On Thu, Jul 24, 2025 at 08:52 AM -07, Martin KaFai Lau wrote: > On 7/24/25 4:53 AM, Jakub Sitnicki wrote: >> In this series we maintain the status quo. Access metadata dynptr is >> limited to TC BPF hook only, so we provide the same guarntees as the >> existing __sk_buff->data_meta. > > The verifier tracks if the __sk_buff->data_meta is written in > "seen_direct_write". tc_cls_act_prologue is called and that should have > triggered skb_metadata_clear for a clone skb. Meaning, for a clone skb, I think > __sk_buff->data_meta is read-only. > > bpf_dynptr_from_skb_meta can set the DYNPTR_RDONLY_BIT if the skb is a clone. Oh that it clever. TIL. So if we end up calling: tc_cls_act_prologue bpf_skb_pull_data bpf_try_make_writable(skb, skb_headlen(skb)) __bpf_try_make_writable skb_ensure_writable pskb_expand_head skb_metadata_clear skb_metadata_set(skb, 0) skb_shinfo(skb)->meta_len = 0; ... then the metadata is not so much read-only but inaccessible for the clone. The dynptr will reflect this state, so all seems right. Let me see if I can capture that in a test, though. BTW. I've wondered why pskb_expand_head doesn't just copy the metadata, but left dealing with it till the next step. If it did, we could just operate on a copy.