Re: [PATCH bpf-next v3 01/10] bpf: Implement resizable hashmap basic functions

Mykyta Yatsenko
2026-04-25T20:41:39Z

On 4/24/26 9:40 PM, sashiko-bot@kernel.org wrote:
> Sashiko AI review found 1 potential issue(s):
> - [Critical] Using rhashtable for BPF map updates/deletes is unsafe and will lead to hard deadlocks from IRQ/NMI/softirq contexts.
> --
>
> commit 47c235933705172d3a36c4339c754282500161f1
> Author: Mykyta Yatsenko <yatsenko@meta.com>
>
> bpf: Implement resizable hashmap basic functions
>
> This commit adds a new BPF map type BPF_MAP_TYPE_RHASH backed by the kernel
> rhashtable implementation. It provides basic map operations like lookup,
> update, and delete using rhashtable APIs.
>
>> diff --git a/kernel/bpf/hashtab.c b/kernel/bpf/hashtab.c
>> index 3dd9b4924ae4fb..a37bd2a7b30f4b 100644
>> --- a/kernel/bpf/hashtab.c
>> +++ b/kernel/bpf/hashtab.c
>
> [ ... ]
>
>> +static int rhtab_delete_elem(struct bpf_rhtab *rhtab, struct rhtab_elem *elem)
>> +{
>> + int err;
>> +
>> + err = rhashtable_remove_fast(&rhtab->ht, &elem->node, rhtab->params);
>
> Can this lead to a deadlock when used by non-sleepable BPF programs in
> interrupt or softirq contexts?
>
> The verifier permits BPF_MAP_TYPE_RHASH to be used by non-sleepable BPF
> programs, such as those attached to XDP or TC, which execute in softirq
> context and do not check bpf_prog_active.
>
> Map operations like rhashtable_remove_fast() and
> rhashtable_lookup_get_insert_fast() internally use bit_spin_lock() for
> bucket-level synchronization. This locking mechanism disables preemption
> but leaves hardware and software interrupts enabled, unlike the
> raw_spin_lock_irqsave() approach used by the standard htab.
>
> If a syscall updates the map from process context and acquires the bucket
> lock, and is then preempted by a hardware interrupt that schedules a softirq
> on return, the softirq will execute the XDP or TC BPF program.
>
> If this BPF program attempts to access the same hash bucket, wouldn't it spin
> indefinitely waiting for the bit_spin_lock held by the interrupted process,
> causing a system deadlock?
>

This is right, I forgot to add if (irqs_disabled()) return -EBUSY
pointed to in v1:
https://lore.kernel.org/all/CAADnVQKvp2tnQSWW4Kh3ofGLvaEYJ47kyZeNUscAH_DShw8XHw@mail.gmail.com/

I'll add it in v4.

> [ ... ]
>
>> +static long rhtab_map_update_elem(struct bpf_map *map, void *key, void *value, u64 map_flags)
>> +{
>> + struct bpf_rhtab *rhtab = container_of(map, struct bpf_rhtab, map);
>> + struct rhtab_elem *elem, *tmp;
>
> [ ... ]
>
>> + tmp = rhashtable_lookup_get_insert_fast(&rhtab->ht, &elem->node, rhtab->params);
>
> Does the same deadlock mechanism apply here as well, given that
> rhashtable_lookup_get_insert_fast() also relies on bucket-level locks?
>