Nitpick (footnote 3): "64-bit kernels can run 32-bit userspace processes, but 64-bit and 32-bit code can’t be mixed in the same process. ↩"
That isn't true on any operating system I'm aware of. If both modes are supported at all, there will be a ring 3 code selector defined in the GDT for each, and I don't think there would be any security benefit to hiding the "inactive" one. A program could even use the LAR instruction to search for them.
At least on Linux, the kernel is perfectly fine with being called from either mode. FASM example code (with hardcoded selector, works on my machine):
format elf executable at $1_0000
entry start
segment readable executable
start: mov eax,4 ;32-bit syscall# for write
mov ebx,1 ;handle
mov ecx,Msg1 ;pointer
mov edx,Msg1.len ;length
int $80
call $33:demo64
mov eax,4
mov ebx,1
mov ecx,Msg3
mov edx,Msg3.len
int $80
mov eax,1 ;exit
xor ebx,ebx ;status
int $80
use64
demo64: mov eax,1 ;64-bit syscall# for write
mov edi,1 ;handle
lea rsi,[Msg2] ;pointer
mov edx,Msg2.len ;length
syscall
retfd ;return to caller in 32 bit mode
Msg1 db "Hello from 32-bit mode",10
.len=$-Msg1
Msg2 db "Now in 64-bit mode",10
.len=$-Msg2
Msg3 db "Back to 32 bits",10
.len=$-Msg3
That isn't true on any operating system I'm aware of. If both modes are supported at all, there will be a ring 3 code selector defined in the GDT for each, and I don't think there would be any security benefit to hiding the "inactive" one. A program could even use the LAR instruction to search for them.
At least on Linux, the kernel is perfectly fine with being called from either mode. FASM example code (with hardcoded selector, works on my machine):