| From: |
| Andy Roulin <aroulin-AT-nvidia.com> |
| To: |
| netdev-AT-vger.kernel.org |
| Subject: |
| [PATCH net-next v2 0/3] net: bridge: add stp_mode attribute for STP mode selection |
| Date: |
| Sat, 28 Mar 2026 19:58:55 -0700 |
| Message-ID: |
| <20260329025858.330620-1-aroulin@nvidia.com> |
| Cc: |
| bridge-AT-lists.linux.dev, Nikolay Aleksandrov <razor-AT-blackwall.org>, Ido Schimmel <idosch-AT-nvidia.com>, Andrew Lunn <andrew+netdev-AT-lunn.ch>, "David S . Miller" <davem-AT-davemloft.net>, Eric Dumazet <edumazet-AT-google.com>, Jakub Kicinski <kuba-AT-kernel.org>, Paolo Abeni <pabeni-AT-redhat.com>, Simon Horman <horms-AT-kernel.org>, Jonathan Corbet <corbet-AT-lwn.net>, Shuah Khan <shuah-AT-kernel.org>, Petr Machata <petrm-AT-nvidia.com>, Donald Hunter <donald.hunter-AT-gmail.com>, Jonas Gorski <jonas.gorski-AT-gmail.com>, linux-doc-AT-vger.kernel.org, linux-kselftest-AT-vger.kernel.org, linux-kernel-AT-vger.kernel.org, Andy Roulin <aroulin-AT-nvidia.com> |
| Archive-link: |
| Article |
The bridge-stp usermode helper is currently restricted to the initial
network namespace, preventing userspace STP daemons like mstpd from
operating on bridges in other namespaces. Since commit ff62198553e4
("bridge: Only call /sbin/bridge-stp for the initial network
namespace"), bridges in non-init namespaces silently fall back to
kernel STP with no way to request userspace STP.
This series adds a new IFLA_BR_STP_MODE bridge attribute that allows
explicit per-bridge control over STP mode selection. Three modes are
supported:
- auto (default): existing behavior, try /sbin/bridge-stp in
init_net, fall back to kernel STP otherwise
- user: directly enable BR_USER_STP without invoking the helper,
works in any network namespace
- kernel: directly enable BR_KERNEL_STP without invoking the helper
The user and kernel modes bypass call_usermodehelper() entirely,
addressing the security concerns discussed at [1]. Userspace is
responsible for ensuring an STP daemon manages the bridge, rather
than relying on the kernel to invoke /sbin/bridge-stp.
Patch 1 adds the kernel support. The mode can only be changed while
STP is disabled and is processed before IFLA_BR_STP_STATE in
br_changelink() so both can be set atomically in a single netlink
message.
Patch 2 adds documentation for the new attribute in the bridge docs.
Patch 3 adds a selftest with 9 test cases. The test requires iproute2
with IFLA_BR_STP_MODE support and can be run with virtme-ng:
vng --run arch/x86/boot/bzImage --skip-modules \
--overlay-rwdir /sbin --overlay-rwdir /tmp --overlay-rwdir /bin \
--exec 'cp /path/to/iproute2-next/ip/ip /bin/ip && \
cd tools/testing/selftests/net && \
bash bridge_stp_mode.sh'
iproute2 support can be found here [2].
[1] https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/565B7F7D.80208@nod.at/
[2] https://github.com/aroulin/iproute2-next/tree/bridge-stp-...
v2:
Patch #1:
* Add rt-link.yaml netlink spec update.
* Allow idempotent stp_mode set while STP is active.
* Move stp_mode next to root_port to fill a struct
hole.
* Rephrase BR_STP_MODE_USER doc.
Patch #3:
* Fix shellcheck CI: add SC2329 suppression.
* Add idempotent stp_mode test.
Suggested-by: Ido Schimmel <idosch@nvidia.com>
Signed-off-by: Andy Roulin <aroulin@nvidia.com>
Andy Roulin (3):
net: bridge: add stp_mode attribute for STP mode selection
docs: net: bridge: document stp_mode attribute
selftests: net: add bridge STP mode selection test
Documentation/netlink/specs/rt-link.yaml | 11 +
Documentation/networking/bridge.rst | 22 ++
include/uapi/linux/if_link.h | 39 +++
net/bridge/br_device.c | 1 +
net/bridge/br_netlink.c | 18 +-
net/bridge/br_private.h | 1 +
net/bridge/br_stp_if.c | 17 +-
tools/testing/selftests/net/Makefile | 1 +
.../testing/selftests/net/bridge_stp_mode.sh | 281 ++++++++++++++++++
9 files changed, 383 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)
create mode 100755 tools/testing/selftests/net/bridge_stp_mode.sh
--
2.43.0
