1 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
2 menu "Kernel hardening options"
4 config GCC_PLUGIN_STRUCTLEAK
7 While the kernel is built with warnings enabled for any missed
8 stack variable initializations, this warning is silenced for
9 anything passed by reference to another function, under the
10 occasionally misguided assumption that the function will do
11 the initialization. As this regularly leads to exploitable
12 flaws, this plugin is available to identify and zero-initialize
13 such variables, depending on the chosen level of coverage.
15 This plugin was originally ported from grsecurity/PaX. More
17 * https://grsecurity.net/
18 * https://pax.grsecurity.net/
20 menu "Memory initialization"
22 config CC_HAS_AUTO_VAR_INIT
23 def_bool $(cc-option,-ftrivial-auto-var-init=pattern)
26 prompt "Initialize kernel stack variables at function entry"
27 default GCC_PLUGIN_STRUCTLEAK_BYREF_ALL if COMPILE_TEST && GCC_PLUGINS
28 default INIT_STACK_ALL if COMPILE_TEST && CC_HAS_AUTO_VAR_INIT
29 default INIT_STACK_NONE
31 This option enables initialization of stack variables at
32 function entry time. This has the possibility to have the
33 greatest coverage (since all functions can have their
34 variables initialized), but the performance impact depends
35 on the function calling complexity of a given workload's
38 This chooses the level of coverage over classes of potentially
39 uninitialized variables. The selected class will be
40 initialized before use in a function.
42 config INIT_STACK_NONE
43 bool "no automatic initialization (weakest)"
45 Disable automatic stack variable initialization.
46 This leaves the kernel vulnerable to the standard
47 classes of uninitialized stack variable exploits
48 and information exposures.
50 config GCC_PLUGIN_STRUCTLEAK_USER
51 bool "zero-init structs marked for userspace (weak)"
52 depends on GCC_PLUGINS
53 select GCC_PLUGIN_STRUCTLEAK
55 Zero-initialize any structures on the stack containing
56 a __user attribute. This can prevent some classes of
57 uninitialized stack variable exploits and information
58 exposures, like CVE-2013-2141:
59 https://git.kernel.org/linus/b9e146d8eb3b9eca
61 config GCC_PLUGIN_STRUCTLEAK_BYREF
62 bool "zero-init structs passed by reference (strong)"
63 depends on GCC_PLUGINS
64 select GCC_PLUGIN_STRUCTLEAK
66 Zero-initialize any structures on the stack that may
67 be passed by reference and had not already been
68 explicitly initialized. This can prevent most classes
69 of uninitialized stack variable exploits and information
70 exposures, like CVE-2017-1000410:
71 https://git.kernel.org/linus/06e7e776ca4d3654
73 config GCC_PLUGIN_STRUCTLEAK_BYREF_ALL
74 bool "zero-init anything passed by reference (very strong)"
75 depends on GCC_PLUGINS
76 select GCC_PLUGIN_STRUCTLEAK
78 Zero-initialize any stack variables that may be passed
79 by reference and had not already been explicitly
80 initialized. This is intended to eliminate all classes
81 of uninitialized stack variable exploits and information
85 bool "0xAA-init everything on the stack (strongest)"
86 depends on CC_HAS_AUTO_VAR_INIT
88 Initializes everything on the stack with a 0xAA
89 pattern. This is intended to eliminate all classes
90 of uninitialized stack variable exploits and information
91 exposures, even variables that were warned to have been
96 config GCC_PLUGIN_STRUCTLEAK_VERBOSE
97 bool "Report forcefully initialized variables"
98 depends on GCC_PLUGIN_STRUCTLEAK
99 depends on !COMPILE_TEST # too noisy
101 This option will cause a warning to be printed each time the
102 structleak plugin finds a variable it thinks needs to be
103 initialized. Since not all existing initializers are detected
104 by the plugin, this can produce false positive warnings.
106 config GCC_PLUGIN_STACKLEAK
107 bool "Poison kernel stack before returning from syscalls"
108 depends on GCC_PLUGINS
109 depends on HAVE_ARCH_STACKLEAK
111 This option makes the kernel erase the kernel stack before
112 returning from system calls. This has the effect of leaving
113 the stack initialized to the poison value, which both reduces
114 the lifetime of any sensitive stack contents and reduces
115 potential for uninitialized stack variable exploits or information
116 exposures (it does not cover functions reaching the same stack
117 depth as prior functions during the same syscall). This blocks
118 most uninitialized stack variable attacks, with the performance
119 impact being driven by the depth of the stack usage, rather than
120 the function calling complexity.
122 The performance impact on a single CPU system kernel compilation
123 sees a 1% slowdown, other systems and workloads may vary and you
124 are advised to test this feature on your expected workload before
127 This plugin was ported from grsecurity/PaX. More information at:
128 * https://grsecurity.net/
129 * https://pax.grsecurity.net/
131 config STACKLEAK_TRACK_MIN_SIZE
132 int "Minimum stack frame size of functions tracked by STACKLEAK"
135 depends on GCC_PLUGIN_STACKLEAK
137 The STACKLEAK gcc plugin instruments the kernel code for tracking
138 the lowest border of the kernel stack (and for some other purposes).
139 It inserts the stackleak_track_stack() call for the functions with
140 a stack frame size greater than or equal to this parameter.
141 If unsure, leave the default value 100.
143 config STACKLEAK_METRICS
144 bool "Show STACKLEAK metrics in the /proc file system"
145 depends on GCC_PLUGIN_STACKLEAK
148 If this is set, STACKLEAK metrics for every task are available in
149 the /proc file system. In particular, /proc/<pid>/stack_depth
150 shows the maximum kernel stack consumption for the current and
151 previous syscalls. Although this information is not precise, it
152 can be useful for estimating the STACKLEAK performance impact for
155 config STACKLEAK_RUNTIME_DISABLE
156 bool "Allow runtime disabling of kernel stack erasing"
157 depends on GCC_PLUGIN_STACKLEAK
159 This option provides 'stack_erasing' sysctl, which can be used in
160 runtime to control kernel stack erasing for kernels built with
161 CONFIG_GCC_PLUGIN_STACKLEAK.
163 config INIT_ON_ALLOC_DEFAULT_ON
164 bool "Enable heap memory zeroing on allocation by default"
166 This has the effect of setting "init_on_alloc=1" on the kernel
167 command line. This can be disabled with "init_on_alloc=0".
168 When "init_on_alloc" is enabled, all page allocator and slab
169 allocator memory will be zeroed when allocated, eliminating
170 many kinds of "uninitialized heap memory" flaws, especially
171 heap content exposures. The performance impact varies by
172 workload, but most cases see <1% impact. Some synthetic
173 workloads have measured as high as 7%.
175 config INIT_ON_FREE_DEFAULT_ON
176 bool "Enable heap memory zeroing on free by default"
178 This has the effect of setting "init_on_free=1" on the kernel
179 command line. This can be disabled with "init_on_free=0".
180 Similar to "init_on_alloc", when "init_on_free" is enabled,
181 all page allocator and slab allocator memory will be zeroed
182 when freed, eliminating many kinds of "uninitialized heap memory"
183 flaws, especially heap content exposures. The primary difference
184 with "init_on_free" is that data lifetime in memory is reduced,
185 as anything freed is wiped immediately, making live forensics or
186 cold boot memory attacks unable to recover freed memory contents.
187 The performance impact varies by workload, but is more expensive
188 than "init_on_alloc" due to the negative cache effects of
189 touching "cold" memory areas. Most cases see 3-5% impact. Some
190 synthetic workloads have measured as high as 8%.