[f2fs-dev] [PATCH v2] f2fs: invalidate dentry cache on failed whiteout creation

[f2fs-dev] [PATCH v2] f2fs: invalidate dentry cache on failed whiteout creation

[Deepanshu Kartikey]

F2FS can mount filesystems with corrupted directory depth values that
get runtime-clamped to MAX_DIR_HASH_DEPTH. When RENAME_WHITEOUT
operations are performed on such directories, f2fs_rename performs
directory modifications (updating target entry and deleting source
entry) before attempting to add the whiteout entry via f2fs_add_link.

If f2fs_add_link fails due to the corrupted directory structure, the
function returns an error to VFS, but the partial directory
modifications have already been committed to disk. VFS assumes the
entire rename operation failed and does not update the dentry cache,
leaving stale mappings.

In the error path, VFS does not call d_move() to update the dentry
cache. This results in new_dentry still pointing to the old inode
(new_inode) which has already had its i_nlink decremented to zero.
The stale cache causes subsequent operations to incorrectly reference
the freed inode.

This causes subsequent operations to use cached dentry information that
no longer matches the on-disk state. When a second rename targets the
same entry, VFS attempts to decrement i_nlink on the stale inode, which
may already have i_nlink=0, triggering a WARNING in drop_nlink().

Example sequence:
1. First rename (RENAME_WHITEOUT): file2 → file1
   - f2fs updates file1 entry on disk (points to inode 8)
   - f2fs deletes file2 entry on disk
   - f2fs_add_link(whiteout) fails (corrupted directory)
   - Returns error to VFS
   - VFS does not call d_move() due to error
   - VFS cache still has: file1 → inode 7 (stale!)
   - inode 7 has i_nlink=0 (already decremented)

2. Second rename: file3 → file1
   - VFS uses stale cache: file1 → inode 7
   - Tries to drop_nlink on inode 7 (i_nlink already 0)
   - WARNING in drop_nlink()

Fix this by explicitly invalidating old_dentry and new_dentry when
f2fs_add_link fails during whiteout creation. This forces VFS to
refresh from disk on subsequent operations, ensuring cache consistency
even when the rename partially succeeds.

Reproducer:
1. Mount F2FS image with corrupted i_current_depth
2. renameat2(file2, file1, RENAME_WHITEOUT)
3. renameat2(file3, file1, 0)
4. System triggers WARNING in drop_nlink()

Fixes: 7e01e7ad746b ("f2fs: support RENAME_WHITEOUT")
Reported-by: syzbot+632cf32276a9a564188d@syzkaller.appspotmail.com
Closes: https://syzkaller.appspot.com/bug?extid=632cf32276a9a564188d
Suggested-by: Chao Yu <chao@kernel.org>
Link: https://lore.kernel.org/all/20251022233349.102728-1-kartikey406@gmail.com/ [v1]
Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org
Signed-off-by: Deepanshu Kartikey <kartikey406@gmail.com>
---
Changes in v2:
- Added detailed explanation about VFS not calling d_move() in error path,
  resulting in new_dentry still pointing to inode with zeroed i_nlink
  (suggested by Chao Yu)
- Added Fixes tag pointing to commit 7e01e7ad746b
- Added Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org for backporting to stable kernels
---
 fs/f2fs/namei.c | 6 ++++--
 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/fs/f2fs/namei.c b/fs/f2fs/namei.c
index b882771e4699..712479b7b93d 100644
--- a/fs/f2fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/f2fs/namei.c
@@ -1053,9 +1053,11 @@ static int f2fs_rename(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct inode *old_dir,
 	if (whiteout) {
 		set_inode_flag(whiteout, FI_INC_LINK);
 		err = f2fs_add_link(old_dentry, whiteout);
-		if (err)
+		if (err) {
+			d_invalidate(old_dentry);
+			d_invalidate(new_dentry);
 			goto put_out_dir;
-
+		}
 		spin_lock(&whiteout->i_lock);
 		whiteout->i_state &= ~I_LINKABLE;
 		spin_unlock(&whiteout->i_lock);
-- 
2.43.0



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Re: [f2fs-dev] [PATCH v2] f2fs: invalidate dentry cache on failed whiteout creation

[Chao Yu via Linux-f2fs-devel]

On 10/27/25 21:06, Deepanshu Kartikey wrote:
> F2FS can mount filesystems with corrupted directory depth values that
> get runtime-clamped to MAX_DIR_HASH_DEPTH. When RENAME_WHITEOUT
> operations are performed on such directories, f2fs_rename performs
> directory modifications (updating target entry and deleting source
> entry) before attempting to add the whiteout entry via f2fs_add_link.
> 
> If f2fs_add_link fails due to the corrupted directory structure, the
> function returns an error to VFS, but the partial directory
> modifications have already been committed to disk. VFS assumes the
> entire rename operation failed and does not update the dentry cache,
> leaving stale mappings.
> 
> In the error path, VFS does not call d_move() to update the dentry
> cache. This results in new_dentry still pointing to the old inode
> (new_inode) which has already had its i_nlink decremented to zero.
> The stale cache causes subsequent operations to incorrectly reference
> the freed inode.
> 
> This causes subsequent operations to use cached dentry information that
> no longer matches the on-disk state. When a second rename targets the
> same entry, VFS attempts to decrement i_nlink on the stale inode, which
> may already have i_nlink=0, triggering a WARNING in drop_nlink().
> 
> Example sequence:
> 1. First rename (RENAME_WHITEOUT): file2 → file1
>    - f2fs updates file1 entry on disk (points to inode 8)
>    - f2fs deletes file2 entry on disk
>    - f2fs_add_link(whiteout) fails (corrupted directory)
>    - Returns error to VFS
>    - VFS does not call d_move() due to error
>    - VFS cache still has: file1 → inode 7 (stale!)
>    - inode 7 has i_nlink=0 (already decremented)
> 
> 2. Second rename: file3 → file1
>    - VFS uses stale cache: file1 → inode 7
>    - Tries to drop_nlink on inode 7 (i_nlink already 0)
>    - WARNING in drop_nlink()
> 
> Fix this by explicitly invalidating old_dentry and new_dentry when
> f2fs_add_link fails during whiteout creation. This forces VFS to
> refresh from disk on subsequent operations, ensuring cache consistency
> even when the rename partially succeeds.
> 
> Reproducer:
> 1. Mount F2FS image with corrupted i_current_depth
> 2. renameat2(file2, file1, RENAME_WHITEOUT)
> 3. renameat2(file3, file1, 0)
> 4. System triggers WARNING in drop_nlink()
> 
> Fixes: 7e01e7ad746b ("f2fs: support RENAME_WHITEOUT")
> Reported-by: syzbot+632cf32276a9a564188d@syzkaller.appspotmail.com
> Closes: https://syzkaller.appspot.com/bug?extid=632cf32276a9a564188d
> Suggested-by: Chao Yu <chao@kernel.org>
> Link: https://lore.kernel.org/all/20251022233349.102728-1-kartikey406@gmail.com/ [v1]
> Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org
> Signed-off-by: Deepanshu Kartikey <kartikey406@gmail.com>

Reviewed-by: Chao Yu <chao@kernel.org>

Thanks,


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