[PATCH net] net: do not write to msg_get_inq in callee

[PATCH net] net: do not write to msg_get_inq in callee

[Willem de Bruijn]

From: Willem de Bruijn <willemb@google.com>

NULL pointer dereference fix.

msg_get_inq is an input field from caller to callee. Don't set it in
the callee, as the caller may not clear it on struct reuse.

This is a kernel-internal variant of msghdr only, and the only user
does reinitialize the field. So this is not critical for that reason.
But it is more robust to avoid the write, and slightly simpler code.
And it fixes a bug, see below.

Callers set msg_get_inq to request the input queue length to be
returned in msg_inq. This is equivalent to but independent from the
SO_INQ request to return that same info as a cmsg (tp->recvmsg_inq).
To reduce branching in the hot path the second also sets the msg_inq.
That is WAI.

This is a fix to commit 4d1442979e4a ("af_unix: don't post cmsg for
SO_INQ unless explicitly asked for"), which fixed the inverse.

Also avoid NULL pointer dereference in unix_stream_read_generic if
state->msg is NULL and msg->msg_get_inq is written. A NULL state->msg
can happen when splicing as of commit 2b514574f7e8 ("net: af_unix:
implement splice for stream af_unix sockets").

Also collapse two branches using a bitwise or.

Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org
Fixes: 4d1442979e4a ("af_unix: don't post cmsg for SO_INQ unless explicitly asked for")
Link: https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/willemdebruijn.kernel.24d8030f7a3de@gmail.com/
Signed-off-by: Willem de Bruijn <willemb@google.com>

---

Jens, I dropped your Reviewed-by because of the commit message updates.
But code is unchanged.

changes nn v1 -> net v1
  - add Fixes tag and explain reason
  - redirect to net
  - s/caller/callee in subject line

nn v1: https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/20260105163338.3461512-1-willemdebruijn.kernel@gmail.com/
---
 net/ipv4/tcp.c     | 8 +++-----
 net/unix/af_unix.c | 8 +++-----
 2 files changed, 6 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)

diff --git a/net/ipv4/tcp.c b/net/ipv4/tcp.c
index f035440c475a..d5319ebe2452 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/tcp.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/tcp.c
@@ -2652,10 +2652,8 @@ static int tcp_recvmsg_locked(struct sock *sk, struct msghdr *msg, size_t len,
 	if (sk->sk_state == TCP_LISTEN)
 		goto out;
 
-	if (tp->recvmsg_inq) {
+	if (tp->recvmsg_inq)
 		*cmsg_flags = TCP_CMSG_INQ;
-		msg->msg_get_inq = 1;
-	}
 	timeo = sock_rcvtimeo(sk, flags & MSG_DONTWAIT);
 
 	/* Urgent data needs to be handled specially. */
@@ -2929,10 +2927,10 @@ int tcp_recvmsg(struct sock *sk, struct msghdr *msg, size_t len, int flags,
 	ret = tcp_recvmsg_locked(sk, msg, len, flags, &tss, &cmsg_flags);
 	release_sock(sk);
 
-	if ((cmsg_flags || msg->msg_get_inq) && ret >= 0) {
+	if ((cmsg_flags | msg->msg_get_inq) && ret >= 0) {
 		if (cmsg_flags & TCP_CMSG_TS)
 			tcp_recv_timestamp(msg, sk, &tss);
-		if (msg->msg_get_inq) {
+		if ((cmsg_flags & TCP_CMSG_INQ) | msg->msg_get_inq) {
 			msg->msg_inq = tcp_inq_hint(sk);
 			if (cmsg_flags & TCP_CMSG_INQ)
 				put_cmsg(msg, SOL_TCP, TCP_CM_INQ,
diff --git a/net/unix/af_unix.c b/net/unix/af_unix.c
index a7ca74653d94..d0511225799b 100644
--- a/net/unix/af_unix.c
+++ b/net/unix/af_unix.c
@@ -2904,7 +2904,6 @@ static int unix_stream_read_generic(struct unix_stream_read_state *state,
 	unsigned int last_len;
 	struct unix_sock *u;
 	int copied = 0;
-	bool do_cmsg;
 	int err = 0;
 	long timeo;
 	int target;
@@ -2930,9 +2929,6 @@ static int unix_stream_read_generic(struct unix_stream_read_state *state,
 
 	u = unix_sk(sk);
 
-	do_cmsg = READ_ONCE(u->recvmsg_inq);
-	if (do_cmsg)
-		msg->msg_get_inq = 1;
 redo:
 	/* Lock the socket to prevent queue disordering
 	 * while sleeps in memcpy_tomsg
@@ -3090,9 +3086,11 @@ static int unix_stream_read_generic(struct unix_stream_read_state *state,
 
 	mutex_unlock(&u->iolock);
 	if (msg) {
+		bool do_cmsg = READ_ONCE(u->recvmsg_inq);
+
 		scm_recv_unix(sock, msg, &scm, flags);
 
-		if (msg->msg_get_inq && (copied ?: err) >= 0) {
+		if ((do_cmsg | msg->msg_get_inq) && (copied ?: err) >= 0) {
 			msg->msg_inq = READ_ONCE(u->inq_len);
 			if (do_cmsg)
 				put_cmsg(msg, SOL_SOCKET, SCM_INQ,
-- 
2.52.0.351.gbe84eed79e-goog

Re: [PATCH net] net: do not write to msg_get_inq in callee

[Jens Axboe]

On 1/6/26 8:05 AM, Willem de Bruijn wrote:
> From: Willem de Bruijn <willemb@google.com>
> 
> NULL pointer dereference fix.
> 
> msg_get_inq is an input field from caller to callee. Don't set it in
> the callee, as the caller may not clear it on struct reuse.
> 
> This is a kernel-internal variant of msghdr only, and the only user
> does reinitialize the field. So this is not critical for that reason.
> But it is more robust to avoid the write, and slightly simpler code.
> And it fixes a bug, see below.
> 
> Callers set msg_get_inq to request the input queue length to be
> returned in msg_inq. This is equivalent to but independent from the
> SO_INQ request to return that same info as a cmsg (tp->recvmsg_inq).
> To reduce branching in the hot path the second also sets the msg_inq.
> That is WAI.
> 
> This is a fix to commit 4d1442979e4a ("af_unix: don't post cmsg for
> SO_INQ unless explicitly asked for"), which fixed the inverse.
> 
> Also avoid NULL pointer dereference in unix_stream_read_generic if
> state->msg is NULL and msg->msg_get_inq is written. A NULL state->msg
> can happen when splicing as of commit 2b514574f7e8 ("net: af_unix:
> implement splice for stream af_unix sockets").
> 
> Also collapse two branches using a bitwise or.
> 
> Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org
> Fixes: 4d1442979e4a ("af_unix: don't post cmsg for SO_INQ unless explicitly asked for")
> Link: https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/willemdebruijn.kernel.24d8030f7a3de@gmail.com/
> Signed-off-by: Willem de Bruijn <willemb@google.com>
> 
> ---
> 
> Jens, I dropped your Reviewed-by because of the commit message updates.
> But code is unchanged.

Still looks good to me:

Reviewed-by: Jens Axboe <axboe@kernel.dk>

Thanks for doing this!

-- 
Jens Axboe

Re: [PATCH net] net: do not write to msg_get_inq in callee

[Eric Dumazet]

On Tue, Jan 6, 2026 at 4:06 PM Willem de Bruijn
<willemdebruijn.kernel@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> From: Willem de Bruijn <willemb@google.com>
>
> NULL pointer dereference fix.
>
> msg_get_inq is an input field from caller to callee. Don't set it in
> the callee, as the caller may not clear it on struct reuse.
>
> This is a kernel-internal variant of msghdr only, and the only user
> does reinitialize the field. So this is not critical for that reason.
> But it is more robust to avoid the write, and slightly simpler code.
> And it fixes a bug, see below.
>
> Callers set msg_get_inq to request the input queue length to be
> returned in msg_inq. This is equivalent to but independent from the
> SO_INQ request to return that same info as a cmsg (tp->recvmsg_inq).
> To reduce branching in the hot path the second also sets the msg_inq.
> That is WAI.
>
> This is a fix to commit 4d1442979e4a ("af_unix: don't post cmsg for
> SO_INQ unless explicitly asked for"), which fixed the inverse.
>
> Also avoid NULL pointer dereference in unix_stream_read_generic if
> state->msg is NULL and msg->msg_get_inq is written. A NULL state->msg
> can happen when splicing as of commit 2b514574f7e8 ("net: af_unix:
> implement splice for stream af_unix sockets").
>
> Also collapse two branches using a bitwise or.
>
> Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org
> Fixes: 4d1442979e4a ("af_unix: don't post cmsg for SO_INQ unless explicitly asked for")
> Link: https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/willemdebruijn.kernel.24d8030f7a3de@gmail.com/
> Signed-off-by: Willem de Bruijn <willemb@google.com>

Reviewed-by: Eric Dumazet <edumazet@google.com>

Thanks Willem.

Re: [PATCH net] net: do not write to msg_get_inq in callee

[Kuniyuki Iwashima]

On Tue, Jan 6, 2026 at 7:06 AM Willem de Bruijn
<willemdebruijn.kernel@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> From: Willem de Bruijn <willemb@google.com>
>
> NULL pointer dereference fix.
>
> msg_get_inq is an input field from caller to callee. Don't set it in
> the callee, as the caller may not clear it on struct reuse.
>
> This is a kernel-internal variant of msghdr only, and the only user
> does reinitialize the field. So this is not critical for that reason.
> But it is more robust to avoid the write, and slightly simpler code.
> And it fixes a bug, see below.
>
> Callers set msg_get_inq to request the input queue length to be
> returned in msg_inq. This is equivalent to but independent from the
> SO_INQ request to return that same info as a cmsg (tp->recvmsg_inq).
> To reduce branching in the hot path the second also sets the msg_inq.
> That is WAI.
>
> This is a fix to commit 4d1442979e4a ("af_unix: don't post cmsg for
> SO_INQ unless explicitly asked for"), which fixed the inverse.
>
> Also avoid NULL pointer dereference in unix_stream_read_generic if
> state->msg is NULL and msg->msg_get_inq is written. A NULL state->msg
> can happen when splicing as of commit 2b514574f7e8 ("net: af_unix:
> implement splice for stream af_unix sockets").
>
> Also collapse two branches using a bitwise or.
>
> Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org
> Fixes: 4d1442979e4a ("af_unix: don't post cmsg for SO_INQ unless explicitly asked for")
> Link: https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/willemdebruijn.kernel.24d8030f7a3de@gmail.com/
> Signed-off-by: Willem de Bruijn <willemb@google.com>

Reviewed-by: Kuniyuki Iwashima <kuniyu@google.com>

Thanks!

Re: [PATCH net] net: do not write to msg_get_inq in callee

[patchwork-bot+netdevbpf]

Hello:

This patch was applied to netdev/net.git (main)
by Jakub Kicinski <kuba@kernel.org>:

On Tue,  6 Jan 2026 10:05:46 -0500 you wrote:
> From: Willem de Bruijn <willemb@google.com>
> 
> NULL pointer dereference fix.
> 
> msg_get_inq is an input field from caller to callee. Don't set it in
> the callee, as the caller may not clear it on struct reuse.
> 
> [...]

Here is the summary with links:
  - [net] net: do not write to msg_get_inq in callee
    https://git.kernel.org/netdev/net/c/7d11e047eda5

You are awesome, thank you!
-- 
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