1 files changed, 68 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/arm64/tagged-pointers.rst b/Documentation/arm64/tagged-pointers.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..2acdec3ebbeb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/arm64/tagged-pointers.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+=========================================
+Tagged virtual addresses in AArch64 Linux
+=========================================
+
+Author: Will Deacon <will.deacon@arm.com>
+
+Date  : 12 June 2013
+
+This document briefly describes the provision of tagged virtual
+addresses in the AArch64 translation system and their potential uses
+in AArch64 Linux.
+
+The kernel configures the translation tables so that translations made
+via TTBR0 (i.e. userspace mappings) have the top byte (bits 63:56) of
+the virtual address ignored by the translation hardware. This frees up
+this byte for application use.
+
+
+Passing tagged addresses to the kernel
+--------------------------------------
+
+All interpretation of userspace memory addresses by the kernel assumes
+an address tag of 0x00.
+
+This includes, but is not limited to, addresses found in:
+
+ - pointer arguments to system calls, including pointers in structures
+   passed to system calls,
+
+ - the stack pointer (sp), e.g. when interpreting it to deliver a
+   signal,
+
+ - the frame pointer (x29) and frame records, e.g. when interpreting
+   them to generate a backtrace or call graph.
+
+Using non-zero address tags in any of these locations may result in an
+error code being returned, a (fatal) signal being raised, or other modes
+of failure.
+
+For these reasons, passing non-zero address tags to the kernel via
+system calls is forbidden, and using a non-zero address tag for sp is
+strongly discouraged.
+
+Programs maintaining a frame pointer and frame records that use non-zero
+address tags may suffer impaired or inaccurate debug and profiling
+visibility.
+
+
+Preserving tags
+---------------
+
+Non-zero tags are not preserved when delivering signals. This means that
+signal handlers in applications making use of tags cannot rely on the
+tag information for user virtual addresses being maintained for fields
+inside siginfo_t. One exception to this rule is for signals raised in
+response to watchpoint debug exceptions, where the tag information will
+be preserved.
+
+The architecture prevents the use of a tagged PC, so the upper byte will
+be set to a sign-extension of bit 55 on exception return.
+
+
+Other considerations
+--------------------
+
+Special care should be taken when using tagged pointers, since it is
+likely that C compilers will not hazard two virtual addresses differing
+only in the upper byte.