Linux Kernel Debugging: Leverage proven tools and advanced techniques to effectively debug Linux kernels and kernel modules
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Packt Publishing
The Linux kernel is at the very core of arguably the world's best production-quality OS. Debugging it, though, can be a complex endeavor.
Linux Kernel Debugging is a comprehensive guide to learning all about advanced kernel debugging. This book covers many areas in-depth, such as instrumentation-based debugging techniques (printk and the dynamic debug framework), and shows you how to use Kprobes. Memory-related bugs tend to be a nightmare two chapters are packed with tools and techniques devoted to debugging them. When the kernel gifts you an Oops, how exactly do you interpret it to be able to debug the underlying issue? We've got you covered. Concurrency tends to be an inherently complex topic, so a chapter on lock debugging will help you to learn precisely what data races are, including using KCSAN to detect them. Some thorny issues, both debug- and performance-wise, require detailed kernel-level tracing; you'll learn to wield the impressive power of Ftrace and its frontends. You'll also discover how to handle kernel lockups, hangs, and the dreaded kernel panic, as well as leverage the venerable GDB tool within the kernel (KGDB), along with much more.
By the end of this book, you will have at your disposal a wide range of powerful kernel debugging tools and techniques, along with a keen sense of when to use which.
About the Author
Kaiwan N Billimoria taught himself BASIC programming on his dad's IBM PC back in 1983. He was programming in C and Assembly on DOS until he discovered the joys of Unix, and by around 1997, Linux!
Kaiwan has worked on many aspects of the Linux system programming stack, including Bash scripting, system programming in C, kernel internals, device drivers, and embedded Linux work. He has actively worked on several commercial/FOSS projects. His contributions include drivers to the mainline Linux OS and many smaller projects hosted on GitHub. His Linux passion feeds well into his passion for teaching these topics to engineers, which he has done for well over two decades now. He's also the author of Hands-On System Programming with Linux. It doesn't hurt that he is a recreational ultrarunner too.
- Explore instrumentation-based printk along with the powerful dynamic debug framework
- Use static and dynamic Kprobes to trap into kernel/module functions
- Catch kernel memory defects with KASAN, UBSAN, SLUB debug, and kmemleak
- Interpret an Oops in depth and precisely identify it's source location
- Understand data races and use KCSAN to catch evasive concurrency defects
- Leverage Ftrace and trace-cmd to trace the kernel flow in great detail
- Write a custom kernel panic handler and detect kernel lockups and hangs
- Use KGDB to single-step and debug kernel/module source code
This book is for Linux kernel developers, module/driver authors, and testers interested in debugging and enhancing their Linux systems at the level of the kernel. System administrators who want to understand and debug the internal infrastructure of their Linux kernels will also find this book useful. A good grasp on C programming and the Linux command line is necessary. Some experience with kernel (module) development will help you follow along.
- A General Introduction to Debugging Software
- Approaches to Kernel Debugging
- Debug via Instrumentation printk and Friends
- Debug via Instrumentation Kprobes
- Debugging Kernel Memory Issues Part 1
- Debugging Kernel Memory Issues Part 2
- Oops! Interpreting the Kernel Bug Diagnostic
- Lock Debugging
- Tracing the Kernel Flow
- Kernel Panic, Lockups, and Hangs
- Using Kernel GDB (KGDB)
- A Few More Kernel Debugging Approaches
