From: Jarkko Sakkinen <jarkko@kernel.org>
To: David Howells <dhowells@redhat.com>
Cc: Eric Biggers <ebiggers@kernel.org>,
linux-integrity@vger.kernel.org, Mimi Zohar <zohar@linux.ibm.com>,
Jarkko Sakkinen <jarkko@kernel.org>,
Roberto Sassu <roberto.sassu@huawei.com>,
Dmitry Kasatkin <dmitry.kasatkin@gmail.com>,
Eric Snowberg <eric.snowberg@oracle.com>,
Paul Moore <paul@paul-moore.com>,
James Morris <jmorris@namei.org>,
"Serge E. Hallyn" <serge@hallyn.com>,
linux-security-module@vger.kernel.org (open list:SECURITY
SUBSYSTEM), linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org (open list),
keyrings@vger.kernel.org (open list:KEYS/KEYRINGS)
Subject: [RFC PATCH 4/4] KEYS: key_garbage_collector(): process in chunks
Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2026 14:15:15 +0200 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <20261102121518.1197453-5-jarkko@kernel.org> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <20261102121518.1197453-1-jarkko@kernel.org>
key_garbage_collector() has a design that is not resistant enough for
workqueue lockups. The duration scales up relative to the number of items
in the serial tree, which causes a reoccuring theme of being guilty of
causing workqueue lockups.
Resolve the problem by processing in chunks:
1. Declare a static variable key_gc_work, which owns the garbage collection
in-flight state, and key_schedule_gc_work() for re-scheduling the work.
2. Define KEY_GC_CHUNK_SIZE, set to 64 keys, as the bound for the number
of items scanned and destroyed.
3. Define KEY_GC_DESTROYING to mark resume to destruction without repeating
the RCU grace period.
4. Define KEY_GC_REAP_REQUESTED for preserving full-pass requests across
the continuations.
keygcbench results without the patch:
unused: min=413.359 avg=1817.240 max=3221.120 var=1970880.024
expired: min=0.002 avg=1360.124 max=2481.990 var=1055093.994
combined: min=0.002 avg=1542.970 max=3221.120 var=1471557.422
keygcbench results with the patch:
unused: min=0.005 avg=0.126 max=54.173 var=0.946
expired: min=0.002 avg=0.210 max=216.470 var=7.894
combined: min=0.002 avg=0.158 max=216.470 var=3.627
These results translate to:
- >99.9% drop in the combined variance.
- 3.0% increase in the total task time.
The value 64 for KEY_GC_CHUNK_SIZE was cherry-picked from the set {1, 2,
..., 1024} by running the benchmark for each chunk size three times.
At the far left variance is 97% lower but at the same time total time
grows by 133%, when compared to the selected chunk size. The size was
picked based on getting a reasonable variance with a minimal throughput
decline.
Fixes: 0c061b5707ab ("KEYS: Correctly destroy key payloads when their keytype is removed")
Link: https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/jarkko/linux-tpmdd-test.git/tree/package/keygcbench
Signed-off-by: Jarkko Sakkinen <jarkko@kernel.org>
---
security/keys/gc.c | 132 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------------
security/keys/internal.h | 3 +-
security/keys/key.c | 4 +-
security/keys/keyring.c | 2 +-
4 files changed, 94 insertions(+), 47 deletions(-)
diff --git a/security/keys/gc.c b/security/keys/gc.c
index 876c30c019ad..fc1e5e39b828 100644
--- a/security/keys/gc.c
+++ b/security/keys/gc.c
@@ -11,16 +11,27 @@
#include <keys/keyring-type.h>
#include "internal.h"
-/*
- * Delay between key revocation/expiry in seconds
- */
-unsigned key_gc_delay = 5 * 60;
+#define KEY_GC_CHUNK_SIZE 64
/*
* Reaper for unused keys.
*/
static void key_garbage_collector(struct work_struct *work);
-DECLARE_WORK(key_gc_work, key_garbage_collector);
+
+static struct {
+ time64_t start; /* expiry range start */
+ time64_t end; /* expiry range end */
+ struct rb_node *cursor; /* serial tree position */
+ u8 state; /* state flags */
+ struct work_struct work; /* work item */
+} key_gc_work = {
+ .work = __WORK_INITIALIZER(key_gc_work.work, key_garbage_collector),
+};
+
+/*
+ * Delay between key revocation/expiry in seconds
+ */
+unsigned int key_gc_delay = 5 * 60;
/*
* Reaper for links from keyrings to dead keys.
@@ -31,6 +42,23 @@ static DEFINE_TIMER(key_gc_timer, key_gc_timer_func);
static time64_t key_gc_next_run = TIME64_MAX;
static unsigned long key_gc_flags;
#define KEY_GC_KEY_EXPIRED 0 /* A key expired and needs unlinking */
+#define KEY_GC_REAP_REQUESTED 1 /* Another complete pass was requested */
+
+/*
+ * Schedule a new GC pass or re-schedule an ongoing GC pass.
+ */
+void key_schedule_gc_work(bool expired)
+{
+ unsigned long flags = BIT(KEY_GC_REAP_REQUESTED);
+
+ if (expired)
+ flags |= BIT(KEY_GC_KEY_EXPIRED);
+
+ /* Publish all request flags together, after the caller's updates. */
+ set_mask_bits(&key_gc_flags, 0, flags);
+ schedule_work(&key_gc_work.work);
+}
+
/*
* Schedule a garbage collection run.
* - time precision isn't particularly important
@@ -44,7 +72,8 @@ void key_schedule_gc(time64_t gc_at)
if (gc_at <= now) {
kdebug("IMMEDIATE");
- schedule_work(&key_gc_work);
+ /* Catch expirations that became due during the scan. */
+ key_schedule_gc_work(true);
} else if (gc_at < key_gc_next_run) {
kdebug("DEFERRED");
key_gc_next_run = gc_at;
@@ -66,15 +95,6 @@ void key_set_expiry(struct key *key, time64_t expiry)
}
}
-/*
- * Schedule a dead links collection run.
- */
-void key_schedule_gc_links(void)
-{
- set_bit(KEY_GC_KEY_EXPIRED, &key_gc_flags);
- schedule_work(&key_gc_work);
-}
-
/*
* Some key's cleanup time was met after it expired, so we need to get the
* reaper to go through a cycle finding expired keys.
@@ -83,7 +103,7 @@ static void key_gc_timer_func(struct timer_list *unused)
{
kenter("");
key_gc_next_run = TIME64_MAX;
- key_schedule_gc_links();
+ key_schedule_gc_work(true);
}
/*
@@ -91,7 +111,9 @@ static void key_gc_timer_func(struct timer_list *unused)
*/
static noinline void key_gc_unused_keys(struct list_head *keys)
{
- while (!list_empty(keys)) {
+ unsigned int chunk = KEY_GC_CHUNK_SIZE;
+
+ while (!list_empty(keys) && chunk--) {
struct key *key =
list_entry(keys->next, struct key, graveyard_link);
struct module *owner = key->type->owner;
@@ -137,35 +159,45 @@ static noinline void key_gc_unused_keys(struct list_head *keys)
static void key_garbage_collector(struct work_struct *work)
{
static LIST_HEAD(graveyard);
- u8 gc_state = 0;
+ typeof(key_gc_work) *gc = &key_gc_work;
#define KEY_GC_REAP_AGAIN 0x01 /* - Need another cycle */
#define KEY_GC_REAPING_LINKS 0x02 /* - We need to reap links */
+#define KEY_GC_DESTROYING 0x04 /* - We need to destroy keys */
- struct rb_node *cursor;
+ unsigned int chunk = KEY_GC_CHUNK_SIZE;
struct key *key;
- time64_t new_timer, limit, expiry;
+ time64_t expiry;
- kenter("[%lx]", key_gc_flags);
+ kenter("[%lx,%x]", key_gc_flags, gc->state);
- limit = ktime_get_real_seconds();
+ if (gc->state & KEY_GC_DESTROYING)
+ goto destroy_keys;
+ if (gc->cursor) {
+ spin_lock(&key_serial_lock);
+ goto continue_scanning;
+ }
+ test_and_clear_bit(KEY_GC_REAP_REQUESTED, &key_gc_flags);
+ gc->start = ktime_get_real_seconds();
+ gc->state = 0;
if (test_and_clear_bit(KEY_GC_KEY_EXPIRED, &key_gc_flags))
- gc_state |= KEY_GC_REAPING_LINKS;
- kdebug("new pass %x", gc_state);
+ gc->state |= KEY_GC_REAPING_LINKS;
+ kdebug("new pass %x", gc->state);
- new_timer = TIME64_MAX;
+ gc->end = TIME64_MAX;
/* As only this function is permitted to remove things from the key
* serial tree, if cursor is non-NULL then it will always point to a
* valid node in the tree - even if lock got dropped.
*/
spin_lock(&key_serial_lock);
- cursor = rb_first(&key_serial_tree);
+ gc->cursor = rb_first(&key_serial_tree);
continue_scanning:
- while (cursor) {
- key = rb_entry(cursor, struct key, serial_node);
- cursor = rb_next(cursor);
+ while (gc->cursor && chunk) {
+ key = rb_entry(gc->cursor, struct key, serial_node);
+ gc->cursor = rb_next(gc->cursor);
+ chunk--;
if (!test_bit_acquire(KEY_FLAG_USER_ALIVE, &key->flags)) {
/* Clobber key->user after final put seen. */
@@ -176,14 +208,14 @@ static void key_garbage_collector(struct work_struct *work)
if (expiry != TIME64_MAX) {
if (!(key->type->flags & KEY_TYPE_INSTANT_REAP))
expiry += key_gc_delay;
- if (expiry > limit && expiry < new_timer) {
+ if (expiry > gc->start && expiry < gc->end) {
kdebug("will expire %x in %lld",
- key_serial(key), key->expiry - limit);
- new_timer = key->expiry;
+ key_serial(key), key->expiry - gc->start);
+ gc->end = key->expiry;
}
}
- if ((gc_state & KEY_GC_REAPING_LINKS) &&
+ if ((gc->state & KEY_GC_REAPING_LINKS) &&
key->type == &key_type_keyring)
goto found_keyring;
@@ -195,7 +227,11 @@ static void key_garbage_collector(struct work_struct *work)
spin_unlock(&key_serial_lock);
maybe_resched:
- if (cursor) {
+ if (gc->cursor) {
+ if (!chunk) {
+ schedule_work(&key_gc_work.work);
+ return;
+ }
cond_resched();
spin_lock(&key_serial_lock);
goto continue_scanning;
@@ -207,9 +243,9 @@ static void key_garbage_collector(struct work_struct *work)
*/
kdebug("pass complete");
- if (new_timer != TIME64_MAX) {
- new_timer += key_gc_delay;
- key_schedule_gc(new_timer);
+ if (gc->end != TIME64_MAX) {
+ gc->end += key_gc_delay;
+ key_schedule_gc(gc->end);
}
if (!list_empty(&graveyard)) {
@@ -220,13 +256,25 @@ static void key_garbage_collector(struct work_struct *work)
*/
kdebug("gc sync");
synchronize_rcu();
+ }
+
+ gc->state |= KEY_GC_DESTROYING;
+
+destroy_keys:
+ if (!list_empty(&graveyard)) {
kdebug("gc keys");
key_gc_unused_keys(&graveyard);
+ if (!list_empty(&graveyard)) {
+ schedule_work(&key_gc_work.work);
+ return;
+ }
}
+ gc->state &= ~KEY_GC_DESTROYING;
- if (gc_state & KEY_GC_REAP_AGAIN)
- schedule_work(&key_gc_work);
- kleave(" [end %x]", gc_state);
+ if ((gc->state & KEY_GC_REAP_AGAIN) ||
+ test_bit(KEY_GC_REAP_REQUESTED, &key_gc_flags))
+ schedule_work(&key_gc_work.work);
+ kleave(" [end %x]", gc->state);
return;
/* We found an unreferenced key - once we've removed it from the tree,
@@ -238,7 +286,7 @@ static void key_garbage_collector(struct work_struct *work)
spin_unlock(&key_serial_lock);
list_add_tail(&key->graveyard_link, &graveyard);
- gc_state |= KEY_GC_REAP_AGAIN;
+ gc->state |= KEY_GC_REAP_AGAIN;
goto maybe_resched;
/* We found a keyring and we need to check the payload for links to
@@ -248,6 +296,6 @@ static void key_garbage_collector(struct work_struct *work)
*/
found_keyring:
spin_unlock(&key_serial_lock);
- keyring_gc(key, limit);
+ keyring_gc(key, gc->start);
goto maybe_resched;
}
diff --git a/security/keys/internal.h b/security/keys/internal.h
index 005d609ae2df..976f16baf632 100644
--- a/security/keys/internal.h
+++ b/security/keys/internal.h
@@ -161,12 +161,11 @@ extern bool lookup_user_key_possessed(const struct key *key,
extern long join_session_keyring(const char *name);
extern void key_change_session_keyring(struct callback_head *twork);
-extern struct work_struct key_gc_work;
extern unsigned key_gc_delay;
extern void keyring_gc(struct key *keyring, time64_t limit);
void key_set_expiry(struct key *key, time64_t expiry);
extern void key_schedule_gc(time64_t gc_at);
-extern void key_schedule_gc_links(void);
+void key_schedule_gc_work(bool expired);
extern int key_task_permission(const key_ref_t key_ref,
const struct cred *cred,
diff --git a/security/keys/key.c b/security/keys/key.c
index f396e56d640f..e6569f89cca9 100644
--- a/security/keys/key.c
+++ b/security/keys/key.c
@@ -679,7 +679,7 @@ void key_put(struct key *key)
}
/* Mark key as safe for GC after key->user done. */
clear_bit_unlock(KEY_FLAG_USER_ALIVE, &key->flags);
- schedule_work(&key_gc_work);
+ key_schedule_gc_work(false);
}
}
}
@@ -1200,7 +1200,7 @@ void key_invalidate(struct key *key)
down_write_nested(&key->sem, 1);
if (!test_and_set_bit(KEY_FLAG_INVALIDATED, &key->flags)) {
notify_key(key, NOTIFY_KEY_INVALIDATED, 0);
- key_schedule_gc_links();
+ key_schedule_gc_work(true);
}
up_write(&key->sem);
}
diff --git a/security/keys/keyring.c b/security/keys/keyring.c
index 94a886a84bd6..b2ae7a65b186 100644
--- a/security/keys/keyring.c
+++ b/security/keys/keyring.c
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ void key_remove_domain(struct key_tag *domain_tag)
{
domain_tag->removed = true;
if (!key_put_tag(domain_tag))
- key_schedule_gc_links();
+ key_schedule_gc_work(true);
}
/*
--
2.47.3
next prev parent reply other threads:[~2026-11-02 12:16 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 11+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2026-11-02 12:15 [RFC PATCH 0/4] KEYS: sanitize the garbage collector behavior Jarkko Sakkinen
2026-11-02 12:15 ` [RFC PATCH 1/4] KEYS: trusted: Disable sysfs bind attributes for TEE driver Jarkko Sakkinen
2026-11-02 12:15 ` [RFC PATCH 2/4] KEYS: Pin the backing module for struct key_type Jarkko Sakkinen
2026-11-02 12:22 ` Jarkko Sakkinen
2026-11-02 12:15 ` [RFC PATCH 3/4] KEYS: Remove key_type_dead Jarkko Sakkinen
2026-11-02 12:21 ` Jarkko Sakkinen
2026-11-02 12:15 ` Jarkko Sakkinen [this message]
2026-11-02 12:31 ` [RFC PATCH 4/4] KEYS: key_garbage_collector(): process in chunks Jarkko Sakkinen
2026-11-02 12:19 ` [RFC PATCH 0/4] KEYS: sanitize the garbage collector behavior Jarkko Sakkinen
2026-11-03 0:03 ` Jarkko Sakkinen
2026-11-03 0:42 ` Jarkko Sakkinen
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