* [PATCH v2] tty: ldisc: fix deadlock between ldisc_sem and rtnl_mutex
@ 2026-07-21 8:50 Yun Zhou
0 siblings, 0 replies; only message in thread
From: Yun Zhou @ 2026-07-21 8:50 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: gregkh, jirislaby, socketcan
Cc: linux-serial, mkl, linux-can, davem, edumazet, kuba, pabeni,
horms, netdev, linux-kernel, yun.zhou
syzbot reported a circular lock dependency involving tty ldisc_sem and
the networking rtnl_mutex. The full chain is:
rtnl_mutex --> nft_commit_mutex --> ... --> ep->mtx --> ldisc_sem --> rtnl_mutex
The last edge (ldisc_sem -> rtnl_mutex) is created because tty line
discipline .open() callbacks (slcan, slip) call register_netdev() which
acquires rtnl_mutex, and .open() runs under ldisc_sem write lock in
tty_set_ldisc().
Fix by moving the .open() call outside the ldisc_sem write lock. The
ldisc .open() is initialization of the NEW discipline after the old one
has been closed - there is no need for ldisc_sem protection at this
point since:
- tty_lock is held throughout, preventing concurrent tty_set_ldisc,
hangup, or close
- tty->ldisc is set to NULL during the window. tty_ldisc_ref_wait()
waits for the transition to complete. tty_ldisc_ref() returns NULL
which callers already handle.
- tty buffer data stays queued until the ldisc is installed
The sequence becomes:
1. Hold ldisc_sem(write): close old ldisc, set tty->ldisc = NULL
2. Release ldisc_sem(write)
3. Call new_ldisc->ops->open() without ldisc_sem
4. Re-acquire ldisc_sem(write): install new ldisc (or restore old)
5. Release ldisc_sem(write)
Reported-by: syzbot+de610eeef174bd59a8a3@syzkaller.appspotmail.com
Closes: https://syzkaller.appspot.com/bug?extid=de610eeef174bd59a8a3
Signed-off-by: Yun Zhou <yun.zhou@windriver.com>
---
v2:
- Keep user-visible behavior unchanged: tty_ldisc_ref_wait() now waits
for the ldisc transition to complete instead of returning NULL (which
would cause spurious EOF/-EIO to concurrent readers).
- Fix a race between tty_ldisc_ref_wait() and __tty_hangup() where a
reader could block forever if it observed ldisc==NULL before
TTY_HUPPED was set. Add wake_up() after set_bit(TTY_HUPPED).
drivers/tty/tty_io.c | 7 +++++++
drivers/tty/tty_ldisc.c | 34 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++---
2 files changed, 38 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)
diff --git a/drivers/tty/tty_io.c b/drivers/tty/tty_io.c
index 6b283fd03ff8..e2f82e80f397 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/tty_io.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/tty_io.c
@@ -649,6 +649,13 @@ static void __tty_hangup(struct tty_struct *tty, int exit_session)
*/
set_bit(TTY_HUPPED, &tty->flags);
clear_bit(TTY_HUPPING, &tty->flags);
+
+ /*
+ * Wake up readers blocked in tty_ldisc_ref_wait() that may have
+ * seen ldisc == NULL but not yet TTY_HUPPED.
+ */
+ wake_up(&tty->read_wait);
+
tty_unlock(tty);
if (f)
diff --git a/drivers/tty/tty_ldisc.c b/drivers/tty/tty_ldisc.c
index 27fe8236f662..bd94a1f13c44 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/tty_ldisc.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/tty_ldisc.c
@@ -242,8 +242,20 @@ struct tty_ldisc *tty_ldisc_ref_wait(struct tty_struct *tty)
ldsem_down_read(&tty->ldisc_sem, MAX_SCHEDULE_TIMEOUT);
ld = tty->ldisc;
- if (!ld)
+ if (!ld) {
ldsem_up_read(&tty->ldisc_sem);
+
+ /* ldisc may be NULL during a discipline switch; wait and retry */
+ if (!test_bit(TTY_HUPPED, &tty->flags)) {
+ wait_event(tty->read_wait,
+ READ_ONCE(tty->ldisc) != NULL ||
+ test_bit(TTY_HUPPED, &tty->flags));
+ ldsem_down_read(&tty->ldisc_sem, MAX_SCHEDULE_TIMEOUT);
+ ld = tty->ldisc;
+ if (!ld)
+ ldsem_up_read(&tty->ldisc_sem);
+ }
+ }
return ld;
}
EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(tty_ldisc_ref_wait);
@@ -556,15 +568,28 @@ int tty_set_ldisc(struct tty_struct *tty, int disc)
/* Shutdown the old discipline. */
tty_ldisc_close(tty, old_ldisc);
- /* Now set up the new line discipline. */
- tty->ldisc = new_ldisc;
+ /* Clear tty->ldisc so concurrent readers back off during transition */
+ tty->ldisc = NULL;
tty_set_termios_ldisc(tty, disc);
+ tty_ldisc_unlock(tty);
+ /*
+ * Open the new discipline outside ldisc_sem. The ldisc .open()
+ * may acquire locks (e.g., rtnl_mutex) that would create circular
+ * dependencies if taken under ldisc_sem. tty_lock is still held,
+ * preventing concurrent ldisc changes and hangup.
+ */
retval = tty_ldisc_open(tty, new_ldisc);
+
+ tty_ldisc_lock(tty, MAX_SCHEDULE_TIMEOUT);
+
if (retval < 0) {
/* Back to the old one or N_TTY if we can't */
tty_ldisc_put(new_ldisc);
tty_ldisc_restore(tty, old_ldisc);
+ } else {
+ /* Success - install new ldisc */
+ tty->ldisc = new_ldisc;
}
if (tty->ldisc->ops->num != old_ldisc->ops->num && tty->ops->set_ldisc) {
@@ -584,6 +609,9 @@ int tty_set_ldisc(struct tty_struct *tty, int disc)
out:
tty_ldisc_unlock(tty);
+ /* Wake up readers waiting for the ldisc transition to complete */
+ wake_up(&tty->read_wait);
+
/*
* Restart the work queue in case no characters kick it off. Safe if
* already running
--
2.43.0
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