Re: [PATCH net] net: usb: rtl8150: Fix frame padding

[Simon Horman <horms@kernel.org>]

On Sun, Oct 12, 2025 at 10:00:42PM +0200, Michal Pecio wrote:
> TX frames aren't padded and unknown memory is sent into the ether.
> 
> Theoretically, it isn't even guaranteed that the extra memory exists
> and can be sent out, which could cause further problems. In practice,
> I found that plenty of tailroom exists in the skb itself (in my test
> with ping at least) and skb_padto() easily succeeds, so use it here.
> 
> In the event of -ENOMEM drop the frame like other drivers do.
> 
> The use of one more padding byte instead of a USB zero-length packet
> is retained to avoid regression. I have a dodgy Etron xHCI controller
> which doesn't seem to support sending ZLPs at all.
> 
> Fixes: 1da177e4c3f4 ("Linux-2.6.12-rc2")
> Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org
> Signed-off-by: Michal Pecio <michal.pecio@gmail.com>
> ---
>  drivers/net/usb/rtl8150.c | 9 +++++++--
>  1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/drivers/net/usb/rtl8150.c b/drivers/net/usb/rtl8150.c
> index 92add3daadbb..d6dce8babae0 100644
> --- a/drivers/net/usb/rtl8150.c
> +++ b/drivers/net/usb/rtl8150.c
> @@ -685,9 +685,14 @@ static netdev_tx_t rtl8150_start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb,
>  	rtl8150_t *dev = netdev_priv(netdev);
>  	int count, res;
>  
> +	/* pad the frame and ensure terminating USB packet, datasheet 9.2.3 */
> +	count = max(skb->len, ETH_ZLEN);
> +	if (count % 64 == 0)
> +		count++;
> +	if (skb_padto(skb, count))
> +

Hi Michal,

I think this should also increment a dropped counter.
As this driver already uses dev->netdev->stats [*]
I think that would be:

		dev->netdev->stats.tx_dropped++;

[*] I specifically mention this, for the record because,
    new users are discouraged. But this driver is an existing user
    so I think we are ok.

> +		return NETDEV_TX_OK;
>  	netif_stop_queue(netdev);
> -	count = (skb->len < 60) ? 60 : skb->len;
> -	count = (count & 0x3f) ? count : count + 1;
>  	dev->tx_skb = skb;
>  	usb_fill_bulk_urb(dev->tx_urb, dev->udev, usb_sndbulkpipe(dev->udev, 2),
>  		      skb->data, count, write_bulk_callback, dev);
> -- 
> 2.48.1
>