/prism54/islpci_mgt.h |    2 +-
 2 files changed, 5 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/intersil/prism54/isl_oid.h b/drivers/net/wireless/intersil/prism54/isl_oid.h
index 5441c1f9f2fc..1afc2ccf94ca 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/intersil/prism54/isl_oid.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/intersil/prism54/isl_oid.h
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ struct obj_mlmeex {
 	u16 state;
 	u16 code;
 	u16 size;
-	u8 data[0];
+	u8 data[];
 } __packed;
 
 struct obj_buffer {
@@ -68,12 +68,12 @@ struct obj_bss {
 
 struct obj_bsslist {
 	u32 nr;
-	struct obj_bss bsslist[0];
+	struct obj_bss bsslist[];
 } __packed;
 
 struct obj_frequencies {
 	u16 nr;
-	u16 mhz[0];
+	u16 mhz[];
 } __packed;
 
 struct obj_attachment {
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ struct obj_attachment {
 	char reserved;
 	short id;
 	short size;
-	char data[0];
+	char data[];
 } __packed;
 
 /*
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/intersil/prism54/islpci_mgt.h b/drivers/net/wireless/intersil/prism54/islpci_mgt.h
index d6bbbac46b4a..1f87d0aea60c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/intersil/prism54/islpci_mgt.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/intersil/prism54/islpci_mgt.h
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ struct islpci_mgmtframe {
 	pimfor_header_t *header;      /* payload header, points into buf */
 	void *data;		      /* payload ex header, points into buf */
         struct work_struct ws;	      /* argument for schedule_work() */
-	char buf[0];		      /* fragment buffer */
+	char buf[];		      /* fragment buffer */
 };
 
 int

Re: [PATCH] prism54: Replace zero-length array with flexible-array

[Kalle Valo]

"Gustavo A. R. Silva" <gustavoars@kernel.org> wrote:

> The current codebase makes use of the zero-length array language
> extension to the C90 standard, but the preferred mechanism to declare
> variable-length types such as these ones is a flexible array member[1][2],
> introduced in C99:
> 
> struct foo {
>         int stuff;
>         struct boo array[];
> };
> 
> By making use of the mechanism above, we will get a compiler warning
> in case the flexible array does not occur last in the structure, which
> will help us prevent some kind of undefined behavior bugs from being
> inadvertently introduced[3] to the codebase from now on.
> 
> Also, notice that, dynamic memory allocations won't be affected by
> this change:
> 
> "Flexible array members have incomplete type, and so the sizeof operator
> may not be applied. As a quirk of the original implementation of
> zero-length arrays, sizeof evaluates to zero."[1]
> 
> sizeof(flexible-array-member) triggers a warning because flexible array
> members have incomplete type[1]. There are some instances of code in
> which the sizeof operator is being incorrectly/erroneously applied to
> zero-length arrays and the result is zero. Such instances may be hiding
> some bugs. So, this work (flexible-array member conversions) will also
> help to get completely rid of those sorts of issues.
> 
> This issue was found with the help of Coccinelle.
> 
> [1] https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Zero-Length.html
> [2] https://github.com/KSPP/linux/issues/21
> [3] commit 76497732932f ("cxgb3/l2t: Fix undefined behaviour")
> 
> Signed-off-by: Gustavo A. R. Silva <gustavoars@kernel.org>

Patch applied to wireless-drivers-next.git, thanks.

8d7d7a93d526 prism54: Replace zero-length array with flexible-array

-- 
https://patchwork.kernel.org/patch/11534747/

https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/developers/documentation/submittingpatches