Merge tag 'perf-core-2020-06-01' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/tip/tip

.. _perf_security:

Perf Events and tool security

Perf events and tool security

=============================

Overview

Data that belong to the fourth category can potentially contain

sensitive process data. If PMUs in some monitoring modes capture values

of execution context registers or data from process memory then access

to such monitoring capabilities requires to be ordered and secured

properly. So, perf_events/Perf performance monitoring is the subject for

security access control management [5]_ .

to such monitoring modes requires to be ordered and secured properly.

So, perf_events performance monitoring and observability operations are

the subject for security access control management [5]_ .

perf_events/Perf access control

perf_events access control

-------------------------------

To perform security checks, the Linux implementation splits processes

independently enabled and disabled on per-thread basis for processes and

files of unprivileged users.

Unprivileged processes with enabled CAP_SYS_ADMIN capability are treated

Unprivileged processes with enabled CAP_PERFMON capability are treated

as privileged processes with respect to perf_events performance

monitoring and bypass *scope* permissions checks in the kernel.

Unprivileged processes using perf_events system call API is also subject

monitoring and observability operations, thus, bypass *scope* permissions

checks in the kernel. CAP_PERFMON implements the principle of least

privilege [13]_ (POSIX 1003.1e: 2.2.2.39) for performance monitoring and

observability operations in the kernel and provides a secure approach to

perfomance monitoring and observability in the system.

For backward compatibility reasons the access to perf_events monitoring and

observability operations is also open for CAP_SYS_ADMIN privileged

processes but CAP_SYS_ADMIN usage for secure monitoring and observability

use cases is discouraged with respect to the CAP_PERFMON capability.

If system audit records [14]_ for a process using perf_events system call

API contain denial records of acquiring both CAP_PERFMON and CAP_SYS_ADMIN

capabilities then providing the process with CAP_PERFMON capability singly

is recommended as the preferred secure approach to resolve double access

denial logging related to usage of performance monitoring and observability.

Unprivileged processes using perf_events system call are also subject

for PTRACE_MODE_READ_REALCREDS ptrace access mode check [7]_ , whose

outcome determines whether monitoring is permitted. So unprivileged

processes provided with CAP_SYS_PTRACE capability are effectively

CAP_SYSLOG capability permits reading kernel space memory addresses from

/proc/kallsyms file.

perf_events/Perf privileged users

Privileged Perf users groups

---------------------------------

Mechanisms of capabilities, privileged capability-dumb files [6]_ and

file system ACLs [10]_ can be used to create a dedicated group of

perf_events/Perf privileged users who are permitted to execute

performance monitoring without scope limits. The following steps can be

taken to create such a group of privileged Perf users.

file system ACLs [10]_ can be used to create dedicated groups of

privileged Perf users who are permitted to execute performance monitoring

and observability without scope limits. The following steps can be

taken to create such groups of privileged Perf users.

1. Create perf_users group of privileged Perf users, assign perf_users

   group to Perf tool executable and limit access to the executable for

   -rwxr-x---  2 root perf_users  11M Oct 19 15:12 perf

2. Assign the required capabilities to the Perf tool executable file and

   enable members of perf_users group with performance monitoring

   enable members of perf_users group with monitoring and observability

   privileges [6]_ :

::

   # setcap "cap_sys_admin,cap_sys_ptrace,cap_syslog=ep" perf

   # setcap -v "cap_sys_admin,cap_sys_ptrace,cap_syslog=ep" perf

   # setcap "cap_perfmon,cap_sys_ptrace,cap_syslog=ep" perf

   # setcap -v "cap_perfmon,cap_sys_ptrace,cap_syslog=ep" perf

   perf: OK

   # getcap perf

   perf = cap_sys_ptrace,cap_sys_admin,cap_syslog+ep

   perf = cap_sys_ptrace,cap_syslog,cap_perfmon+ep

If the libcap installed doesn't yet support "cap_perfmon", use "38" instead,

i.e.:

::

   # setcap "38,cap_ipc_lock,cap_sys_ptrace,cap_syslog=ep" perf

Note that you may need to have 'cap_ipc_lock' in the mix for tools such as

'perf top', alternatively use 'perf top -m N', to reduce the memory that

it uses for the perf ring buffer, see the memory allocation section below.

Using a libcap without support for CAP_PERFMON will make cap_get_flag(caps, 38,

CAP_EFFECTIVE, &val) fail, which will lead the default event to be 'cycles:u',

so as a workaround explicitly ask for the 'cycles' event, i.e.:

::

  # perf top -e cycles

To get kernel and user samples with a perf binary with just CAP_PERFMON.

As a result, members of perf_users group are capable of conducting

performance monitoring by using functionality of the configured Perf

tool executable that, when executes, passes perf_events subsystem scope

checks.

performance monitoring and observability by using functionality of the

configured Perf tool executable that, when executes, passes perf_events

subsystem scope checks.

This specific access control management is only available to superuser

or root running processes with CAP_SETPCAP, CAP_SETFCAP [6]_

capabilities.

perf_events/Perf unprivileged users

Unprivileged users

-----------------------------------

perf_events/Perf *scope* and *access* control for unprivileged processes

perf_events *scope* and *access* control for unprivileged processes

is governed by perf_event_paranoid [2]_ setting:

-1:

     perf_event_mlock_kb locking limit is imposed but ignored for

     unprivileged processes with CAP_IPC_LOCK capability.

perf_events/Perf resource control

Resource control

---------------------------------

Open file descriptors

.. [10] `<http://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man5/acl.5.html>`_

.. [11] `<http://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man2/getrlimit.2.html>`_

.. [12] `<http://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man5/limits.conf.5.html>`_

.. [13] `<https://sites.google.com/site/fullycapable>`_

.. [14] `<http://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man8/auditd.8.html>`_

===================

Controls use of the performance events system by unprivileged

users (without CAP_SYS_ADMIN).  The default value is 2.

users (without CAP_PERFMON).  The default value is 2.

For backward compatibility reasons access to system performance

monitoring and observability remains open for CAP_SYS_ADMIN

privileged processes but CAP_SYS_ADMIN usage for secure system

performance monitoring and observability operations is discouraged

with respect to CAP_PERFMON use cases.

===  ==================================================================

 -1  Allow use of (almost) all events by all users.

     ``CAP_IPC_LOCK``.

>=0  Disallow ftrace function tracepoint by users without

     ``CAP_SYS_ADMIN``.

     ``CAP_PERFMON``.

     Disallow raw tracepoint access by users without ``CAP_SYS_ADMIN``.

     Disallow raw tracepoint access by users without ``CAP_PERFMON``.

>=1  Disallow CPU event access by users without ``CAP_SYS_ADMIN``.

>=1  Disallow CPU event access by users without ``CAP_PERFMON``.

>=2  Disallow kernel profiling by users without ``CAP_SYS_ADMIN``.

>=2  Disallow kernel profiling by users without ``CAP_PERFMON``.

===  ==================================================================

	else

		return -EFAULT;

	if (!capable(CAP_SYS_ADMIN))

	if (!perfmon_capable())

		return -EACCES;

	if (count != sizeof(uint32_t))

	if (event->attr.type != event->pmu->type)

		return -ENOENT;

	if (!capable(CAP_SYS_ADMIN))

	if (!perfmon_capable())

		return -EACCES;

	/* Sampling not supported */

	if (event->attr.type != event->pmu->type)

		return -ENOENT;

	if (!capable(CAP_SYS_ADMIN))

	if (!perfmon_capable())

		return -EACCES;

	/* Return if this is a couting event */

	available on NehalemEX and more modern processors.

config PERF_EVENTS_INTEL_RAPL

	tristate "Intel rapl performance events"

	depends on PERF_EVENTS && CPU_SUP_INTEL && PCI

	tristate "Intel/AMD rapl performance events"

	depends on PERF_EVENTS && (CPU_SUP_INTEL || CPU_SUP_AMD) && PCI

	default y

	---help---

	Include support for Intel rapl performance events for power

	Include support for Intel and AMD rapl performance events for power

	monitoring on modern processors.

config PERF_EVENTS_INTEL_CSTATE