Well, this was tedious... Below is a rather hacky way to achieve this, at least on my platform, as callmodule.c (same Makefile as above can be used). As I cannot believe that this is the way this should be done, more proper answers are still welcome (hopefully, also, with a code example I could test). But at least, it does the job as a kernel module only - without the need to patch the kernel itself - for the 2.6.38 version, which was quite important to me.
Basically, I copied all functions (renamed with a "B" suffix), until the point where the PID is available. Then I use a copy of subprocess_info with an extra field to save it (although that is not strictly necessary: in order not to mess with function signatures in respect to return value, I have to save the pid as a global variable anyway; left it as an exercise). Now, when I run sudo insmod ./callmodule.ko && sudo rmmod callmodule, in /var/log/syslog I get:
Feb 10 18:53:02 mypc kernel: [ 2942.891886] callmodule: > init /path/to/mytest
Feb 10 18:53:02 mypc kernel: [ 2942.891912] callmodule: symbol @ 0xc1065b60 is wait_for_helper+0x0/0xb0
Feb 10 18:53:02 mypc kernel: [ 2942.891923] callmodule: symbol @ 0xc1065ed0 is ____call_usermodehelper+0x0/0x90
Feb 10 18:53:02 mypc kernel: [ 2942.891932] callmodule:a: pid 0
Feb 10 18:53:02 mypc kernel: [ 2942.891937] callmodule:b: pid 0
Feb 10 18:53:02 mypc kernel: [ 2942.893491] callmodule: : pid 23306
Feb 10 18:53:02 mypc kernel: [ 2942.894474] callmodule:c: pid 23306
Feb 10 18:53:02 mypc kernel: [ 2942.894483] callmodule: everything all right; pid 23306
Feb 10 18:53:02 mypc kernel: [ 2942.894494] callmodule: pid task a: ec401940 c: mytest p: [23306] s: runnable
Feb 10 18:53:02 mypc kernel: [ 2942.894502] callmodule: parent task a: f40aa5e0 c: kworker/u:1 p: [14] s: stopped
Feb 10 18:53:02 mypc kernel: [ 2942.894510] callmodule: - mytest [23306]
Feb 10 18:53:02 mypc kernel: [ 2942.918500] callmodule: < exit
One of the nasty problems here, is that once you start copying functions, at a certain time you come to a point, where kernel functions are used which are not exported, like in this case wait_for_helper. What I did was basically look in /proc/kallsyms (remember sudo!) to get absolute addresses for e.g. wait_for_helper, then hardcoded those in the kernel module as function pointers - seems to work. Another problem is that functions in kernel source refer to enum umh_wait, which cannot be used as argument from the module (those need to simply be converted to use int instead).
So the module starts the user-space process, gets the PID (noting that "What the kernel calls PIDs are actually kernel-level thread ids (often called TIDs) ... What's considered a PID in the POSIX sense of "process", on the other hand, is called a "thread group ID" or "TGID" in the kernel."), gets the corresponding task_struct and its parent, and tries to list all children of the parent and of the spawned process itself. So I can see that kworker/u:1 is typically the parent, and it has no other children than mytest - and since mytest is very simple (in my case, just a single write to disk file), it spawns no threads of its own, so it has no children either.
I encountered a couple of Oopses which required a reboot - I think they are solved now, but just in case, caveat emptor.
Here is the callmodule.c code (with some notes/links at end):
// callmodule.c with pid, url: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/21668727/
#include <linux/module.h>
#include <linux/slab.h> //kzalloc
#include <linux/syscalls.h> // SIGCHLD, ... sys_wait4, ...
#include <linux/kallsyms.h> // kallsyms_lookup, print_symbol
// global variable - to avoid intervening too much in the return of call_usermodehelperB:
static int callmodule_pid;
// >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
// modified kernel functions - taken from
// http://lxr.missinglinkelectronics.com/linux+v2.6.38/+save=include/linux/kmod.h
// http://lxr.linux.no/linux+v2.6.38/+save=kernel/kmod.c
// define a modified struct (with extra pid field) here:
struct subprocess_infoB {
struct work_struct work;
struct completion *complete;
char *path;
char **argv;
char **envp;
int wait; //enum umh_wait wait;
int retval;
int (*init)(struct subprocess_info *info);
void (*cleanup)(struct subprocess_info *info);
void *data;
pid_t pid;
};
// forward declare:
struct subprocess_infoB *call_usermodehelper_setupB(char *path, char **argv,
char **envp, gfp_t gfp_mask);
static inline int
call_usermodehelper_fnsB(char *path, char **argv, char **envp,
int wait, //enum umh_wait wait,
int (*init)(struct subprocess_info *info),
void (*cleanup)(struct subprocess_info *), void *data)
{
struct subprocess_info *info;
struct subprocess_infoB *infoB;
gfp_t gfp_mask = (wait == UMH_NO_WAIT) ? GFP_ATOMIC : GFP_KERNEL;
int ret;
populate_rootfs_wait(); // is in linux-headers-2.6.38-16-generic/include/linux/kmod.h
infoB = call_usermodehelper_setupB(path, argv, envp, gfp_mask);
printk(KBUILD_MODNAME ":a: pid %d\n", infoB->pid);
info = (struct subprocess_info *) infoB;
if (info == NULL)
return -ENOMEM;
call_usermodehelper_setfns(info, init, cleanup, data);
printk(KBUILD_MODNAME ":b: pid %d\n", infoB->pid);
// this must be called first, before infoB->pid is populated (by __call_usermodehelperB):
ret = call_usermodehelper_exec(info, wait);
// assign global pid here, so rest of the code has it:
callmodule_pid = infoB->pid;
printk(KBUILD_MODNAME ":c: pid %d\n", callmodule_pid);
return ret;
}
static inline int
call_usermodehelperB(char *path, char **argv, char **envp, int wait) //enum umh_wait wait)
{
return call_usermodehelper_fnsB(path, argv, envp, wait,
NULL, NULL, NULL);
}
/* This is run by khelper thread */
static void __call_usermodehelperB(struct work_struct *work)
{
struct subprocess_infoB *sub_infoB =
container_of(work, struct subprocess_infoB, work);
int wait = sub_infoB->wait; // enum umh_wait wait = sub_info->wait;
pid_t pid;
struct subprocess_info *sub_info;
// hack - declare function pointers, to use for wait_for_helper/____call_usermodehelper
int (*ptrwait_for_helper)(void *data);
int (*ptr____call_usermodehelper)(void *data);
// assign function pointers to verbatim addresses as obtained from /proc/kallsyms
ptrwait_for_helper = (void *)0xc1065b60;
ptr____call_usermodehelper = (void *)0xc1065ed0;
sub_info = (struct subprocess_info *)sub_infoB;
/* CLONE_VFORK: wait until the usermode helper has execve'd
* successfully We need the data structures to stay around
* until that is done. */
if (wait == UMH_WAIT_PROC)
pid = kernel_thread((*ptrwait_for_helper), sub_info, //(wait_for_helper, sub_info,
CLONE_FS | CLONE_FILES | SIGCHLD);
else
pid = kernel_thread((*ptr____call_usermodehelper), sub_info, //(____call_usermodehelper, sub_info,
CLONE_VFORK | SIGCHLD);
printk(KBUILD_MODNAME ": : pid %d\n", pid);
// grab and save the pid here:
sub_infoB->pid = pid;
switch (wait) {
case UMH_NO_WAIT:
call_usermodehelper_freeinfo(sub_info);
break;
case UMH_WAIT_PROC:
if (pid > 0)
break;
/* FALLTHROUGH */
case UMH_WAIT_EXEC:
if (pid < 0)
sub_info->retval = pid;
complete(sub_info->complete);
}
}
/**
* call_usermodehelper_setup - prepare to call a usermode helper
*/
struct subprocess_infoB *call_usermodehelper_setupB(char *path, char **argv,
char **envp, gfp_t gfp_mask)
{
struct subprocess_infoB *sub_infoB;
sub_infoB = kzalloc(sizeof(struct subprocess_infoB), gfp_mask);
if (!sub_infoB)
goto out;
INIT_WORK(&sub_infoB->work, __call_usermodehelperB);
sub_infoB->path = path;
sub_infoB->argv = argv;
sub_infoB->envp = envp;
out:
return sub_infoB;
}
// <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
static int __init callmodule_init(void)
{
int ret = 0;
char userprog[] = "/path/to/mytest";
char *argv[] = {userprog, "2", NULL };
char *envp[] = {"HOME=/", "PATH=/sbin:/usr/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin", NULL };
struct task_struct *p;
struct task_struct *par;
struct task_struct *pc;
struct list_head *children_list_head;
struct list_head *cchildren_list_head;
char *state_str;
printk(KBUILD_MODNAME ": > init %s\n", userprog);
/* last parameter: 1 -> wait until execution has finished, 0 go ahead without waiting*/
/* returns 0 if usermode process was started successfully, errorvalue otherwise*/
/* no possiblity to get return value of usermode process*/
// note - only one argument allowed for print_symbol
print_symbol(KBUILD_MODNAME ": symbol @ 0xc1065b60 is %s\n", 0xc1065b60); // shows wait_for_helper+0x0/0xb0
print_symbol(KBUILD_MODNAME ": symbol @ 0xc1065ed0 is %s\n", 0xc1065ed0); // shows ____call_usermodehelper+0x0/0x90
ret = call_usermodehelperB(userprog, argv, envp, UMH_WAIT_EXEC);
if (ret != 0)
printk(KBUILD_MODNAME ": error in call to usermodehelper: %i\n", ret);
else
printk(KBUILD_MODNAME ": everything all right; pid %d\n", callmodule_pid);
// find the task:
// note: sometimes p may end up being NULL here, causing kernel oops -
// just exit prematurely in that case
rcu_read_lock();
p = pid_task(find_vpid(callmodule_pid), PIDTYPE_PID);
rcu_read_unlock();
if (p == NULL) {
printk(KBUILD_MODNAME ": p is NULL - exiting\n");
return 0;
}
// p->comm should be the command/program name (as per userprog)
// (out here that task is typically in runnable state)
state_str = (p->state==-1)?"unrunnable":((p->state==0)?"runnable":"stopped");
printk(KBUILD_MODNAME ": pid task a: %p c: %s p: [%d] s: %s\n",
p, p->comm, p->pid, state_str);
// find parent task:
// parent task could typically be: c: kworker/u:1 p: [14] s: stopped
par = p->parent;
if (par == NULL) {
printk(KBUILD_MODNAME ": par is NULL - exiting\n");
return 0;
}
state_str = (par->state==-1)?"unrunnable":((par->state==0)?"runnable":"stopped");
printk(KBUILD_MODNAME ": parent task a: %p c: %s p: [%d] s: %s\n",
par, par->comm, par->pid, state_str);
// iterate through parent's (and our task's) child processes:
rcu_read_lock(); // read_lock(&tasklist_lock);
list_for_each(children_list_head, &par->children){
p = list_entry(children_list_head, struct task_struct, sibling);
printk(KBUILD_MODNAME ": - %s [%d] \n", p->comm, p->pid);
// note: trying to print "%p",p here results with oops/segfault:
// printk(KBUILD_MODNAME ": - %s [%d] %p\n", p->comm, p->pid, p);
if (p->pid == callmodule_pid) {
list_for_each(cchildren_list_head, &p->children){
pc = list_entry(cchildren_list_head, struct task_struct, sibling);
printk(KBUILD_MODNAME ": - - %s [%d] \n", pc->comm, pc->pid);
}
}
}
rcu_read_unlock(); //~ read_unlock(&tasklist_lock);
return 0;
}
static void __exit callmodule_exit(void)
{
printk(KBUILD_MODNAME ": < exit\n");
}
module_init(callmodule_init);
module_exit(callmodule_exit);
MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");
/*
NOTES:
// assign function pointers to verbatim addresses as obtained from /proc/kallsyms:
// ( cast to void* to avoid "warning: assignment makes pointer from integer without a cast",
// see also https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3941793/what-is-guaranteed-about-the-size-of-a-function-pointer )
// $ sudo grep 'wait_for_helper\|____call_usermodehelper' /proc/kallsyms
// c1065b60 t wait_for_helper
// c1065ed0 t ____call_usermodehelper
// protos:
// static int wait_for_helper(void *data)
// static int ____call_usermodehelper(void *data)
// see also:
// http://www.linuxforu.com/2012/02/function-pointers-and-callbacks-in-c-an-odyssey/
// from include/linux/kmod.h:
//~ enum umh_wait {
//~ UMH_NO_WAIT = -1, /* don't wait at all * /
//~ UMH_WAIT_EXEC = 0, /* wait for the exec, but not the process * /
//~ UMH_WAIT_PROC = 1, /* wait for the process to complete * /
//~ };
// however, note:
// /usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.38-16-generic/include/linux/kmod.h:
// #define UMH_NO_WAIT 0 ; UMH_WAIT_EXEC 1 ; UMH_WAIT_PROC 2 ; UMH_KILLABLE 4 !
// those defines end up here, regardless of the enum definition above
// (NB: 0,1,2,4 enumeration starts from kmod.h?v=3.4 on lxr.free-electrons.com !)
// also, note, in "generic" include/, prototypes of call_usermodehelper(_fns)
// use int wait, and not enum umh_wait wait ...
// seems these cannot be used from a module, nonetheless:
//~ extern int wait_for_helper(void *data);
//~ extern int ____call_usermodehelper(void *data);
// we probably would have to (via http://www.linuxconsulting.ro/pidwatcher/)
// edit /usr/src/linux/kernel/ksyms.c and add:
//EXPORT_SYMBOL(wait_for_helper);
// but that is kernel re-compilation...
// https://stackoverflow.com/questions/19360298/triggering-user-space-with-kernel
// You should not be using PIDs to identify processes within the kernel. The process can exit and a different process re-use that PID. Instead, you should be using a pointer to the task_struct for the process (rather than storing current->pid at registration time, just store current)
# reports task name from the pid (pid_task(find_get_pid(..)):
http://tuxthink.blogspot.dk/2012/07/module-to-find-task-from-its-pid.html
// find the task:
//~ rcu_read_lock();
// uprobes uses this - but find_task_by_pid is not exported for modules:
//~ p = find_task_by_pid(callmodule_pid);
//~ if (p)
//~ get_task_struct(p);
//~ rcu_read_unlock();
// see: [http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/linux/kernel/1260996 find_task_by_pid() problem | Linux | Kernel]
// https://stackoverflow.com/questions/18408766/make-a-system-call-to-get-list-of-processes
// this macro loops through *all* processes; our callmodule_pid should be listed by it
//~ for_each_process(p)
//~ pr_info("%s [%d]\n", p->comm, p->pid);
// [https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2008/05/msg00034.html Re: problems for making kernel module]
// note - WARNING: "tasklist_lock" ... undefined; because tasklist_lock removed in 2.6.1*:
// "tasklist_lock protects the kernel internal task list. Modules have no business looking at it";
// https://stackoverflow.com/questions/13002444/list-all-threads-within-the-current-process
// "all methods that loop over the task lists need to be wrapped in rcu_read_lock(); / rcu_read_unlock(); to be correct."
// https://stackoverflow.com/questions/19208487/kernel-module-that-iterates-over-all-tasks-using-depth-first-tree
// https://stackoverflow.com/questions/5728592/how-can-i-get-the-children-process-list-in-kernel-code
// https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1446239/traversing-task-struct-children-in-linux-kernel
// https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8207160/kernel-how-to-iterate-the-children-of-the-current-process
// https://stackoverflow.com/questions/10262017/linux-kernel-list-list-head-init-vs-init-list-head
// https://stackoverflow.com/questions/16230524/explain-list-for-each-entry-and-list-for-each-entry-safe "list_entry is just an alias for container_of"
*/
