module: add config option MODULE_ALLOW_MISSING_NAMESPACE_IMPORTS

If MODULE_ALLOW_MISSING_NAMESPACE_IMPORTS is enabled (default=n), the
requirement for modules to import all namespaces that are used by
the module is relaxed.

Enabling this option effectively allows (invalid) modules to be loaded
while only a warning is emitted.

Disabling this option keeps the enforcement at module loading time and
loading is denied if the module's imports are not satisfactory.

Reviewed-by: Martijn Coenen <[e-mail]>
Reviewed-by: Greg Kroah-Hartman <[e-mail]>
Signed-off-by: Matthias Maennich <[e-mail]>
Signed-off-by: Jessica Yu <[e-mail]>

init/Kconfig

···
 
 endchoice
 
+config MODULE_ALLOW_MISSING_NAMESPACE_IMPORTS
+	bool "Allow loading of modules with missing namespace imports"
+	help
+	  Symbols exported with EXPORT_SYMBOL_NS*() are considered exported in
+	  a namespace. A module that makes use of a symbol exported with such a
+	  namespace is required to import the namespace via MODULE_IMPORT_NS().
+	  There is no technical reason to enforce correct namespace imports,
+	  but it creates consistency between symbols defining namespaces and
+	  users importing namespaces they make use of. This option relaxes this
+	  requirement and lifts the enforcement when loading a module.
+
+	  If unsure, say N.
+
 config TRIM_UNUSED_KSYMS
 	bool "Trim unused exported kernel symbols"
 	depends on MODULES && !UNUSED_SYMBOLS

kernel/module.c

···
 			imported_namespace = get_next_modinfo(
 				info, "import_ns", imported_namespace);
 		}
-		pr_err("%s: module uses symbol (%s) from namespace %s, but does not import it.\n",
-		       mod->name, kernel_symbol_name(sym), namespace);
+#ifdef CONFIG_MODULE_ALLOW_MISSING_NAMESPACE_IMPORTS
+		pr_warn(
+#else
+		pr_err(
+#endif
+			"%s: module uses symbol (%s) from namespace %s, but does not import it.\n",
+			mod->name, kernel_symbol_name(sym), namespace);
+#ifndef CONFIG_MODULE_ALLOW_MISSING_NAMESPACE_IMPORTS
 		return -EINVAL;
+#endif
 	}
 	return 0;
 }