Check attributes under /sys can be read without stucking the system

Author: xanthein

providers/base/bin/check_hardware_attributes.py

@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+#!/bin/env python3
+# This file is part of Checkbox.
+#
+# Copyright 2026 Canonical Ltd.
+#
+# Checkbox is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 3,
+# as published by the Free Software Foundation.
+#
+# Checkbox is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with Checkbox.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+import os
+import multiprocessing
+import sys
+
+
+def try_read_node(path):
+    """
+    Attempts to read a single sysfs attribute.
+    Isolated in a subprocess to protect against D-state hangs.
+    """
+    try:
+        with open(path, "r") as f:
+            # We only need the first byte to trigger the kernel 'show' function
+            f.read(1)
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+
+
+def walk_devices(base_path="/sys/devices", timeout=10.0):
+
+    # We use os.walk but skip non-device directories if necessary
+    failed = 0
+    for root, dirs, files in os.walk(base_path):
+        for name in files:
+            full_path = os.path.join(root, name)
+
+            # Skip known 'noisy' or non-hardware files to be efficient
+            if name in ["uevent", "modalias", "resource"]:
+                continue
+
+            if os.access(full_path, os.R_OK):
+                p = multiprocessing.Process(
+                    target=try_read_node, args=(full_path,)
+                )
+                p.start()
+
+                p.join(timeout)
+
+                if p.is_alive():
+                    failed = 1
+                    print(full_path)
+                    p.terminate()
+                    p.join()
+                # We stay silent on success to highlight the problem areas
+    return failed
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    print(
+        "Scanning /sys/devices for unresponsive attributes (Timeout: 10s)..."
+    )
+    sys.exit(walk_devices())

providers/base/tests/test_check_hardware_attributes.py

@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+# Copyright 2026 Canonical Ltd.
+#
+# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 3,
+# as published by the Free Software Foundation.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+import unittest
+import os
+import time
+from unittest.mock import patch, MagicMock, mock_open
+from check_hardware_attributes import walk_devices, try_read_node
+
+
+class TestSysfsScanner(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    @patch("builtins.open", new_callable=mock_open, read_data="test_data")
+    def test_try_read_node_success(self, mock_file):
+        """Test that try_read_node successfully opens and reads a byte."""
+        try_read_node("/fake/path")
+        mock_file.assert_called_once_with("/fake/path", "r")
+        mock_file().read.assert_called_once_with(1)
+
+    @patch("builtins.open", side_effect=Exception("Read Error"))
+    def test_try_read_node_handles_exception(self, mock_file):
+        """Test that try_read_node catches and suppresses exceptions."""
+        try:
+            try_read_node("/fake/path")
+        except Exception as e:
+            self.fail("try_read_node raised {} unexpectedly!".format(e))
+
+    @patch("os.walk")
+    @patch("os.access")
+    @patch("multiprocessing.Process")
+    def test_walk_devices_skips_noisy_files(
+        self, mock_process, mock_access, mock_walk
+    ):
+        """Verify that uevent, modalias, and resource are ignored."""
+        # Mocking os.walk to return a few files, including an excluded one
+        mock_walk.return_value = [
+            ("/sys/devices", ("dir1",), ("uevent", "valid_node"))
+        ]
+        mock_access.return_value = True
+
+        walk_devices("/sys/devices", timeout=0.1)
+
+        # Ensure Process was only called for 'valid_node', not 'uevent'
+        self.assertEqual(mock_process.call_count, 1)
+        _, args = mock_process.call_args
+        self.assertIn("valid_node", args["args"][0])
+
+    @patch("os.walk")
+    @patch("os.access")
+    @patch("multiprocessing.Process")
+    def test_walk_devices_detects_hang(
+        self, mock_process, mock_access, mock_walk
+    ):
+        """Simulate a subprocess hang and ensure failed status is returned."""
+        mock_walk.return_value = [("/sys/devices", (), ("stuck_node",))]
+        mock_access.return_value = True
+
+        # Create a mock process that appears alive after joining
+        instance = mock_process.return_value
+        instance.is_alive.return_value = True
+
+        # Test walk_devices
+        with patch("builtins.print") as mock_print:
+            result = walk_devices("/sys/devices", timeout=0.1)
+
+            # Verify status is failed (1) and path was printed
+            self.assertEqual(result, 1)
+            mock_print.assert_called_with("/sys/devices/stuck_node")
+
+            # Verify clean up was attempted
+            instance.terminate.assert_called_once()
+            self.assertEqual(
+                instance.join.call_count, 2
+            )  # Start join + cleanup join
+
+    @patch("os.walk")
+    @patch("os.access")
+    @patch("multiprocessing.Process")
+    def test_walk_devices_success_path(
+        self, mock_process, mock_access, mock_walk
+    ):
+        """Ensure result is 0 when all processes finish within timeout."""
+        mock_walk.return_value = [("/sys/devices", (), ("healthy_node",))]
+        mock_access.return_value = True
+
+        instance = mock_process.return_value
+        instance.is_alive.return_value = False
+
+        result = walk_devices("/sys/devices", timeout=1.0)
+        self.assertEqual(result, 0)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()

providers/base/units/miscellanea/jobs.pxu

@@ -632,3 +632,10 @@ _steps:
     3. Boot into the recovered system without errors
 _verification:
     1. The system boots into the factory recovery system successfully.
+
+plugin: shell
+category_id: com.canonical.plainbox::miscellanea
+estimated_duration: 120.0
+id: miscellanea/check-hardware-attributes
+command: check_hardware_attributes.py
+_summary: Check that all the attributes are able to read