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authorEduard Zingerman <eddyz87@gmail.com>2026-09-04 17:05:56 -0700
committerAlexei Starovoitov <ast@kernel.org>2026-09-04 18:17:30 -0700
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bpf: mark a NULL kfunc argument precisegrafted
check_kfunc_arg() allows bpf_register_is_null() for nullable arguments w/o marking the underlying scalar register precise. Hence a checkpoint created on such a path would prune against arbitrary scalar value. Fixes: 3bda08b63670 ("bpf: Allow NULL buffers in bpf_dynptr_slice(_rw)") Signed-off-by: Eduard Zingerman <eddyz87@gmail.com> Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/20260904-register-is-null-precise-fixes-v1-5-0f5a360ff15d@gmail.com Signed-off-by: Alexei Starovoitov <ast@kernel.org>
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+============
+Introduction
+============
+
+The firmware API enables kernel code to request files required
+for functionality from userspace, the uses vary:
+
+* Microcode for CPU errata
+* Device driver firmware, required to be loaded onto device
+ microcontrollers
+* Device driver information data (calibration data, EEPROM overrides),
+ some of which can be completely optional.
+
+Types of firmware requests
+==========================
+
+There are two types of calls:
+
+* Synchronous
+* Asynchronous
+
+Which one you use vary depending on your requirements, the rule of thumb
+however is you should strive to use the asynchronous APIs unless you also
+are already using asynchronous initialization mechanisms which will not
+stall or delay boot. Even if loading firmware does not take a lot of time
+processing firmware might, and this can still delay boot or initialization,
+as such mechanisms such as asynchronous probe can help supplement drivers.