Creating an image that requires format probing of the backing image is
potentially unsafe (we've had several CVEs over the years based on
probes leaking information to the guest on a subsequent boot, although
these days tools like libvirt are aware of the issue enough to prevent
the worst effects). For example, if our probing algorithm ever
changes, or if other tools like libvirt determine a different probe
result than we do, then subsequent use of that backing file under a
different format will present corrupted data to the guest.
Fortunately, the worst effects occur only when the backing image is
originally raw, and we at least prevent commit into a probed raw
backing file that would change its probed type.
Still, it is worth starting a deprecation clock so that future
qemu-img can refuse to create backing chains that would rely on
probing, to encourage clients to avoid unsafe practices. Most
warnings are intentionally emitted from bdrv_img_create() in the block
layer, but qemu-img convert uses bdrv_create() which cannot emit its
own warning without causing spurious warnings on other code paths. In
the end, all command-line image creation or backing file rewriting now
performs a check.
Furthermore, if we probe a backing file as non-raw, then it is safe to
explicitly record that result (rather than relying on future probes);
only where we probe a raw image do we care about further warnings to
the user when using such an image (for example, commits into a
probed-raw backing file are prevented), to help them improve their
tooling. But whether or not we make the probe results explicit, we
still warn the user to remind them to upgrade their workflow to supply
-F always.
iotest 114 specifically wants to create an unsafe image for later
amendment rather than defaulting to our new default of recording a
probed format, so it needs an update. While touching it, expand it to
cover all of the various warnings enabled by this patch. iotest 301
also shows a change to qcow messages.
Signed-off-by: Eric Blake <eblake@redhat.com>
Message-Id: <20200706203954.341758-11-eblake@redhat.com>
Signed-off-by: Kevin Wolf <kwolf@redhat.com>
Back in commit 6e6e55f5 (Jul 2017, v2.10), we tweaked the code to warn
if the backing file could not be opened but the user gave a size,
unless the user also passes the -u option to bypass the open of the
backing file. As one common reason for failure to open the backing
file is when there is mismatch in the requested backing format in
relation to what the backing file actually contains, we actually want
to open the backing file and ensure that it has the right format in as
many cases as possible. iotest 301 for qcow demonstrates how
detecting explicit format mismatch is useful to prevent the creation
of an image that would probe differently than the user requested. Now
is the time to finally turn the warning an error, as promised.
Note that the original warning was added prior to our documentation of
an official deprecation policy (eb22aeca, also Jul 2017), and because
the warning didn't mention the word "deprecated", we never actually
remembered to document it as such. But the warning has been around
long enough that I don't see prolonging it another two releases.
Signed-off-by: Eric Blake <eblake@redhat.com>
Message-Id: <20200706203954.341758-7-eblake@redhat.com>
Signed-off-by: Kevin Wolf <kwolf@redhat.com>
qcow has no space in the metadata to store a backing format, and there
are existing qcow images backed both by raw or by other formats
(usually qcow) images, reliant on probing to tell the difference. On
the bright side, because we probe every time, raw files are marked as
probed and we thus forbid a commit action into the backing file where
guest-controlled contents could change the result of the probe next
time around (the iotest added here proves that).
Still, allowing the user to specify the backing format during
creation, even if we can't record it, is a good thing. This patch
blindly allows any value that resolves to a known driver, even if the
user's request is a mismatch from what probing finds; then the next
patch will further enhance things to verify that the user's request
matches what we actually probe. With this and the next patch in
place, we will finally be ready to deprecate the creation of images
where a backing format was not explicitly specified by the user.
Note that this is only for QemuOpts usage; there is no change to the
QAPI to allow a format through -blockdev.
Add a new iotest 301 just for qcow, to demonstrate the latest
behavior, and to make it easier to show the improvements made in the
next patch.
Signed-off-by: Eric Blake <eblake@redhat.com>
Message-Id: <20200706203954.341758-6-eblake@redhat.com>
Signed-off-by: Kevin Wolf <kwolf@redhat.com>
