[llvm] [BOLT] Extend Inliner to work on functions with Pointer Autentication (PR #162458)

Gergely Bálint via llvm-commits llvm-commits at lists.llvm.org
Tue Nov 18 02:25:43 PST 2025


https://github.com/bgergely0 updated https://github.com/llvm/llvm-project/pull/162458

>From 1c5251fe030925a51ecdc0db4cc81da2be5abe61 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Gergely Balint <gergely.balint at arm.com>
Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2025 11:17:31 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 1/2] [BOLT] Extend Inliner to work on functions with Pointer
 Autentication

The inliner uses DirectSP to check if a function has instructions that
modify the SP. Exceptions are stack Push and Pop instructions.

We can also allow pointer signing and authentication instructions.

The inliner removes the Return instructions from the inlined functions.
If it is a fused pointer-authentication-and-return (e.g. RETAA), we have
to generate a new authentication instruction in place of the Return.
---
 bolt/include/bolt/Core/MCPlusBuilder.h        |  6 +++
 bolt/lib/Passes/Inliner.cpp                   | 18 ++++++++
 .../Target/AArch64/AArch64MCPlusBuilder.cpp   | 29 ++++++++++++
 bolt/test/AArch64/inline-armv8.3-returns.s    | 45 +++++++++++++++++++
 4 files changed, 98 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 bolt/test/AArch64/inline-armv8.3-returns.s

diff --git a/bolt/include/bolt/Core/MCPlusBuilder.h b/bolt/include/bolt/Core/MCPlusBuilder.h
index 69ae4fb8ddcc9..f543d2e5d79a1 100644
--- a/bolt/include/bolt/Core/MCPlusBuilder.h
+++ b/bolt/include/bolt/Core/MCPlusBuilder.h
@@ -632,6 +632,12 @@ class MCPlusBuilder {
     return false;
   }
 
+  /// Generate the matching pointer authentication instruction from a fused
+  /// pauth-and-return instruction.
+  virtual void createMatchingAuth(const MCInst &AuthAndRet, MCInst &Auth) {
+    llvm_unreachable("not implemented");
+  }
+
   /// Returns the register used as a return address. Returns std::nullopt if
   /// not applicable, such as reading the return address from a system register
   /// or from the stack.
diff --git a/bolt/lib/Passes/Inliner.cpp b/bolt/lib/Passes/Inliner.cpp
index 9b28c7efde5bf..913ff3d554a5b 100644
--- a/bolt/lib/Passes/Inliner.cpp
+++ b/bolt/lib/Passes/Inliner.cpp
@@ -195,6 +195,13 @@ InliningInfo getInliningInfo(const BinaryFunction &BF) {
         if (BC.MIB->isPush(Inst) || BC.MIB->isPop(Inst))
           continue;
 
+        // Pointer signing and authenticatin instructions are used around
+        // Push and Pop. These are also straightforward to handle.
+        if (BC.isAArch64() &&
+            (BC.MIB->isPSignOnLR(Inst) || BC.MIB->isPAuthOnLR(Inst) ||
+             BC.MIB->isPAuthAndRet(Inst)))
+          continue;
+
         DirectSP |= BC.MIB->hasDefOfPhysReg(Inst, SPReg) ||
                     BC.MIB->hasUseOfPhysReg(Inst, SPReg);
       }
@@ -338,6 +345,17 @@ Inliner::inlineCall(BinaryBasicBlock &CallerBB,
                                 BC.Ctx.get());
       }
 
+      // Handling fused authentication and return instructions (Armv8.3-A):
+      // if the Return here is RETA(A|B), we have to keep the authentication
+      // part.
+      // RETAA -> AUTIASP + RET
+      // RETAB -> AUTIBSP + RET
+      if (BC.isAArch64() && BC.MIB->isPAuthAndRet(Inst)) {
+        MCInst Auth;
+        BC.MIB->createMatchingAuth(Inst, Auth);
+        InsertII =
+            std::next(InlinedBB->insertInstruction(InsertII, std::move(Auth)));
+      }
       if (CSIsTailCall || (!MIB.isCall(Inst) && !MIB.isReturn(Inst))) {
         InsertII =
             std::next(InlinedBB->insertInstruction(InsertII, std::move(Inst)));
diff --git a/bolt/lib/Target/AArch64/AArch64MCPlusBuilder.cpp b/bolt/lib/Target/AArch64/AArch64MCPlusBuilder.cpp
index db3989d6b0b5f..38b2ca710c539 100644
--- a/bolt/lib/Target/AArch64/AArch64MCPlusBuilder.cpp
+++ b/bolt/lib/Target/AArch64/AArch64MCPlusBuilder.cpp
@@ -313,6 +313,35 @@ class AArch64MCPlusBuilder : public MCPlusBuilder {
            Inst.getOpcode() == AArch64::RETABSPPCr;
   }
 
+  void createMatchingAuth(const MCInst &AuthAndRet, MCInst &Auth) override {
+    assert(isPAuthAndRet(AuthAndRet) &&
+           "Not a fused pauth-and-return instruction");
+
+    Auth.clear();
+    switch (AuthAndRet.getOpcode()) {
+    case AArch64::RETAA:
+      Auth.setOpcode(AArch64::AUTIASP);
+      break;
+    case AArch64::RETAB:
+      Auth.setOpcode(AArch64::AUTIBSP);
+      break;
+    case AArch64::RETAASPPCi:
+      Auth.setOpcode(AArch64::AUTIASPPCi);
+      break;
+    case AArch64::RETABSPPCi:
+      Auth.setOpcode(AArch64::AUTIBSPPCi);
+      break;
+    case AArch64::RETAASPPCr:
+      Auth.setOpcode(AArch64::AUTIASPPCr);
+      break;
+    case AArch64::RETABSPPCr:
+      Auth.setOpcode(AArch64::AUTIBSPPCr);
+      break;
+    default:
+      llvm_unreachable("Unhandled fused pauth-and-return instruction");
+    }
+  }
+
   std::optional<MCPhysReg> getSignedReg(const MCInst &Inst) const override {
     switch (Inst.getOpcode()) {
     case AArch64::PACIA:
diff --git a/bolt/test/AArch64/inline-armv8.3-returns.s b/bolt/test/AArch64/inline-armv8.3-returns.s
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..055b589476caf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bolt/test/AArch64/inline-armv8.3-returns.s
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+# This test checks that inlining functions with fused pointer-auth-and-return
+# instructions is properly handled by BOLT.
+
+# REQUIRES: system-linux
+
+# RUN: llvm-mc -filetype=obj -triple aarch64-unknown-unknown -mattr=+v8.3a %s -o %t.o
+# RUN: %clang %cflags -O0 %t.o -o %t.exe -Wl,-q
+# RUN: llvm-bolt --inline-all --print-inline  --print-only=_Z3barP1A  \
+# RUN: %t.exe -o %t.bolt  | FileCheck %s
+
+# CHECK: BOLT-INFO: inlined 0 calls at 1 call sites in 2 iteration(s). Change in binary size: 8 bytes.
+# CHECK: Binary Function "_Z3barP1A" after inlining {
+# CHECK-NOT: bl	_Z3fooP1A
+# CHECK: ldr	x8, [x0]
+# CHECK-NEXT: ldr	w0, [x8]
+# CHECK-NEXT: autiasp
+
+	.text
+	.globl	_Z3fooP1A
+	.type	_Z3fooP1A, at function
+_Z3fooP1A:
+    paciasp
+	ldr	x8, [x0]
+	ldr	w0, [x8]
+	retaa
+	.size	_Z3fooP1A, .-_Z3fooP1A
+
+	.globl	_Z3barP1A
+	.type	_Z3barP1A, at function
+_Z3barP1A:
+	stp	x29, x30, [sp, #-16]!
+	mov	x29, sp
+	bl	_Z3fooP1A
+	mul	w0, w0, w0
+	ldp	x29, x30, [sp], #16
+	ret
+	.size	_Z3barP1A, .-_Z3barP1A
+
+	.globl	main
+	.p2align	2
+	.type	main, at function
+main:
+	mov	w0, wzr
+	ret
+	.size	main, .-main

>From 754a053c3de66c2af1fae5f722f70a294b01bf55 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Gergely Balint <gergely.balint at arm.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2025 10:11:46 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 2/2] [BOLT] Fix when inlining into a context with a tailcall

When inlining to a call site with a tailcall, the return in the inlined
block does not get removed. Because of this, we don't have to generate
the matching authentication.
Add test for this case.
---
 bolt/lib/Passes/Inliner.cpp                 |  7 ++--
 bolt/test/AArch64/inline-armv8.3-tailcall.s | 46 +++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 50 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 bolt/test/AArch64/inline-armv8.3-tailcall.s

diff --git a/bolt/lib/Passes/Inliner.cpp b/bolt/lib/Passes/Inliner.cpp
index 913ff3d554a5b..b83946f7b34b5 100644
--- a/bolt/lib/Passes/Inliner.cpp
+++ b/bolt/lib/Passes/Inliner.cpp
@@ -346,11 +346,12 @@ Inliner::inlineCall(BinaryBasicBlock &CallerBB,
       }
 
       // Handling fused authentication and return instructions (Armv8.3-A):
-      // if the Return here is RETA(A|B), we have to keep the authentication
-      // part.
+      // if the Callee does not end in a tailcall, the return will be removed
+      // from the inlined block. If that return is RETA(A|B), we have to keep
+      // the authentication part.
       // RETAA -> AUTIASP + RET
       // RETAB -> AUTIBSP + RET
-      if (BC.isAArch64() && BC.MIB->isPAuthAndRet(Inst)) {
+      if (!CSIsTailCall && BC.isAArch64() && BC.MIB->isPAuthAndRet(Inst)) {
         MCInst Auth;
         BC.MIB->createMatchingAuth(Inst, Auth);
         InsertII =
diff --git a/bolt/test/AArch64/inline-armv8.3-tailcall.s b/bolt/test/AArch64/inline-armv8.3-tailcall.s
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..78e7285fbf101
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bolt/test/AArch64/inline-armv8.3-tailcall.s
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+# This test checks that inlining functions with fused pointer-auth-and-return
+# instructions into a location with a tailcall is properly handled by BOLT.
+# Because _Z3barP1A ends in a tailcall, we don't remove the return instruction
+# from the inlined block. Therefore, we should see a retaa, and not an autiasp.
+
+# REQUIRES: system-linux
+
+# RUN: llvm-mc -filetype=obj -triple aarch64-unknown-unknown -mattr=+v8.3a %s -o %t.o
+# RUN: %clang %cflags -O0 %t.o -o %t.exe -Wl,-q
+# RUN: llvm-bolt --inline-all --print-inline  --print-only=_Z3barP1A  \
+# RUN: %t.exe -o %t.bolt  | FileCheck %s
+
+# CHECK: BOLT-INFO: inlined 0 calls at 1 call sites in 2 iteration(s). Change in binary size: 12 bytes.
+# CHECK: Binary Function "_Z3barP1A" after inlining {
+# CHECK-NOT: bl	_Z3fooP1A
+# CHECK:      mov	x29, sp
+# CHECK-NEXT: paciasp
+# CHECK-NEXT: ldr	x8, [x0]
+# CHECK-NEXT: ldr	w0, [x8]
+# CHECK-NEXT: retaa
+
+	.text
+	.globl	_Z3fooP1A
+	.type	_Z3fooP1A, at function
+_Z3fooP1A:
+    paciasp
+	ldr	x8, [x0]
+	ldr	w0, [x8]
+	retaa
+	.size	_Z3fooP1A, .-_Z3fooP1A
+
+	.globl	_Z3barP1A
+	.type	_Z3barP1A, at function
+_Z3barP1A:
+	stp	x29, x30, [sp, #-16]!
+	mov	x29, sp
+	b _Z3fooP1A // tailcall
+	.size	_Z3barP1A, .-_Z3barP1A
+
+	.globl	main
+	.p2align	2
+	.type	main, at function
+main:
+	mov	w0, wzr
+	ret
+	.size	main, .-main



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