linux-riscv · linux-riscv-bot · Mar 3, 2026 · Mar 3, 2026
diff --git a/arch/Kconfig b/arch/Kconfig
@@ -1519,9 +1519,8 @@ config HAVE_ARCH_RANDOMIZE_KSTACK_OFFSET
 	def_bool n
 	help
 	  An arch should select this symbol if it can support kernel stack
-	  offset randomization with calls to add_random_kstack_offset()
-	  during syscall entry and choose_random_kstack_offset() during
-	  syscall exit. Careful removal of -fstack-protector-strong and
+	  offset randomization with a call to add_random_kstack_offset()
+	  during syscall entry. Careful removal of -fstack-protector-strong and
 	  -fstack-protector should also be applied to the entry code and
 	  closely examined, as the artificial stack bump looks like an array
 	  to the compiler, so it will attempt to add canary checks regardless

diff --git a/arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c b/arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c
@@ -52,17 +52,6 @@ static void invoke_syscall(struct pt_regs *regs, unsigned int scno,
 	}
 
 	syscall_set_return_value(current, regs, 0, ret);
-
-	/*
-	 * This value will get limited by KSTACK_OFFSET_MAX(), which is 10
-	 * bits. The actual entropy will be further reduced by the compiler
-	 * when applying stack alignment constraints: the AAPCS mandates a
-	 * 16-byte aligned SP at function boundaries, which will remove the
-	 * 4 low bits from any entropy chosen here.
-	 *
-	 * The resulting 6 bits of entropy is seen in SP[9:4].
-	 */
-	choose_random_kstack_offset(get_random_u16());
 }
 
 static inline bool has_syscall_work(unsigned long flags)

diff --git a/arch/loongarch/kernel/syscall.c b/arch/loongarch/kernel/syscall.c
@@ -79,16 +79,5 @@ void noinstr __no_stack_protector do_syscall(struct pt_regs *regs)
 					   regs->regs[7], regs->regs[8], regs->regs[9]);
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * This value will get limited by KSTACK_OFFSET_MAX(), which is 10
-	 * bits. The actual entropy will be further reduced by the compiler
-	 * when applying stack alignment constraints: 16-bytes (i.e. 4-bits)
-	 * aligned, which will remove the 4 low bits from any entropy chosen
-	 * here.
-	 *
-	 * The resulting 6 bits of entropy is seen in SP[9:4].
-	 */
-	choose_random_kstack_offset(get_cycles());
-
 	syscall_exit_to_user_mode(regs);
 }
diff --git a/arch/powerpc/kernel/syscall.c b/arch/powerpc/kernel/syscall.c
@@ -20,8 +20,6 @@ notrace long system_call_exception(struct pt_regs *regs, unsigned long r0)
 
 	kuap_lock();
 
-	add_random_kstack_offset();
-
 	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_PPC_IRQ_SOFT_MASK_DEBUG))
 		BUG_ON(irq_soft_mask_return() != IRQS_ALL_DISABLED);
 
@@ -30,6 +28,8 @@ notrace long system_call_exception(struct pt_regs *regs, unsigned long r0)
 	CT_WARN_ON(ct_state() == CT_STATE_KERNEL);
 	user_exit_irqoff();
 
+	add_random_kstack_offset();
+
 	BUG_ON(regs_is_unrecoverable(regs));
 	BUG_ON(!user_mode(regs));
 	BUG_ON(arch_irq_disabled_regs(regs));
@@ -173,17 +173,5 @@ notrace long system_call_exception(struct pt_regs *regs, unsigned long r0)
 	}
 #endif
 
-	/*
-	 * Ultimately, this value will get limited by KSTACK_OFFSET_MAX(),
-	 * so the maximum stack offset is 1k bytes (10 bits).
-	 *
-	 * The actual entropy will be further reduced by the compiler when
-	 * applying stack alignment constraints: the powerpc architecture
-	 * may have two kinds of stack alignment (16-bytes and 8-bytes).
-	 *
-	 * So the resulting 6 or 7 bits of entropy is seen in SP[9:4] or SP[9:3].
-	 */
-	choose_random_kstack_offset(mftb());
-
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/arch/riscv/kernel/traps.c b/arch/riscv/kernel/traps.c
@@ -344,18 +344,6 @@ void do_trap_ecall_u(struct pt_regs *regs)
 			syscall_handler(regs, syscall);
 		}
 
-		/*
-		 * Ultimately, this value will get limited by KSTACK_OFFSET_MAX(),
-		 * so the maximum stack offset is 1k bytes (10 bits).
-		 *
-		 * The actual entropy will be further reduced by the compiler when
-		 * applying stack alignment constraints: 16-byte (i.e. 4-bit) aligned
-		 * for RV32I or RV64I.
-		 *
-		 * The resulting 6 bits of entropy is seen in SP[9:4].
-		 */
-		choose_random_kstack_offset(get_random_u16());
-
 		syscall_exit_to_user_mode(regs);
 	} else {
 		irqentry_state_t state = irqentry_nmi_enter(regs);

diff --git a/arch/s390/include/asm/entry-common.h b/arch/s390/include/asm/entry-common.h
@@ -51,14 +51,6 @@ static __always_inline void arch_exit_to_user_mode(void)
 
 #define arch_exit_to_user_mode arch_exit_to_user_mode
 
-static inline void arch_exit_to_user_mode_prepare(struct pt_regs *regs,
-						  unsigned long ti_work)
-{
-	choose_random_kstack_offset(get_tod_clock_fast());
-}
-
-#define arch_exit_to_user_mode_prepare arch_exit_to_user_mode_prepare
-
 static __always_inline bool arch_in_rcu_eqs(void)
 {
 	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_KVM))

diff --git a/arch/s390/kernel/syscall.c b/arch/s390/kernel/syscall.c
@@ -96,8 +96,8 @@ void noinstr __do_syscall(struct pt_regs *regs, int per_trap)
 {
 	unsigned long nr;
 
-	add_random_kstack_offset();
 	enter_from_user_mode(regs);
+	add_random_kstack_offset();
 	regs->psw = get_lowcore()->svc_old_psw;
 	regs->int_code = get_lowcore()->svc_int_code;
 	update_timer_sys();

diff --git a/arch/x86/entry/syscall_32.c b/arch/x86/entry/syscall_32.c
@@ -247,7 +247,6 @@ __visible noinstr void do_int80_syscall_32(struct pt_regs *regs)
 {
 	int nr = syscall_32_enter(regs);
 
-	add_random_kstack_offset();
 	/*
 	 * Subtlety here: if ptrace pokes something larger than 2^31-1 into
 	 * orig_ax, the int return value truncates it. This matches
@@ -256,6 +255,7 @@ __visible noinstr void do_int80_syscall_32(struct pt_regs *regs)
 	nr = syscall_enter_from_user_mode(regs, nr);
 	instrumentation_begin();
 
+	add_random_kstack_offset();
 	do_syscall_32_irqs_on(regs, nr);
 
 	instrumentation_end();
@@ -268,7 +268,6 @@ static noinstr bool __do_fast_syscall_32(struct pt_regs *regs)
 	int nr = syscall_32_enter(regs);
 	int res;
 
-	add_random_kstack_offset();
 	/*
 	 * This cannot use syscall_enter_from_user_mode() as it has to
 	 * fetch EBP before invoking any of the syscall entry work
@@ -277,6 +276,7 @@ static noinstr bool __do_fast_syscall_32(struct pt_regs *regs)
 	enter_from_user_mode(regs);
 
 	instrumentation_begin();
+	add_random_kstack_offset();
 	local_irq_enable();
 	/* Fetch EBP from where the vDSO stashed it. */
 	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_X86_64)) {

diff --git a/arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c b/arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c
@@ -86,10 +86,10 @@ static __always_inline bool do_syscall_x32(struct pt_regs *regs, int nr)
 /* Returns true to return using SYSRET, or false to use IRET */
 __visible noinstr bool do_syscall_64(struct pt_regs *regs, int nr)
 {
-	add_random_kstack_offset();
 	nr = syscall_enter_from_user_mode(regs, nr);
 
 	instrumentation_begin();
+	add_random_kstack_offset();
 
 	if (!do_syscall_x64(regs, nr) && !do_syscall_x32(regs, nr) && nr != -1) {
 		/* Invalid system call, but still a system call. */

diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/entry-common.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/entry-common.h
@@ -82,18 +82,6 @@ static inline void arch_exit_to_user_mode_prepare(struct pt_regs *regs,
 	current_thread_info()->status &= ~(TS_COMPAT | TS_I386_REGS_POKED);
 #endif
 
-	/*
-	 * This value will get limited by KSTACK_OFFSET_MAX(), which is 10
-	 * bits. The actual entropy will be further reduced by the compiler
-	 * when applying stack alignment constraints (see cc_stack_align4/8 in
-	 * arch/x86/Makefile), which will remove the 3 (x86_64) or 2 (ia32)
-	 * low bits from any entropy chosen here.
-	 *
-	 * Therefore, final stack offset entropy will be 7 (x86_64) or
-	 * 8 (ia32) bits.
-	 */
-	choose_random_kstack_offset(rdtsc());
-
 	/* Avoid unnecessary reads of 'x86_ibpb_exit_to_user' */
 	if (cpu_feature_enabled(X86_FEATURE_IBPB_EXIT_TO_USER) &&
 	    this_cpu_read(x86_ibpb_exit_to_user)) {

diff --git a/include/linux/randomize_kstack.h b/include/linux/randomize_kstack.h
@@ -6,10 +6,10 @@
 #include <linux/kernel.h>
 #include <linux/jump_label.h>
 #include <linux/percpu-defs.h>
+#include <linux/prandom.h>
 
 DECLARE_STATIC_KEY_MAYBE(CONFIG_RANDOMIZE_KSTACK_OFFSET_DEFAULT,
 			 randomize_kstack_offset);
-DECLARE_PER_CPU(u32, kstack_offset);
 
 /*
  * Do not use this anywhere else in the kernel. This is used here because
@@ -46,53 +46,39 @@ DECLARE_PER_CPU(u32, kstack_offset);
 #define KSTACK_OFFSET_MAX(x)	((x) & 0b1111111100)
 #endif
 
+DECLARE_PER_CPU(struct rnd_state, kstack_rnd_state);
+
+static __always_inline u32 get_kstack_offset(void)
+{
+	struct rnd_state *state;
+	u32 rnd;
+
+	state = &get_cpu_var(kstack_rnd_state);
+	rnd = prandom_u32_state(state);
+	put_cpu_var(kstack_rnd_state);
+
+	return rnd;
+}
+
 /**
- * add_random_kstack_offset - Increase stack utilization by previously
- *			      chosen random offset
+ * add_random_kstack_offset - Increase stack utilization by a random offset.
  *
- * This should be used in the syscall entry path when interrupts and
- * preempt are disabled, and after user registers have been stored to
- * the stack. For testing the resulting entropy, please see:
- * tools/testing/selftests/lkdtm/stack-entropy.sh
+ * This should be used in the syscall entry path after user registers have been
+ * stored to the stack. Preemption may be enabled. For testing the resulting
+ * entropy, please see: tools/testing/selftests/lkdtm/stack-entropy.sh
  */
 #define add_random_kstack_offset() do {					\
 	if (static_branch_maybe(CONFIG_RANDOMIZE_KSTACK_OFFSET_DEFAULT,	\
 				&randomize_kstack_offset)) {		\
-		u32 offset = raw_cpu_read(kstack_offset);		\
+		u32 offset = get_kstack_offset();			\
 		u8 *ptr = __kstack_alloca(KSTACK_OFFSET_MAX(offset));	\
 		/* Keep allocation even after "ptr" loses scope. */	\
 		asm volatile("" :: "r"(ptr) : "memory");		\
 	}								\
 } while (0)
 
-/**
- * choose_random_kstack_offset - Choose the random offset for the next
- *				 add_random_kstack_offset()
- *
- * This should only be used during syscall exit when interrupts and
- * preempt are disabled. This position in the syscall flow is done to
- * frustrate attacks from userspace attempting to learn the next offset:
- * - Maximize the timing uncertainty visible from userspace: if the
- *   offset is chosen at syscall entry, userspace has much more control
- *   over the timing between choosing offsets. "How long will we be in
- *   kernel mode?" tends to be more difficult to predict than "how long
- *   will we be in user mode?"
- * - Reduce the lifetime of the new offset sitting in memory during
- *   kernel mode execution. Exposure of "thread-local" memory content
- *   (e.g. current, percpu, etc) tends to be easier than arbitrary
- *   location memory exposure.
- */
-#define choose_random_kstack_offset(rand) do {				\
-	if (static_branch_maybe(CONFIG_RANDOMIZE_KSTACK_OFFSET_DEFAULT,	\
-				&randomize_kstack_offset)) {		\
-		u32 offset = raw_cpu_read(kstack_offset);		\
-		offset = ror32(offset, 5) ^ (rand);			\
-		raw_cpu_write(kstack_offset, offset);			\
-	}								\
-} while (0)
 #else /* CONFIG_RANDOMIZE_KSTACK_OFFSET */
 #define add_random_kstack_offset()		do { } while (0)
-#define choose_random_kstack_offset(rand)	do { } while (0)
 #endif /* CONFIG_RANDOMIZE_KSTACK_OFFSET */
 
 #endif
diff --git a/init/main.c b/init/main.c
@@ -833,7 +833,14 @@ static inline void initcall_debug_enable(void)
 #ifdef CONFIG_RANDOMIZE_KSTACK_OFFSET
 DEFINE_STATIC_KEY_MAYBE_RO(CONFIG_RANDOMIZE_KSTACK_OFFSET_DEFAULT,
 			   randomize_kstack_offset);
-DEFINE_PER_CPU(u32, kstack_offset);
+DEFINE_PER_CPU(struct rnd_state, kstack_rnd_state);
+
+static int __init random_kstack_init(void)
+{
+	prandom_seed_full_state(&kstack_rnd_state);
+	return 0;
+}
+late_initcall(random_kstack_init);
 
 static int __init early_randomize_kstack_offset(char *buf)
 {

diff --git a/kernel/fork.c b/kernel/fork.c
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@
 #include <linux/thread_info.h>
 #include <linux/kstack_erase.h>
 #include <linux/kasan.h>
+#include <linux/randomize_kstack.h>
 #include <linux/scs.h>
 #include <linux/io_uring.h>
 #include <linux/io_uring_types.h>