From: Greg Kroah-Hartman <gregkh@linuxfoundation.org>
To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, akpm@linux-foundation.org,
torvalds@linux-foundation.org, stable@vger.kernel.org
Cc: lwn@lwn.net, jslaby@suse.cz,
Greg Kroah-Hartman <gregkh@linuxfoundation.org>
Subject: Re: Linux 5.15.213
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2026 13:18:45 +0200 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <2026073045-outsmart-carrot-e475@gregkh> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <2026073045-premises-broadcast-8510@gregkh>
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 35b1f66d7218..783acda54d74 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
VERSION = 5
PATCHLEVEL = 15
-SUBLEVEL = 212
+SUBLEVEL = 213
EXTRAVERSION =
NAME = Trick or Treat
diff --git a/kernel/exit.c b/kernel/exit.c
index 3c6ddf7320fa..776994c28887 100644
--- a/kernel/exit.c
+++ b/kernel/exit.c
@@ -200,7 +200,13 @@ static void __exit_signal(struct task_struct *tsk)
* doing sigqueue_free() if we have SIGQUEUE_PREALLOC signals.
*/
flush_sigqueue(&tsk->pending);
- tsk->sighand = NULL;
+
+ /*
+ * Ensure that all preceeding state is visible. Pairs with
+ * the smp_acquire__after_ctrl_dep() in the sighand == NULL
+ * path of lock_task_sighand().
+ */
+ smp_store_release(&tsk->sighand, NULL);
spin_unlock(&sighand->siglock);
__cleanup_sighand(sighand);
diff --git a/kernel/signal.c b/kernel/signal.c
index 10a315e461d3..662377d23c95 100644
--- a/kernel/signal.c
+++ b/kernel/signal.c
@@ -1388,8 +1388,16 @@ struct sighand_struct *__lock_task_sighand(struct task_struct *tsk,
rcu_read_lock();
for (;;) {
sighand = rcu_dereference(tsk->sighand);
- if (unlikely(sighand == NULL))
+ if (unlikely(sighand == NULL)) {
+ /*
+ * Pairs with the smp_store_release() in
+ * __exit_signal(). It ensures that all state
+ * modifications to the task preceeding the store are
+ * visible to the callers of lock_task_sighand().
+ */
+ smp_acquire__after_ctrl_dep();
break;
+ }
/*
* This sighand can be already freed and even reused, but
diff --git a/kernel/time/posix-cpu-timers.c b/kernel/time/posix-cpu-timers.c
index c99e11da83e8..52deada50891 100644
--- a/kernel/time/posix-cpu-timers.c
+++ b/kernel/time/posix-cpu-timers.c
@@ -455,6 +455,109 @@ static void disarm_timer(struct k_itimer *timer, struct task_struct *p)
trigger_base_recalc_expires(timer, p);
}
+/*
+ * Lookup the task via timer->it.cpu.pid and attempt to lock the task's sighand.
+ *
+ * This can race with the reaping of the task:
+ *
+ * CPU0 CPU1
+ *
+ * // Finds task
+ * p = pid_task(pid, pid_type); __exit_signal(p)
+ * lock(p, sighand);
+ * posix_cpu_timers*_exit();
+ * sighand = lock_task_sighand(p); unhash_task(p);
+ * p->sighand = NULL;
+ * unlock(sighand);
+ *
+ * In this case sighand is NULL, which means the task and the associated timer
+ * queue cannot be longer accessed safely.
+ *
+ * __exit_signal() invokes posix_cpu_timers_exit() and if the thread group is
+ * dead it also invokes posix_cpu_timers_group_exit(). These functions delete
+ * all pending timers from the related timer queues. The POSIX timers (k_itimer)
+ * themself are still accessible, but not longer connected to the task.
+ *
+ * exec() works slightly differently. The task which exec()'s terminates all
+ * other threads in the thread group and runs __exit_signal() on them. As the
+ * thread group is not dead they only clean up the per task timers via
+ * posix_cpu_timers_exit().
+ *
+ * As the TGID on exec() stays the same per process timers stay queued, if they
+ * are armed. This works without a problem when exec() is done by the thread
+ * group leader. If a non-leader thread exec()'s this can end up in the
+ * following scenario:
+ *
+ * CPU0 CPU1
+ * // Returns old leader
+ * p = pid_task(pid, pid_type); de_thread()
+ * switch_leader()
+ * release_task(old leader)
+ * __exit_signal()
+ * old_leader->sighand = NULL;
+ * // Returns NULL
+ * sighand = lock_task_sighand(p)
+ *
+ * That's problematic for several functions:
+ *
+ * - posix_cpu_timer_del(): If the timer is still enqueued on the task the
+ * underlying k_itimer will be freed which results in a UAF in
+ * run_posix_cpu_timers() or on timerqueue related add/delete operations.
+ * If the timer is not enqueued, the failure is harmless
+ *
+ * - posix_cpu_timer_set(): Independent of the enqueued state that results in a
+ * transient failure which is user space visible (-ESRCH) for regular posix
+ * timers. But for the use case in do_cpu_nanosleep() it's the same UAF
+ * problem just that the timer is allocated on the stack.
+ *
+ * - posix_cpu_timer_rearm(): Timer is not enqueued at that point, but this
+ * silently ignores the rearm request, which is a functional problem as the
+ * timer wont expire anymore.
+ */
+static struct task_struct *timer_lock_sighand(struct k_itimer *timer, unsigned long *flags)
+{
+ enum pid_type type = clock_pid_type(timer->it_clock);
+ struct cpu_timer *ctmr = &timer->it.cpu;
+
+ guard(rcu)();
+
+ for (;;) {
+ struct task_struct *t = pid_task(timer->it.cpu.pid, type);
+
+ /* Fail if the task cannot be found. */
+ if (!t)
+ break;
+
+ /* Try to lock the task's sighand */
+ if (lock_task_sighand(t, flags))
+ return t;
+
+ /*
+ * The next PID lookup might either fail or return the new
+ * leader. This is correct for both exit() and exec().
+ */
+ }
+
+ /*
+ * If the timer is still enqueued, warn. There is nothing safe to do
+ * here as there might be two timers in there which are removed in
+ * parallel and that will cause more damage than good. This should never
+ * happen!
+ *
+ * Ensure that the stores to the timer and timerqueue are visible:
+ *
+ * __exit_signal()
+ * posix_cpu_timers*_exit()
+ * write_seqlock(seqlock)
+ * smp_wmb(); <-------
+ * __unhash_process() | !pid_task()
+ * ----> smp_rmb();
+ * WARN_ON_ONCE(...)
+ */
+ smp_rmb();
+ WARN_ON_ONCE(ctmr->head || timerqueue_node_queued(&ctmr->node));
+ return NULL;
+}
/*
* Clean up a CPU-clock timer that is about to be destroyed.
@@ -464,29 +567,13 @@ static void disarm_timer(struct k_itimer *timer, struct task_struct *p)
*/
static int posix_cpu_timer_del(struct k_itimer *timer)
{
- struct cpu_timer *ctmr = &timer->it.cpu;
- struct sighand_struct *sighand;
struct task_struct *p;
unsigned long flags;
int ret = 0;
- rcu_read_lock();
- p = cpu_timer_task_rcu(timer);
- if (!p)
- goto out;
+ p = timer_lock_sighand(timer, &flags);
- /*
- * Protect against sighand release/switch in exit/exec and process/
- * thread timer list entry concurrent read/writes.
- */
- sighand = lock_task_sighand(p, &flags);
- if (unlikely(sighand == NULL)) {
- /*
- * This raced with the reaping of the task. The exit cleanup
- * should have removed this timer from the timer queue.
- */
- WARN_ON_ONCE(ctmr->head || timerqueue_node_queued(&ctmr->node));
- } else {
+ if (likely(p)) {
if (timer->it.cpu.firing)
ret = TIMER_RETRY;
else
@@ -495,10 +582,8 @@ static int posix_cpu_timer_del(struct k_itimer *timer)
unlock_task_sighand(p, &flags);
}
-out:
- rcu_read_unlock();
if (!ret)
- put_pid(ctmr->pid);
+ put_pid(timer->it.cpu.pid);
return ret;
}
@@ -620,21 +705,17 @@ static int posix_cpu_timer_set(struct k_itimer *timer, int timer_flags,
clockid_t clkid = CPUCLOCK_WHICH(timer->it_clock);
u64 old_expires, new_expires, old_incr, val;
struct cpu_timer *ctmr = &timer->it.cpu;
- struct sighand_struct *sighand;
struct task_struct *p;
unsigned long flags;
int ret = 0;
- rcu_read_lock();
- p = cpu_timer_task_rcu(timer);
- if (!p) {
- /*
- * If p has just been reaped, we can no
- * longer get any information about it at all.
- */
- rcu_read_unlock();
+ p = timer_lock_sighand(timer, &flags);
+ /*
+ * If p has just been reaped, we can no longer get any information about
+ * it at all.
+ */
+ if (!p)
return -ESRCH;
- }
/*
* Use the to_ktime conversion because that clamps the maximum
@@ -642,20 +723,6 @@ static int posix_cpu_timer_set(struct k_itimer *timer, int timer_flags,
*/
new_expires = ktime_to_ns(timespec64_to_ktime(new->it_value));
- /*
- * Protect against sighand release/switch in exit/exec and p->cpu_timers
- * and p->signal->cpu_timers read/write in arm_timer()
- */
- sighand = lock_task_sighand(p, &flags);
- /*
- * If p has just been reaped, we can no
- * longer get any information about it at all.
- */
- if (unlikely(sighand == NULL)) {
- rcu_read_unlock();
- return -ESRCH;
- }
-
/*
* Disarm any old timer after extracting its expiry time.
*/
@@ -704,6 +771,7 @@ static int posix_cpu_timer_set(struct k_itimer *timer, int timer_flags,
old->it_value.tv_sec = 0;
}
}
+ old->it_interval = ns_to_timespec64(old_incr);
}
if (unlikely(ret)) {
@@ -714,7 +782,7 @@ static int posix_cpu_timer_set(struct k_itimer *timer, int timer_flags,
* it as an overrun (thanks to bump_cpu_timer above).
*/
unlock_task_sighand(p, &flags);
- goto out;
+ return ret;
}
if (new_expires != 0 && !(timer_flags & TIMER_ABSTIME)) {
@@ -727,11 +795,11 @@ static int posix_cpu_timer_set(struct k_itimer *timer, int timer_flags,
* arm the timer (we'll just fake it for timer_gettime).
*/
cpu_timer_setexpires(ctmr, new_expires);
- if (new_expires != 0 && val < new_expires) {
+ if (new_expires != 0 && val < new_expires)
arm_timer(timer, p);
- }
+ else
+ trigger_base_recalc_expires(timer, p);
- unlock_task_sighand(p, &flags);
/*
* Install the new reload setting, and
* set up the signal and overrun bookkeeping.
@@ -748,35 +816,18 @@ static int posix_cpu_timer_set(struct k_itimer *timer, int timer_flags,
timer->it_overrun_last = 0;
timer->it_overrun = -1;
- if (val >= new_expires) {
- if (new_expires != 0) {
- /*
- * The designated time already passed, so we notify
- * immediately, even if the thread never runs to
- * accumulate more time on this clock.
- */
- cpu_timer_fire(timer);
- }
+ unlock_task_sighand(p, &flags);
+ if (new_expires && val >= new_expires) {
/*
- * Make sure we don't keep around the process wide cputime
- * counter or the tick dependency if they are not necessary.
+ * The designated time already passed, so we notify immediately,
+ * even if the thread never runs to accumulate more time on this
+ * clock.
*/
- sighand = lock_task_sighand(p, &flags);
- if (!sighand)
- goto out;
-
- if (!cpu_timer_queued(ctmr))
- trigger_base_recalc_expires(timer, p);
-
- unlock_task_sighand(p, &flags);
+ cpu_timer_fire(timer);
}
- out:
- rcu_read_unlock();
- if (old)
- old->it_interval = ns_to_timespec64(old_incr);
- return ret;
+ return 0;
}
static void posix_cpu_timer_get(struct k_itimer *timer, struct itimerspec64 *itp)
@@ -1042,19 +1093,12 @@ static void posix_cpu_timer_rearm(struct k_itimer *timer)
{
clockid_t clkid = CPUCLOCK_WHICH(timer->it_clock);
struct task_struct *p;
- struct sighand_struct *sighand;
unsigned long flags;
u64 now;
- rcu_read_lock();
- p = cpu_timer_task_rcu(timer);
- if (!p)
- goto out;
-
- /* Protect timer list r/w in arm_timer() */
- sighand = lock_task_sighand(p, &flags);
- if (unlikely(sighand == NULL))
- goto out;
+ p = timer_lock_sighand(timer, &flags);
+ if (unlikely(!p))
+ return;
/*
* Fetch the current sample and update the timer's expiry time.
@@ -1071,8 +1115,6 @@ static void posix_cpu_timer_rearm(struct k_itimer *timer)
*/
arm_timer(timer, p);
unlock_task_sighand(p, &flags);
-out:
- rcu_read_unlock();
}
/**
prev parent reply other threads:[~2026-07-30 11:19 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 2+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2026-07-30 11:18 Linux 5.15.213 Greg Kroah-Hartman
2026-07-30 11:18 ` Greg Kroah-Hartman [this message]
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