* [PATCH net 0/5] rose: fix use-after-free and reference counting bugs
@ 2026-04-26 14:43 Bernard Pidoux
2026-04-26 14:43 ` [PATCH net 1/5] rose: fix dev_put() leak in rose_loopback_timer() Bernard Pidoux
` (4 more replies)
0 siblings, 5 replies; 6+ messages in thread
From: Bernard Pidoux @ 2026-04-26 14:43 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: netdev
Cc: linux-hams, linux-kernel, davem, edumazet, kuba, pabeni, horms,
Bernard Pidoux
This series fixes several bugs in the ROSE protocol loopback path and
state machines, all confirmed by KASAN on a live system.
A long-standing practical consequence of these bugs is that once the
rose module has been used to establish at least one connection, it can
no longer be unloaded cleanly: rmmod(8) hangs or causes a kernel crash
because outstanding references and running timers prevent the module
from completing its exit path. Patches 2 and 3 together fix this by
ensuring the loopback timer stops cleanly and all neighbour references
are released on module exit.
Patch 1 fixes a device reference leak in rose_loopback_timer(): dev_put()
was only called on the failure path of rose_rx_call_request(), leaking a
reference on every successful loopback CALL_REQUEST. It also removes a
dead check that can never be true for the loopback neighbour.
Patch 2 adds hold/put protection around the loopback timer body so that
rose_loopback_neigh cannot be freed while the callback is running.
Patch 3 fixes a race between the loopback timer and module removal by
switching rose_loopback_clear() to timer_delete_sync() and adding an
atomic loopback_stopping flag that prevents the timer from re-arming
itself after module exit has started.
Patch 4 clears rose->neighbour to NULL after every rose_neigh_put() call
in the ROSE state machines (rose_in.c), preventing use of a potentially
freed pointer by later code paths.
Patch 5 guards the rose_neigh_put() call in rose_timer_expiry() STATE_2
against a NULL pointer that can appear when a concurrent teardown path
(e.g. rose_kill_by_device()) has already cleared the neighbour pointer
between a timer re-arm and the next firing.
Bernard Pidoux (5):
rose: fix dev_put() leak in rose_loopback_timer()
rose: hold loopback neighbour reference across timer callback
rose: fix race between loopback timer and module removal
rose: clear neighbour pointer after rose_neigh_put() in state machines
rose: guard rose_neigh_put() against NULL in timer expiry
net/rose/rose_in.c | 6 +++++
net/rose/rose_loopback.c | 53 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------------
net/rose/rose_timer.c | 5 +++-
3 files changed, 46 insertions(+), 18 deletions(-)
--
2.51.0
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 6+ messages in thread
* [PATCH net 1/5] rose: fix dev_put() leak in rose_loopback_timer()
2026-04-26 14:43 [PATCH net 0/5] rose: fix use-after-free and reference counting bugs Bernard Pidoux
@ 2026-04-26 14:43 ` Bernard Pidoux
2026-04-26 14:43 ` [PATCH net 2/5] rose: hold loopback neighbour reference across timer callback Bernard Pidoux
` (3 subsequent siblings)
4 siblings, 0 replies; 6+ messages in thread
From: Bernard Pidoux @ 2026-04-26 14:43 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: netdev
Cc: linux-hams, linux-kernel, davem, edumazet, kuba, pabeni, horms,
Bernard Pidoux
rose_rx_call_request() always consumes or returns the skb but never
releases the device reference obtained from rose_dev_get(). When
rose_rx_call_request() succeeds (returns non-zero) dev_put() was never
called, leaking one reference per loopback CALL_REQUEST.
Move dev_put() outside the conditional so it is called unconditionally
after rose_rx_call_request() in all cases.
Also remove the dead check (!rose_loopback_neigh->dev &&
!rose_loopback_neigh->loopback) that immediately precedes it: the
loopback neighbour always has loopback=1 so this condition can never
be true.
Fixes: 0453c6824595 ("net/rose: fix unbound loop in rose_loopback_timer()")
Tested-by: Bernard Pidoux <bernard.f6bvp@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Bernard Pidoux <bernard.f6bvp@gmail.com>
---
net/rose/rose_loopback.c | 11 ++---------
1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)
diff --git a/net/rose/rose_loopback.c b/net/rose/rose_loopback.c
index b538e39b3df5..914c8f453a1d 100644
--- a/net/rose/rose_loopback.c
+++ b/net/rose/rose_loopback.c
@@ -96,22 +96,15 @@ static void rose_loopback_timer(struct timer_list *unused)
}
if (frametype == ROSE_CALL_REQUEST) {
- if (!rose_loopback_neigh->dev &&
- !rose_loopback_neigh->loopback) {
- kfree_skb(skb);
- continue;
- }
-
dev = rose_dev_get(dest);
if (!dev) {
kfree_skb(skb);
continue;
}
- if (rose_rx_call_request(skb, dev, rose_loopback_neigh, lci_o) == 0) {
- dev_put(dev);
+ if (rose_rx_call_request(skb, dev, rose_loopback_neigh, lci_o) == 0)
kfree_skb(skb);
- }
+ dev_put(dev);
} else {
kfree_skb(skb);
}
--
2.51.0
^ permalink raw reply related [flat|nested] 6+ messages in thread
* [PATCH net 2/5] rose: hold loopback neighbour reference across timer callback
2026-04-26 14:43 [PATCH net 0/5] rose: fix use-after-free and reference counting bugs Bernard Pidoux
2026-04-26 14:43 ` [PATCH net 1/5] rose: fix dev_put() leak in rose_loopback_timer() Bernard Pidoux
@ 2026-04-26 14:43 ` Bernard Pidoux
2026-04-26 14:43 ` [PATCH net 3/5] rose: fix race between loopback timer and module removal Bernard Pidoux
` (2 subsequent siblings)
4 siblings, 0 replies; 6+ messages in thread
From: Bernard Pidoux @ 2026-04-26 14:43 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: netdev
Cc: linux-hams, linux-kernel, davem, edumazet, kuba, pabeni, horms,
Bernard Pidoux
rose_loopback_timer() dereferences rose_loopback_neigh throughout its
body but holds no reference on it. A concurrent rose_loopback_clear()
followed by rose_add_loopback_neigh() could free and reallocate the
neighbour while the timer body is running, causing a use-after-free.
Take a reference with rose_neigh_hold() at the start of the callback
(bailing out if the pointer is already NULL) and release it with
rose_neigh_put() at the single exit point. The neigh cannot be freed
while the callback holds a reference.
Fixes: d860d1faa6b2 ("net: rose: convert 'use' field to refcount_t")
Tested-by: Bernard Pidoux <bernard.f6bvp@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Bernard Pidoux <bernard.f6bvp@gmail.com>
---
net/rose/rose_loopback.c | 11 ++++++++++-
1 file changed, 10 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
diff --git a/net/rose/rose_loopback.c b/net/rose/rose_loopback.c
index 914c8f453a1d..d66913df360d 100644
--- a/net/rose/rose_loopback.c
+++ b/net/rose/rose_loopback.c
@@ -66,10 +66,15 @@ static void rose_loopback_timer(struct timer_list *unused)
unsigned int lci_i, lci_o;
int count;
+ if (rose_loopback_neigh)
+ rose_neigh_hold(rose_loopback_neigh);
+ else
+ return;
+
for (count = 0; count < ROSE_LOOPBACK_LIMIT; count++) {
skb = skb_dequeue(&loopback_queue);
if (!skb)
- return;
+ goto out;
if (skb->len < ROSE_MIN_LEN) {
kfree_skb(skb);
continue;
@@ -109,6 +114,10 @@ static void rose_loopback_timer(struct timer_list *unused)
kfree_skb(skb);
}
}
+
+out:
+ rose_neigh_put(rose_loopback_neigh);
+
if (!skb_queue_empty(&loopback_queue))
mod_timer(&loopback_timer, jiffies + 1);
}
--
2.51.0
^ permalink raw reply related [flat|nested] 6+ messages in thread
* [PATCH net 3/5] rose: fix race between loopback timer and module removal
2026-04-26 14:43 [PATCH net 0/5] rose: fix use-after-free and reference counting bugs Bernard Pidoux
2026-04-26 14:43 ` [PATCH net 1/5] rose: fix dev_put() leak in rose_loopback_timer() Bernard Pidoux
2026-04-26 14:43 ` [PATCH net 2/5] rose: hold loopback neighbour reference across timer callback Bernard Pidoux
@ 2026-04-26 14:43 ` Bernard Pidoux
2026-04-26 14:43 ` [PATCH net 4/5] rose: clear neighbour pointer after rose_neigh_put() in state machines Bernard Pidoux
2026-04-26 14:43 ` [PATCH net 5/5] rose: guard rose_neigh_put() against NULL in timer expiry Bernard Pidoux
4 siblings, 0 replies; 6+ messages in thread
From: Bernard Pidoux @ 2026-04-26 14:43 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: netdev
Cc: linux-hams, linux-kernel, davem, edumazet, kuba, pabeni, horms,
Bernard Pidoux
rose_loopback_clear() called timer_delete() which returns immediately
without waiting for any running callback to complete. If the timer
fired concurrently with module removal, rose_loopback_timer() could
re-arm the timer after timer_delete() returned and then access
rose_loopback_neigh after it was freed.
Two complementary changes close the race:
1. Add a loopback_stopping atomic flag. rose_loopback_timer() checks
it at entry (before acquiring a reference) and again inside the
loop; when set it drains the queue and exits without re-arming the
timer.
2. Switch rose_loopback_clear() to timer_delete_sync() so it blocks
until any in-flight callback has returned before freeing resources.
The smp_mb() between setting the flag and calling timer_delete_sync()
ensures the flag is visible to any callback that is about to run.
Fixes: 1da177e4c3f4 ("Linux-2.6.12-rc2")
Tested-by: Bernard Pidoux <bernard.f6bvp@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Bernard Pidoux <bernard.f6bvp@gmail.com>
---
net/rose/rose_loopback.c | 31 ++++++++++++++++++++++++-------
1 file changed, 24 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)
diff --git a/net/rose/rose_loopback.c b/net/rose/rose_loopback.c
index d66913df360d..80d7879ef36a 100644
--- a/net/rose/rose_loopback.c
+++ b/net/rose/rose_loopback.c
@@ -12,13 +12,15 @@
#include <net/rose.h>
#include <linux/init.h>
-static struct sk_buff_head loopback_queue;
#define ROSE_LOOPBACK_LIMIT 1000
-static struct timer_list loopback_timer;
+static struct timer_list loopback_timer;
+static struct sk_buff_head loopback_queue;
static void rose_set_loopback_timer(void);
static void rose_loopback_timer(struct timer_list *unused);
+static atomic_t loopback_stopping = ATOMIC_INIT(0);
+
void rose_loopback_init(void)
{
skb_queue_head_init(&loopback_queue);
@@ -66,6 +68,9 @@ static void rose_loopback_timer(struct timer_list *unused)
unsigned int lci_i, lci_o;
int count;
+ if (atomic_read(&loopback_stopping))
+ return;
+
if (rose_loopback_neigh)
rose_neigh_hold(rose_loopback_neigh);
else
@@ -75,6 +80,13 @@ static void rose_loopback_timer(struct timer_list *unused)
skb = skb_dequeue(&loopback_queue);
if (!skb)
goto out;
+
+ if (atomic_read(&loopback_stopping)) {
+ kfree_skb(skb);
+ skb_queue_purge(&loopback_queue);
+ goto out;
+ }
+
if (skb->len < ROSE_MIN_LEN) {
kfree_skb(skb);
continue;
@@ -118,7 +130,7 @@ static void rose_loopback_timer(struct timer_list *unused)
out:
rose_neigh_put(rose_loopback_neigh);
- if (!skb_queue_empty(&loopback_queue))
+ if (!atomic_read(&loopback_stopping) && !skb_queue_empty(&loopback_queue))
mod_timer(&loopback_timer, jiffies + 1);
}
@@ -126,10 +138,15 @@ void __exit rose_loopback_clear(void)
{
struct sk_buff *skb;
- timer_delete(&loopback_timer);
+ atomic_set(&loopback_stopping, 1);
+ /* Pairs with atomic_read() in rose_loopback_timer(): ensure the
+ * stopping flag is visible before we cancel, so a concurrent
+ * callback aborts its loop early rather than re-arming the timer.
+ */
+ smp_mb();
+
+ timer_delete_sync(&loopback_timer);
- while ((skb = skb_dequeue(&loopback_queue)) != NULL) {
- skb->sk = NULL;
+ while ((skb = skb_dequeue(&loopback_queue)) != NULL)
kfree_skb(skb);
- }
}
--
2.51.0
^ permalink raw reply related [flat|nested] 6+ messages in thread
* [PATCH net 4/5] rose: clear neighbour pointer after rose_neigh_put() in state machines
2026-04-26 14:43 [PATCH net 0/5] rose: fix use-after-free and reference counting bugs Bernard Pidoux
` (2 preceding siblings ...)
2026-04-26 14:43 ` [PATCH net 3/5] rose: fix race between loopback timer and module removal Bernard Pidoux
@ 2026-04-26 14:43 ` Bernard Pidoux
2026-04-26 14:43 ` [PATCH net 5/5] rose: guard rose_neigh_put() against NULL in timer expiry Bernard Pidoux
4 siblings, 0 replies; 6+ messages in thread
From: Bernard Pidoux @ 2026-04-26 14:43 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: netdev
Cc: linux-hams, linux-kernel, davem, edumazet, kuba, pabeni, horms,
Bernard Pidoux
After calling rose_neigh_put() in rose_state1_machine() through
rose_state5_machine(), rose->neighbour was left pointing at the
potentially freed neighbour structure. A subsequent timer expiry or
concurrent teardown path could dereference the stale pointer, causing
a use-after-free.
Set rose->neighbour to NULL immediately after each rose_neigh_put()
call in the state machine functions.
Fixes: d860d1faa6b2 ("net: rose: convert 'use' field to refcount_t")
Tested-by: Bernard Pidoux <bernard.f6bvp@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Bernard Pidoux <bernard.f6bvp@gmail.com>
---
net/rose/rose_in.c | 6 ++++++
1 file changed, 6 insertions(+)
diff --git a/net/rose/rose_in.c b/net/rose/rose_in.c
index 0276b393f0e5..622527f1354f 100644
--- a/net/rose/rose_in.c
+++ b/net/rose/rose_in.c
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ static int rose_state1_machine(struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb, int framety
rose_write_internal(sk, ROSE_CLEAR_CONFIRMATION);
rose_disconnect(sk, ECONNREFUSED, skb->data[3], skb->data[4]);
rose_neigh_put(rose->neighbour);
+ rose->neighbour = NULL;
break;
default:
@@ -80,11 +81,13 @@ static int rose_state2_machine(struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb, int framety
rose_write_internal(sk, ROSE_CLEAR_CONFIRMATION);
rose_disconnect(sk, 0, skb->data[3], skb->data[4]);
rose_neigh_put(rose->neighbour);
+ rose->neighbour = NULL;
break;
case ROSE_CLEAR_CONFIRMATION:
rose_disconnect(sk, 0, -1, -1);
rose_neigh_put(rose->neighbour);
+ rose->neighbour = NULL;
break;
default:
@@ -122,6 +125,7 @@ static int rose_state3_machine(struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb, int framety
rose_write_internal(sk, ROSE_CLEAR_CONFIRMATION);
rose_disconnect(sk, 0, skb->data[3], skb->data[4]);
rose_neigh_put(rose->neighbour);
+ rose->neighbour = NULL;
break;
case ROSE_RR:
@@ -235,6 +239,7 @@ static int rose_state4_machine(struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb, int framety
rose_write_internal(sk, ROSE_CLEAR_CONFIRMATION);
rose_disconnect(sk, 0, skb->data[3], skb->data[4]);
rose_neigh_put(rose->neighbour);
+ rose->neighbour = NULL;
break;
default:
@@ -255,6 +260,7 @@ static int rose_state5_machine(struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb, int framety
rose_write_internal(sk, ROSE_CLEAR_CONFIRMATION);
rose_disconnect(sk, 0, skb->data[3], skb->data[4]);
rose_neigh_put(rose_sk(sk)->neighbour);
+ rose_sk(sk)->neighbour = NULL;
}
return 0;
--
2.51.0
^ permalink raw reply related [flat|nested] 6+ messages in thread
* [PATCH net 5/5] rose: guard rose_neigh_put() against NULL in timer expiry
2026-04-26 14:43 [PATCH net 0/5] rose: fix use-after-free and reference counting bugs Bernard Pidoux
` (3 preceding siblings ...)
2026-04-26 14:43 ` [PATCH net 4/5] rose: clear neighbour pointer after rose_neigh_put() in state machines Bernard Pidoux
@ 2026-04-26 14:43 ` Bernard Pidoux
4 siblings, 0 replies; 6+ messages in thread
From: Bernard Pidoux @ 2026-04-26 14:43 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: netdev
Cc: linux-hams, linux-kernel, davem, edumazet, kuba, pabeni, horms,
Bernard Pidoux
In rose_timer_expiry(), the ROSE_STATE_2 branch calls
rose_neigh_put(rose->neighbour) without first checking whether the
pointer is NULL. After commit 5de7665e0a07 ("net: rose: fix timer
races against user threads") the timer is re-armed when the socket is
owned by a user thread; between the re-arm and the next firing, a
device-down event or concurrent teardown via rose_kill_by_device() can
set rose->neighbour to NULL, leading to a NULL-pointer dereference
inside rose_neigh_put().
Add a NULL check before the put and clear the pointer afterwards.
Fixes: 5de7665e0a07 ("net: rose: fix timer races against user threads")
Tested-by: Bernard Pidoux <bernard.f6bvp@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Bernard Pidoux <bernard.f6bvp@gmail.com>
---
net/rose/rose_timer.c | 5 ++++-
1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
diff --git a/net/rose/rose_timer.c b/net/rose/rose_timer.c
index bb60a1654d61..d997d24ab081 100644
--- a/net/rose/rose_timer.c
+++ b/net/rose/rose_timer.c
@@ -180,7 +180,10 @@ static void rose_timer_expiry(struct timer_list *t)
break;
case ROSE_STATE_2: /* T3 */
- rose_neigh_put(rose->neighbour);
+ if (rose->neighbour) {
+ rose_neigh_put(rose->neighbour);
+ rose->neighbour = NULL;
+ }
rose_disconnect(sk, ETIMEDOUT, -1, -1);
break;
--
2.51.0
^ permalink raw reply related [flat|nested] 6+ messages in thread
end of thread, other threads:[~2026-04-26 14:43 UTC | newest]
Thread overview: 6+ messages (download: mbox.gz follow: Atom feed
-- links below jump to the message on this page --
2026-04-26 14:43 [PATCH net 0/5] rose: fix use-after-free and reference counting bugs Bernard Pidoux
2026-04-26 14:43 ` [PATCH net 1/5] rose: fix dev_put() leak in rose_loopback_timer() Bernard Pidoux
2026-04-26 14:43 ` [PATCH net 2/5] rose: hold loopback neighbour reference across timer callback Bernard Pidoux
2026-04-26 14:43 ` [PATCH net 3/5] rose: fix race between loopback timer and module removal Bernard Pidoux
2026-04-26 14:43 ` [PATCH net 4/5] rose: clear neighbour pointer after rose_neigh_put() in state machines Bernard Pidoux
2026-04-26 14:43 ` [PATCH net 5/5] rose: guard rose_neigh_put() against NULL in timer expiry Bernard Pidoux
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