[PATCH 1/7] x86: add userspace IBT config option
From: Richard Patel
Date: Sun May 17 2026 - 14:35:53 EST
Adds a X86_USER_IBT Kconfig option and "nouseribt" command-line
option. Default disabled for now.
These prepare for userspace support for IBT (forward-edge control
flow integrity protection).
User IBT works even if kernel IBT is disabled. However, ibt=off
also disables user IBT.
Signed-off-by: Richard Patel <ripatel@xxxxxxx>
---
arch/x86/Kconfig | 17 +++++++++++++++++
arch/x86/include/asm/cpufeatures.h | 1 +
arch/x86/kernel/cet.c | 3 ++-
arch/x86/kernel/cpu/common.c | 14 ++++++++++++--
tools/arch/x86/include/asm/cpufeatures.h | 1 +
5 files changed, 33 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)
diff --git a/arch/x86/Kconfig b/arch/x86/Kconfig
index f3f7cb01d69d..12cc944b63c7 100644
--- a/arch/x86/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/x86/Kconfig
@@ -1901,6 +1901,23 @@ config X86_USER_SHADOW_STACK
If unsure, say N.
+config X86_USER_IBT
+ bool "X86 userspace indirect branch tracking"
+ depends on X86_64
+ select X86_CET
+ help
+ Support Indirect Branch Tracking protection for userspace
+ applications. IBT is a hardware-supported coarse-grained
+ forward-edge Control Flow Integrity protection feature.
+ It enforces that all indirect calls must land on an ENDBR
+ instruction. Applications must be enabled to use it, and old
+ userspace does not get protection "for free". Enables the
+ PR_CFI_BRANCH_LANDING_PADS prctl CFI option.
+
+ CPUs supporting IBT were first released in 2021.
+
+ If unsure, say N.
+
config INTEL_TDX_HOST
bool "Intel Trust Domain Extensions (TDX) host support"
depends on CPU_SUP_INTEL
diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/cpufeatures.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/cpufeatures.h
index 1d506e5d6f46..1825cbf864c0 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/cpufeatures.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/cpufeatures.h
@@ -516,6 +516,7 @@
* and purposes if CLEAR_CPU_BUF_VM is set).
*/
#define X86_FEATURE_X2AVIC_EXT (21*32+20) /* AMD SVM x2AVIC support for 4k vCPUs */
+#define X86_FEATURE_USER_IBT (21*32+21) /* Indirect Branch Tracking for user mode applications */
/*
* BUG word(s)
diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/cet.c b/arch/x86/kernel/cet.c
index 99444409c026..3ccf47e82da1 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/cet.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/cet.c
@@ -149,7 +149,8 @@ __setup("ibt=", ibt_setup);
DEFINE_IDTENTRY_ERRORCODE(exc_control_protection)
{
if (user_mode(regs)) {
- if (cpu_feature_enabled(X86_FEATURE_USER_SHSTK))
+ if (cpu_feature_enabled(X86_FEATURE_USER_SHSTK) ||
+ cpu_feature_enabled(X86_FEATURE_USER_IBT))
do_user_cp_fault(regs, error_code);
else
do_unexpected_cp(regs, error_code);
diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/common.c b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/common.c
index a4268c47f2bc..2839edd92331 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/common.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/common.c
@@ -634,7 +634,7 @@ __noendbr void ibt_restore(u64 save)
static __always_inline void setup_cet(struct cpuinfo_x86 *c)
{
- bool user_shstk, kernel_ibt;
+ bool user_shstk, kernel_ibt, user_ibt;
if (!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_X86_CET))
return;
@@ -642,13 +642,19 @@ static __always_inline void setup_cet(struct cpuinfo_x86 *c)
kernel_ibt = HAS_KERNEL_IBT && cpu_feature_enabled(X86_FEATURE_IBT);
user_shstk = cpu_feature_enabled(X86_FEATURE_SHSTK) &&
IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_X86_USER_SHADOW_STACK);
+ /* User IBT only needs hardware IBT, not kernel-enabled IBT. */
+ user_ibt = cpu_has(c, X86_FEATURE_IBT) &&
+ IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_X86_USER_IBT);
- if (!kernel_ibt && !user_shstk)
+ if (!kernel_ibt && !user_shstk && !user_ibt)
return;
if (user_shstk)
set_cpu_cap(c, X86_FEATURE_USER_SHSTK);
+ if (user_ibt)
+ set_cpu_cap(c, X86_FEATURE_USER_IBT);
+
if (kernel_ibt)
wrmsrq(MSR_IA32_S_CET, CET_ENDBR_EN);
else
@@ -666,6 +672,7 @@ static __always_inline void setup_cet(struct cpuinfo_x86 *c)
__noendbr void cet_disable(void)
{
if (!(cpu_feature_enabled(X86_FEATURE_IBT) ||
+ cpu_feature_enabled(X86_FEATURE_USER_IBT) ||
cpu_feature_enabled(X86_FEATURE_SHSTK)))
return;
@@ -1760,6 +1767,9 @@ static void __init cpu_parse_early_param(void)
if (cmdline_find_option_bool(boot_command_line, "nousershstk"))
setup_clear_cpu_cap(X86_FEATURE_USER_SHSTK);
+ if (cmdline_find_option_bool(boot_command_line, "nouseribt"))
+ setup_clear_cpu_cap(X86_FEATURE_USER_IBT);
+
/* Minimize the gap between FRED is available and available but disabled. */
arglen = cmdline_find_option(boot_command_line, "fred", arg, sizeof(arg));
if (arglen == 3 && !strncmp(arg, "off", 3))
diff --git a/tools/arch/x86/include/asm/cpufeatures.h b/tools/arch/x86/include/asm/cpufeatures.h
index 86d17b195e79..1cf22d27c7a1 100644
--- a/tools/arch/x86/include/asm/cpufeatures.h
+++ b/tools/arch/x86/include/asm/cpufeatures.h
@@ -515,6 +515,7 @@
* and purposes if CLEAR_CPU_BUF_VM is set).
*/
#define X86_FEATURE_X2AVIC_EXT (21*32+20) /* AMD SVM x2AVIC support for 4k vCPUs */
+#define X86_FEATURE_USER_IBT (21*32+21) /* Indirect Branch Tracking for user mode applications */
/*
* BUG word(s)
--
2.47.3