The Kernel Loader ("KernelLdr"/"Kernelldr") was added in 8.0.0. It is responsible for applying relocations to the Kernel, and mapping the Kernel's .text/.rodata/.data/.bss at a random slide.

Kernel Loader

KernelLdr is called immediately by the Kernel's crt0 (after it deprivileges from EL2 to EL1, if required), with the following signature:

   void KernelLoader_Main(uintptr_t kernel_base_address, KernelMap *kernel_map, uintptr_t ini1_base_address);

KernelLdr_Main

First, it clears BSS, and then sets SP = <BSS end>.

    for (uint64_t *i = __bss_start; i != __bss_end; i++) {
        *i = 0;
    }
    SP = __bss_end;

Next, it applies relocations to itself and calls its init array.

    KernelLdr_ApplyRelocations(&KernelLdr_Main, __dynamic_start);
    KernelLdr_libc_init_array();

Then, it calls the function which relocates the kernel, and jumps back to the kernel entrypoint.

    // KernelLdr_LoadKernel returns (relocated_kernel_base - original_kernel_base).
    uintptr_t kernel_relocation_offset = KernelLdr_LoadKernel(kernel_base, kernel_map, ini_base);
    
    // dtor called for static page allocator.
    g_InitialPageAllocator.~KInitialPageAllocator();
    
    // Jumps back to the kernel code that called KernelLdr_Main.
    ((void (*)(void))(kernel_relocation_offset + LR))();

KernelLdr_ApplyRelocations

TODO: Fill this out

KernelLdr_lib_init_array()

This is just standard libc init array code. .init_array is empty in all available binaries.

KernelLdr_LoadKernel

TODO: Fill this out

KInitialPageAllocator::~KInitialPageAllocator

This just clears the allocator's next address.

    this->next_address = 0;

Structures

KernelMap

Offset	Size	Description
0x0	4	.text offset
0x4	4	.text end offset
0x8	4	.rodata end offset
0xC	4	.rodata end offset
0x10	4	.rwdata offset
0x14	4	.rwdata end offset
0x18	4	.bss offset
0x1C	4	.bss end offset
0x20	4	INI1 load offset
0x24	4	.dynamic end offset
0x28	4	.init_array end offset
0x2C	4	.init_array end offset

KInitialPageAllocator

KInitialPageAllocator is just a simple linear allocator.

Offset	Size	Description
0x0	8	vtable;
0x8	8	Next Address;

KInitialPageAllocator::vtable

Offset	Size	Description
0x0	8	void (Allocate)(KInitialPageAllocator *this);
0x8	8	void (Free)(KInitialPageAllocator this, void *address);