* [PATCH net] ipv4: protect egress device access in the output path with rcu_read_lock
@ 2026-05-30 6:49 Hyunwoo Kim
2026-05-30 9:48 ` Hyunwoo Kim
0 siblings, 1 reply; 2+ messages in thread
From: Hyunwoo Kim @ 2026-05-30 6:49 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: dsahern, idosch, davem, edumazet, kuba, pabeni, horms,
steffen.klassert, herbert
Cc: netdev, imv4bel
ip_mc_output(), __ip_local_out() and xfrm4_output() read the egress
network device from rt->dst.dev / skb_dst_dev(skb) and then pass that
pointer as the 'out' device argument of NF_HOOK without holding
rcu_read_lock.
dst->dev is a field protected by RCU. When a device is unregistered its
value is replaced with blackhole_netdev, and the previous device is
freed after an RCU grace period. A section that reads dst->dev and uses
that pointer must therefore hold rcu_read_lock. The three functions
above are missing this protection, so when the egress device is
unregistered concurrently with transmission, a LOCAL_OUT / POST_ROUTING
hook (nft meta oif, selinux_ip_postroute_compat, etc.) can reference a
device pointer that is no longer valid.
In all three leaves, wrap the section that reads the device and runs
NF_HOOK in rcu_read_lock(), and read the device through the RCU
accessors (skb_dst_dev_rcu() / dst_dev_rcu()). As a result, the RCU
grace period cannot complete while a transmission is in flight, so the
egress device is not freed and the hook always references a valid
device.
Fixes: 4a6ce2b6f2ec ("net: introduce a new function dst_dev_put()")
Signed-off-by: Hyunwoo Kim <imv4bel@gmail.com>
---
net/ipv4/ip_output.c | 27 +++++++++++++++++++--------
net/ipv4/xfrm4_output.c | 13 +++++++++----
2 files changed, 28 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-)
diff --git a/net/ipv4/ip_output.c b/net/ipv4/ip_output.c
index 5bcd73cbdb41..92a70b7e74a6 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/ip_output.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/ip_output.c
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(ip_send_check);
int __ip_local_out(struct net *net, struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb)
{
struct iphdr *iph = ip_hdr(skb);
+ int err;
IP_INC_STATS(net, IPSTATS_MIB_OUTREQUESTS);
@@ -117,9 +118,12 @@ int __ip_local_out(struct net *net, struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb)
skb->protocol = htons(ETH_P_IP);
- return nf_hook(NFPROTO_IPV4, NF_INET_LOCAL_OUT,
- net, sk, skb, NULL, skb_dst_dev(skb),
- dst_output);
+ rcu_read_lock();
+ err = nf_hook(NFPROTO_IPV4, NF_INET_LOCAL_OUT,
+ net, sk, skb, NULL, skb_dst_dev_rcu(skb),
+ dst_output);
+ rcu_read_unlock();
+ return err;
}
int ip_local_out(struct net *net, struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb)
@@ -368,7 +372,11 @@ static int ip_mc_finish_output(struct net *net, struct sock *sk,
int ip_mc_output(struct net *net, struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb)
{
struct rtable *rt = skb_rtable(skb);
- struct net_device *dev = rt->dst.dev;
+ struct net_device *dev;
+ int ret;
+
+ rcu_read_lock();
+ dev = dst_dev_rcu(&rt->dst);
/*
* If the indicated interface is up and running, send the packet.
@@ -407,6 +415,7 @@ int ip_mc_output(struct net *net, struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb)
if (ip_hdr(skb)->ttl == 0) {
kfree_skb(skb);
+ rcu_read_unlock();
return 0;
}
}
@@ -419,10 +428,12 @@ int ip_mc_output(struct net *net, struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb)
ip_mc_finish_output);
}
- return NF_HOOK_COND(NFPROTO_IPV4, NF_INET_POST_ROUTING,
- net, sk, skb, NULL, skb->dev,
- ip_finish_output,
- !(IPCB(skb)->flags & IPSKB_REROUTED));
+ ret = NF_HOOK_COND(NFPROTO_IPV4, NF_INET_POST_ROUTING,
+ net, sk, skb, NULL, skb->dev,
+ ip_finish_output,
+ !(IPCB(skb)->flags & IPSKB_REROUTED));
+ rcu_read_unlock();
+ return ret;
}
int ip_output(struct net *net, struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb)
diff --git a/net/ipv4/xfrm4_output.c b/net/ipv4/xfrm4_output.c
index 0ae67d537499..d5dc084777a3 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/xfrm4_output.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/xfrm4_output.c
@@ -30,10 +30,15 @@ static int __xfrm4_output(struct net *net, struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb)
int xfrm4_output(struct net *net, struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb)
{
- return NF_HOOK_COND(NFPROTO_IPV4, NF_INET_POST_ROUTING,
- net, sk, skb, skb->dev, skb_dst_dev(skb),
- __xfrm4_output,
- !(IPCB(skb)->flags & IPSKB_REROUTED));
+ int ret;
+
+ rcu_read_lock();
+ ret = NF_HOOK_COND(NFPROTO_IPV4, NF_INET_POST_ROUTING,
+ net, sk, skb, skb->dev, skb_dst_dev_rcu(skb),
+ __xfrm4_output,
+ !(IPCB(skb)->flags & IPSKB_REROUTED));
+ rcu_read_unlock();
+ return ret;
}
void xfrm4_local_error(struct sk_buff *skb, u32 mtu)
--
2.43.0
^ permalink raw reply related [flat|nested] 2+ messages in thread* Re: [PATCH net] ipv4: protect egress device access in the output path with rcu_read_lock
2026-05-30 6:49 [PATCH net] ipv4: protect egress device access in the output path with rcu_read_lock Hyunwoo Kim
@ 2026-05-30 9:48 ` Hyunwoo Kim
0 siblings, 0 replies; 2+ messages in thread
From: Hyunwoo Kim @ 2026-05-30 9:48 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: dsahern, idosch, davem, edumazet, kuba, pabeni, horms,
steffen.klassert, herbert
Cc: netdev, imv4bel
On Sat, May 30, 2026 at 03:49:39PM +0900, Hyunwoo Kim wrote:
> ip_mc_output(), __ip_local_out() and xfrm4_output() read the egress
> network device from rt->dst.dev / skb_dst_dev(skb) and then pass that
> pointer as the 'out' device argument of NF_HOOK without holding
> rcu_read_lock.
>
> dst->dev is a field protected by RCU. When a device is unregistered its
> value is replaced with blackhole_netdev, and the previous device is
> freed after an RCU grace period. A section that reads dst->dev and uses
> that pointer must therefore hold rcu_read_lock. The three functions
> above are missing this protection, so when the egress device is
> unregistered concurrently with transmission, a LOCAL_OUT / POST_ROUTING
> hook (nft meta oif, selinux_ip_postroute_compat, etc.) can reference a
> device pointer that is no longer valid.
>
> In all three leaves, wrap the section that reads the device and runs
> NF_HOOK in rcu_read_lock(), and read the device through the RCU
> accessors (skb_dst_dev_rcu() / dst_dev_rcu()). As a result, the RCU
> grace period cannot complete while a transmission is in flight, so the
> egress device is not freed and the hook always references a valid
> device.
>
> Fixes: 4a6ce2b6f2ec ("net: introduce a new function dst_dev_put()")
> Signed-off-by: Hyunwoo Kim <imv4bel@gmail.com>
> ---
> net/ipv4/ip_output.c | 27 +++++++++++++++++++--------
> net/ipv4/xfrm4_output.c | 13 +++++++++----
> 2 files changed, 28 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/net/ipv4/ip_output.c b/net/ipv4/ip_output.c
> index 5bcd73cbdb41..92a70b7e74a6 100644
> --- a/net/ipv4/ip_output.c
> +++ b/net/ipv4/ip_output.c
> @@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(ip_send_check);
> int __ip_local_out(struct net *net, struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb)
> {
> struct iphdr *iph = ip_hdr(skb);
> + int err;
>
> IP_INC_STATS(net, IPSTATS_MIB_OUTREQUESTS);
>
> @@ -117,9 +118,12 @@ int __ip_local_out(struct net *net, struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb)
>
> skb->protocol = htons(ETH_P_IP);
>
> - return nf_hook(NFPROTO_IPV4, NF_INET_LOCAL_OUT,
> - net, sk, skb, NULL, skb_dst_dev(skb),
> - dst_output);
> + rcu_read_lock();
> + err = nf_hook(NFPROTO_IPV4, NF_INET_LOCAL_OUT,
> + net, sk, skb, NULL, skb_dst_dev_rcu(skb),
> + dst_output);
> + rcu_read_unlock();
> + return err;
> }
>
> int ip_local_out(struct net *net, struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb)
> @@ -368,7 +372,11 @@ static int ip_mc_finish_output(struct net *net, struct sock *sk,
> int ip_mc_output(struct net *net, struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb)
> {
> struct rtable *rt = skb_rtable(skb);
> - struct net_device *dev = rt->dst.dev;
> + struct net_device *dev;
> + int ret;
> +
> + rcu_read_lock();
> + dev = dst_dev_rcu(&rt->dst);
>
> /*
> * If the indicated interface is up and running, send the packet.
> @@ -407,6 +415,7 @@ int ip_mc_output(struct net *net, struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb)
>
> if (ip_hdr(skb)->ttl == 0) {
> kfree_skb(skb);
> + rcu_read_unlock();
> return 0;
> }
> }
> @@ -419,10 +428,12 @@ int ip_mc_output(struct net *net, struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb)
> ip_mc_finish_output);
> }
>
> - return NF_HOOK_COND(NFPROTO_IPV4, NF_INET_POST_ROUTING,
> - net, sk, skb, NULL, skb->dev,
> - ip_finish_output,
> - !(IPCB(skb)->flags & IPSKB_REROUTED));
> + ret = NF_HOOK_COND(NFPROTO_IPV4, NF_INET_POST_ROUTING,
> + net, sk, skb, NULL, skb->dev,
> + ip_finish_output,
> + !(IPCB(skb)->flags & IPSKB_REROUTED));
> + rcu_read_unlock();
> + return ret;
> }
>
> int ip_output(struct net *net, struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb)
> diff --git a/net/ipv4/xfrm4_output.c b/net/ipv4/xfrm4_output.c
> index 0ae67d537499..d5dc084777a3 100644
> --- a/net/ipv4/xfrm4_output.c
> +++ b/net/ipv4/xfrm4_output.c
> @@ -30,10 +30,15 @@ static int __xfrm4_output(struct net *net, struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb)
>
> int xfrm4_output(struct net *net, struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb)
> {
> - return NF_HOOK_COND(NFPROTO_IPV4, NF_INET_POST_ROUTING,
> - net, sk, skb, skb->dev, skb_dst_dev(skb),
> - __xfrm4_output,
> - !(IPCB(skb)->flags & IPSKB_REROUTED));
> + int ret;
> +
> + rcu_read_lock();
> + ret = NF_HOOK_COND(NFPROTO_IPV4, NF_INET_POST_ROUTING,
> + net, sk, skb, skb->dev, skb_dst_dev_rcu(skb),
> + __xfrm4_output,
> + !(IPCB(skb)->flags & IPSKB_REROUTED));
> + rcu_read_unlock();
> + return ret;
> }
>
> void xfrm4_local_error(struct sk_buff *skb, u32 mtu)
> --
> 2.43.0
>
Further analysis confirmed that raw_send_hdrinc(), xfrm_output_resume()
and vrf_output() are affected by the same issue.
I will post a v2 covering these additional cases after 24 hours.
Best regards,
Hyunwoo Kim
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 2+ messages in thread
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