Intel Architecture Software Developer's Manual Vol.2 B, I determined that following opcodes are not boostable. - 0FH (2byte escape) - 70H - 7FH (Jump on condition) - 9AH (Call) and 9CH (Pushf) - C0H-C1H (Grp 2: includes reserved opcode) - C6H-C7H (Grp11: includes reserved opcode) - CCH-CEH (Software-interrupt) - D0H-D3H (Grp2: includes reserved opcode) - D6H (Reserved) - D8H-DFH (Coprocessor) - E0H-E3H (loop/conditional jump) - E8H (Call) - F0H-F3H (Prefixes and reserved) - F4H (Halt) - F6H-F7H (Grp3: includes reserved opcode) - FEH-FFH(Grp4,5: includes reserved opcode) Kprobe-booster checks whether target instruction can be boosted (can be executed directly) at arch_copy_kprobe() function. If the target instruction can be boosted, it clears "boostable" flag. If not, it sets "boostable" flag -1. This is disabled status. In resume_execution() function, If "boostable" flag is cleared, kprobe-booster measures the size of the target instruction and sets "boostable" flag 1. In kprobe_handler(), kprobe checks the "boostable" flag. If the flag is 1, it resets current kprobe and executes instruction buffer directly instead of single stepping. When unregistering a boosted kprobe, it calls synchronize_sched() after "int3" is removed. So we can ensure followings after the synchronize_sched() called. - interrupt handlers are finished on all CPUs. - instruction buffer is not executed on all CPUs. And we can release the boosted kprobe safely. And also, on preemptible kernel, the booster is not enabled where the kernel preemption is enabled. So, there are no preempted threads on the instruction buffer. The description of kretprobe-booster: ==================================== In the normal operation, kretprobe make a target function return to trampoline code. And a kprobe (called trampoline_probe) have been inserted at the trampoline code. When the kernel hits this kprobe, it calls kretprobe's handler and it returns to original return address. Kretprobe-booster patch removes the trampoline_probe. It allows the tram