On Thu, Aug 06, 2026 at 01:01:11PM +0200, Oleg Nesterov wrote:
> Sumanth, thanks for details!
> 
> On 08/05, Sumanth Korikkar wrote:
> >
> > So semphore incremented to 2 when a tracer was attached and decremented
> > back to 0 when tracer was detached. install_breakpoint() was called for
> > both vaddr and succeeded, also remove_breakpoint() succeeded for both
> > vaddr.
> 
> Then I agree with Andrii, we don't really care. IIUC, only the value of
> .active != 0 matters correctness-wise.
> 
> > > > --- a/kernel/events/uprobes.c
> > > > +++ b/kernel/events/uprobes.c
> > > > @@ -1155,6 +1155,9 @@ static int install_breakpoint(struct uprobe *uprobe, struct vm_area_struct *vma,
> > > >  	bool first_uprobe;
> > > >  	int ret;
> > > >
> > > > +	if (!(vma->vm_flags & VM_EXEC))
> > > > +		return 0;
> > > > +
> > >
> > > Well, but then it makes more sense to change valid_vma() to nack the
> > > non VM_EXEC mappings ?
> >
> > After looking at your 2012 commit 78a320542e6c ("uprobes: Change valid_vma()
> > to demand VM_MAYEXEC rather than VM_EXEC"), I thought changing it in
> > valid_vma() was not the right approach.
> >
> > "If a program maps memory as non executable initially, but it has
> > VM_MAYEXEC permission, the program can later call mprotect(PROT_EXEC)
> > to make it executable." So adding VM_EXEC in valid_vma() can be too
> > strict.
> 
> Yes,
> 
> > Hence, I think install_breakpoint() can be one point where non VM_EXEC
> > mapping can be restricted.
> 
> But your change in install_breakpoint() essentually reverts that commit?
> If uprobe_register() -> register_for_each_vma() finds a VM_MAYEXEC vma
> without VM_EXEC valid_vma() will return true, but then install_breakpoint()
> will fail anyway.
> 
> Oleg.

Initially non exec vma will be ignored via uprobe_register(),
install_breakpoint() will reject non vma mappings initially.

As far as I understand,  if mprotect(PROT_EXEC) is performed later by a
process, it adds VM_EXEC flag to vma and calls vma_complete() via
vma_modify_flags(). uprobe_mmap() will then call install_breakpoint()
and now it should succeed because VM_EXEC is set.

So, it doesnt really revert 2012 commit. But it just defers installation
of breakpoint until the vma actually becomes executable right?.

Thanks