On Mon, Mar 20, 2017 at 8:20 AM, Andrew Cooper <andrew.coop...@citrix.com>
wrote:

> On 20/03/17 09:50, Razvan Cojocaru wrote:
> > xc_altp2m_set_mem_access() and xc_set_mem_access() end up doing the same
> thing
> > in the hypervisor, but the former is a HVMOP and the latter a DOMCTL.
> Since
> > nobody is currently using, or has stated intent to use, this
> functionality
> > specifically as an HVMOP, this patch removes the HVMOP while adding an
> extra
> > parameter to the more flexible DOMCTL variant, in which the altp2m view
> can be
> > transmitted (0 for the default view, or when altp2m is disabled).
> > The xen-access test has been updated in the process.
> >
> > Signed-off-by: Razvan Cojocaru <rcojoc...@bitdefender.com>
>
> I am sorry to be awkward here, but as this patch stands, it definitely
> breaks the original usecase altp2m was introduced for.  Therefore, I
> don't it is appropriate to take in this form.
>
> The problem is that the current permissions are too coarse-grained.
>
> Intel's use case needs all hypercalls usable by the guest, as the agent
> is entirely in-guest.  (It also occurs to me that scenario might be
> useful to develop within.)
>
> Bitdefenders use case needs vmfunc usable by the guest, but all
> alteration of view permissions must be restricted to a more privileged
> entity.
>
> Tamas' usecase is (IIRC) entirely behind the back of the guest.
>
>
> As a result, the two choices needed are "can a guest configure/use
> vmfunc", and "can a guest alter its own view permissions".
>
> These should cater to all usecases, as far as I understand.
>

So I have an outstanding patch that addressed this issue, at least
partially: https://patchwork.kernel.org/patch/9284861. It was part of a
larger series that didn't yet make it to upstream but it doesn't depend on
anything in that series so we could take it out. The goal with that patch
was to be able to indicate how the default altp2m should behave, ie. mixed
internal-external use, or purely external. If there is a need for a third
option that would specify that only the #VE call should be enabled from
within the guest, that could probably be added.

Tamas
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