Linus Torvalds merged his own branch removing the old __get_user() and __put_user() kernel functions for Linux 7.4.
Why it matters
- They’re the faster but unchecked versions of
get_user()andput_user(). They skip the user address range check, so misuse is a security hole. - Linus: they “are entirely historical, and are never the [right] thing to use any more.”
- Last year’s scoped user access helpers make the modern way easy, so there’s no excuse left.
- x86 and x86_64 are fully clean now. A few other architectures still have leftovers.
- Linus said he used Claude like “a fancy sort of Coccinelle script” for the conversions.
My take
I love seeing old footguns finally removed. And Linus using Claude Code for mechanical refactoring is a pretty big sign of where things are going.
Have a blessed day! And Happy Hacking!
