Re: [PATCH net] net/smc: fix panic smc_tcp_syn_recv_sock() while closing listen socket

D. Wythe
2023-09-26T09:06:15Z

On 9/26/23 3:18 PM, Alexandra Winter wrote:
>
> On 26.09.23 05:00, D. Wythe wrote:
>> You are right. The key point is how to ensure the valid of smc sock during the life time of clc sock, If so, READ_ONCE is good
>> enough. Unfortunately, I found  that there are no such guarantee, so it's still a life-time problem.
> Did you discover a scenario, where clc sock could live longer than smc sock?
> Wouldn't that be a dangerous scenario in itself? I still have some hope that the lifetime of an smc socket is by design longer
> than that of the corresponding tcp socket.

Hi Alexandra,

Yes there is. Considering scenario:

tcp_v4_rcv(skb)

/* req sock */
reqsk = _inet_lookup_skb(skb)

/* listen sock */
sk = reqsk(reqsk)->rsk_listener;
sock_hold(sk);
tcp_check_req(sk)

smc_release /* release
smc listen sock */
__smc_release
smc_close_active()         /*  smc_sk->sk_state = SMC_CLOSED; */
if
(smc_sk->sk_state == SMC_CLOSED)
smc_clcsock_release();
sock_release(clcsk);        /* close clcsock */
sock_put(sk);              /* might not  the final refcnt */

sock_put(smc_sk)    /* might be the final refcnt of smc_sock  */

syn_recv_sock(sk...)
/* might be the final refcnt of tcp listen sock */
sock_put(sk);

Fortunately, this scenario only affects smc_syn_recv_sock and
smc_hs_congested, as other callbacks already have locks to protect smc,
which can guarantee that the sk_user_data is either NULL (set in
smc_close_active) or valid under the lock.

> Considering the const, maybe
>> we need to do :
>>
>> 1. hold a refcnt of smc_sock for syn_recv_sock to keep smc sock valid during life time of clc sock
>> 2. put the refcnt of smc_sock in sk_destruct in tcp_sock to release the very smc sock .
>>
>> In that way, we can always make sure the valid of smc sock during the life time of clc sock. Then we can use READ_ONCE rather
>> than lock.  What do you think ?
> I am not sure I fully understand the details what you propose to do. And it is not only syn_recv_sock(), right?
> You need to consider all relations between smc socks and tcp socks; fallback to tcp, initial creation, children of listen sockets, variants of shutdown, ... Preferrably a single simple mechanism covers all situations. Maybe there is such a mechanism already today?
> (I don't think clcsock->sk->sk_user_data or sk_callback_lock provide this general coverage)
> If we really have a gap, a general refcnt'ing on smc sock could be a solution, but needs to be designed carefully.

You are right , we need designed it with care, we will try the
referenced solutions internally first, and I will also send some RFCs so
that everyone can track the latest progress
and make it can be all agreed.
> Many thanks to you and the team to help make smc more stable and robust.

Our pleasure 😁.  The stability of smc is important to us too.

Best wishes,
D. Wythe