test_265_config_retpoline in kernel_security_test failed on 3.13 Precise

[Po-Hsu Lin]

== Justification ==
In the Precise 3.13 kernel, the CONFIG_RETPOLINE was set to y in commit eae992be4, which should be disabled to meet the security team's requirement.

======================================================================
 FAIL: test_265_config_retpoline (__main__.KernelSecurityConfigTest)
 Ensure retpoline configuration option is set
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Traceback (most recent call last):
 File "./test-kernel-security.py", line 2445, in test_265_config_retpoline
 self.assertKernelConfig('RETPOLINE', expected)
 File "./test-kernel-security.py", line 209, in assertKernelConfig
 self.assertKernelConfigUnset(name)
 File "./test-kernel-security.py", line 200, in assertKernelConfigUnset
 '%s option was expected to be unset in the kernel config' % name)
 AssertionError: RETPOLINE option was expected to be unset in the kernel config

In this test case, this config was expected to be NOT set:
    elif self.lsb_release['Release'] == 12.04:
        self._skipped("RETPOLINE compiler not in precise")
        expected = False
    self.assertKernelConfig('RETPOLINE', expected)

== Fix ==
[Precise/lts-backport-trusty][SRU][PATCHv2] Revert "UBUNTU: [Config] CONFIG_RETPOLINE=y"

== Test ==
The test_265_config_retpoline will pass after disabling CONFIG_RETPOLINE

== Regression Potential ==
Minimal.
No code changes, just a config changes.

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. While running an Ubuntu kernel (not a mainline or third-party kernel) please enter the following command in a terminal window:

apport-collect 1786894

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

[Po-Hsu Lin (cypressyew)]

Put this on hold, asking juergh about the recent change for the spectre/meltdown mitigations

[Juerg Haefliger (juergh)]

I talked to the security team. There is no reason to check for CONFIG_RETPOLINE != 'y' in Precise. CONFIG_RETPOLINE should always be set to 'y', even if the toolchain doesn't support it. There are minimal mitigations that we get even without toolchain support but for that we need CONFIG_RETPOLINE enabled.

[Po-Hsu Lin (cypressyew)]

Hi Juerg,
Thanks for the feedback, so I think this should be fixed in the qa-regression-testing test suite now.

[Steve Beattie (sbeattie)]

Sorry for the delay in addressing this, I've fixed up QRT to expect CONFIG_RETPOLINE for 3.13 kernels on precise, and not fail if earlier kernels have it enabled where we don't expect it. https://git.launchpad.net/qa-regression-testing/commit/?id=e01c4c81828765b3c66870cf4567cd83705b7b0f and https://git.launchpad.net/qa-regression-testing/commit/?id=aa614248beb08d904efb5b3a0f0773525a85c6cb .

Thanks.

[Po-Hsu Lin (cypressyew)]

I can confirm that this issue has no longer exist on P-3.13
Thank you Steve.