Hi all,
A fix for DMABUF's file-release path, to set dmabuf->file = NULL when the struct file itself is being freed and avoid a stale pointer lingering. Previously it could be assumed that dmabuf->file was always valid until .release was called, but commit 4ab59c3c638c6 ("dma-buf: Move dma_buf_release() from fops to dentry_ops") separated dentry release (calls .release) from file release (can happen before .release). Setting the pointer to NULL clearly delimits the period in which it points to a valid struct file.
Raw dmabuf->file access is bad news unless the file is known to have a reference held (for example, during export). A single-threaded problem scenario is a dentry held open (e.g. using O_PATH) but the file closed; .release is not called, so the exporter was unaware that dmabuf->file became stale. Exporter activities using dmabuf->file then led to a UAF. Or, threads racing concurrent access with a file closing.
VFIO uses get_file_active(&dmabuf->file), which is a UAF when the pointer goes stale. Alex Mastro has created a VFIO-centric reproducer [1], which shows up with KASAN.
To fix, dmabuf->file is either valid or NULL. get_file_active() is then safe and a recommended way to access dmabuf->file without an existing reference. The only possible outcomes are for it to get a reference to the file, to observe a valid pointer but the file in the DEAD state (being closed, fail), or NULL (fail).
Patch [2/2] sets the pointer NULL when the file closes, which get_file_active() handles correctly.
vmwgfx was identified as doing a problematic dmabuf->file dereference. Although already a UAF, making dmabuf->file = NULL turns it into an oops. So, the paired patch [1/2] correspondingly converts vmwgfx to use get_file_active() too.
Added comments to highlight that dmabuf->file could go away before .release, and to use get_file_active() if a reference isn't otherwise already held.
Thanks,
Matt
[1]: https://github.com/opsound/vfio-dmabuf-lab/blob/main/tests/vfio_dmabuf_opath...
"v1" was the single "dma-buf: Annul dmabuf->file on file release" patch:
https://lore.kernel.org/all/f8efaabd-c06e-4f04-8cfa-489c148e37ba@ozlabs.org/
Matt Evans (2): drm/vmwgfx: Use get_file_active() for dmabuf->file dma-buf: Annul dmabuf->file on file release
drivers/dma-buf/dma-buf.c | 21 ++++++++++++++++++--- drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx/ttm_object.c | 2 +- include/linux/dma-buf.h | 4 +++- 3 files changed, 22 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)
4ab59c3c638c6 ("dma-buf: Move dma_buf_release() from fops to dentry_ops") moved the dmabuf .release, and broke the vmwgfx driver's assumption that dmabuf->file would remain valid until release. Currently, dmabuf->file can be stale after the file closes even if .release has not yet been called, and a future commit makes dmabuf->file become NULL instead of stale.
In preparation for that future commit, convert get_dma_buf_unless_doomed() to use get_file_active(&dmabuf->file) which is the safe method to access and get a reference, even when dmabuf->file could be NULL.
Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org Fixes: 4ab59c3c638c6 ("dma-buf: Move dma_buf_release() from fops to dentry_ops") Signed-off-by: Matt Evans matt@ozlabs.org --- drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx/ttm_object.c | 2 +- 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx/ttm_object.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx/ttm_object.c index f9042bafdc93..9137a31eaa1a 100644 --- a/drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx/ttm_object.c +++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx/ttm_object.c @@ -471,7 +471,7 @@ void ttm_object_device_release(struct ttm_object_device **p_tdev) */ static bool __must_check get_dma_buf_unless_doomed(struct dma_buf *dmabuf) { - return file_ref_get(&dmabuf->file->f_ref); + return get_file_active(&dmabuf->file) != NULL; }
/**
The dmabuf release path is split between file and dentry release: dma_buf_file_release() is called shortly before the file is freed, and dma_buf_release() calls an exporter's dmabuf->ops->release when the dentry is freed. However, the dentry can outlive the file (for example, if opened with O_PATH), meaning .release might be called some time after the file is freed.
This presents a window, when closing a DMABUF file, in which dmabuf->file points to freed memory yet .release op has not yet been called.
For VFIO, if a buffer's .release has not been called it's considered still active and subject to move/cleanup. If so, it attempts to get_file_active() on dmabuf->file: a file close with dentry held open will call this function with a stale pointer, a UAF.
To make this pattern safe, set dmabuf->file to NULL in dma_buf_file_release() to reflect that the associated file is now dead even if the DMABUF is not yet gone. A get_file_active() ... fput() sequence concurrent with a file close then only executes as one of:
- Gets the file before file_ref_put() (dmabuf->file valid) - Observes dmabuf->file pointing to a file, but it's DEAD (no file) - Observes dmabuf->file = NULL (no file)
Originally, drivers could assume dmabuf->file was valid until .release was called from fops->release. This assumption was no longer valid after 4ab59c3c638c6 ("dma-buf: Move dma_buf_release() from fops to dentry_ops"), which moved the callback to the dentry release (by which point the file might have been freed). With this commit, drivers must still consider that dmabuf->file could be NULL before .release.
Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org Fixes: 4ab59c3c638c6 ("dma-buf: Move dma_buf_release() from fops to dentry_ops") Signed-off-by: Matt Evans matt@ozlabs.org --- drivers/dma-buf/dma-buf.c | 21 ++++++++++++++++++--- include/linux/dma-buf.h | 4 +++- 2 files changed, 21 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
diff --git a/drivers/dma-buf/dma-buf.c b/drivers/dma-buf/dma-buf.c index 4c9add51f9ef..61485fc28b8b 100644 --- a/drivers/dma-buf/dma-buf.c +++ b/drivers/dma-buf/dma-buf.c @@ -193,11 +193,26 @@ static void dma_buf_release(struct dentry *dentry)
static int dma_buf_file_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *file) { - if (!is_dma_buf_file(file)) - return -EINVAL; + struct dma_buf *dmabuf = file->private_data; + + if (!dmabuf) + return 0;
- __dma_buf_list_del(file->private_data); + __dma_buf_list_del(dmabuf);
+ /* + * As the file is being closed, dmabuf->file is no longer + * valid and NULL replaces an otherwise stale pointer. If a + * reference to the file isn't already held, the file can be + * closed at any time, including before dmabuf->ops->release() + * happens: dmabuf->file _must not_ be accessed directly. An + * exporter should use get_file_active(&dmabuf->file) which + * atomically tests and acquires a reference to the file (or + * returns NULL if the file has closed). The barrier ensures + * get_file_active() observes the store before file_free() + * frees the memory. + */ + smp_store_mb(dmabuf->file, NULL); return 0; }
diff --git a/include/linux/dma-buf.h b/include/linux/dma-buf.h index d15b2b31d3c9..9f3c92c71c29 100644 --- a/include/linux/dma-buf.h +++ b/include/linux/dma-buf.h @@ -303,7 +303,9 @@ struct dma_buf { * @file: * * File pointer used for sharing buffers across, and for refcounting. - * See dma_buf_get() and dma_buf_put(). + * See dma_buf_get() and dma_buf_put(). Exporters can use + * get_file_active(&dma_buf->file) to safely acquire a reference; + * the file could otherwise be closed at any time. */ struct file *file;
On 10/9/26 14:35, Matt Evans wrote:
The dmabuf release path is split between file and dentry release: dma_buf_file_release() is called shortly before the file is freed, and dma_buf_release() calls an exporter's dmabuf->ops->release when the dentry is freed. However, the dentry can outlive the file (for example, if opened with O_PATH), meaning .release might be called some time after the file is freed.
This presents a window, when closing a DMABUF file, in which dmabuf->file points to freed memory yet .release op has not yet been called.
For VFIO, if a buffer's .release has not been called it's considered still active and subject to move/cleanup. If so, it attempts to get_file_active() on dmabuf->file: a file close with dentry held open will call this function with a stale pointer, a UAF.
To make this pattern safe, set dmabuf->file to NULL in dma_buf_file_release() to reflect that the associated file is now dead even if the DMABUF is not yet gone. A get_file_active() ... fput() sequence concurrent with a file close then only executes as one of:
- Gets the file before file_ref_put() (dmabuf->file valid)
- Observes dmabuf->file pointing to a file, but it's DEAD (no file)
- Observes dmabuf->file = NULL (no file)
Originally, drivers could assume dmabuf->file was valid until .release was called from fops->release. This assumption was no longer valid after 4ab59c3c638c6 ("dma-buf: Move dma_buf_release() from fops to dentry_ops"), which moved the callback to the dentry release (by which point the file might have been freed). With this commit, drivers must still consider that dmabuf->file could be NULL before .release.
Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org Fixes: 4ab59c3c638c6 ("dma-buf: Move dma_buf_release() from fops to dentry_ops") Signed-off-by: Matt Evans matt@ozlabs.org
drivers/dma-buf/dma-buf.c | 21 ++++++++++++++++++--- include/linux/dma-buf.h | 4 +++- 2 files changed, 21 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
diff --git a/drivers/dma-buf/dma-buf.c b/drivers/dma-buf/dma-buf.c index 4c9add51f9ef..61485fc28b8b 100644 --- a/drivers/dma-buf/dma-buf.c +++ b/drivers/dma-buf/dma-buf.c @@ -193,11 +193,26 @@ static void dma_buf_release(struct dentry *dentry) static int dma_buf_file_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *file) {
- if (!is_dma_buf_file(file))
return -EINVAL;
- struct dma_buf *dmabuf = file->private_data;
- if (!dmabuf)
return 0;
- __dma_buf_list_del(file->private_data);
- __dma_buf_list_del(dmabuf);
- /*
* As the file is being closed, dmabuf->file is no longer* valid and NULL replaces an otherwise stale pointer. If a* reference to the file isn't already held, the file can be* closed at any time, including before dmabuf->ops->release()* happens: dmabuf->file _must not_ be accessed directly. An* exporter should use get_file_active(&dmabuf->file) which* atomically tests and acquires a reference to the file (or* returns NULL if the file has closed). The barrier ensures* get_file_active() observes the store before file_free()* frees the memory.*/- smp_store_mb(dmabuf->file, NULL); return 0;
} diff --git a/include/linux/dma-buf.h b/include/linux/dma-buf.h index d15b2b31d3c9..9f3c92c71c29 100644 --- a/include/linux/dma-buf.h +++ b/include/linux/dma-buf.h @@ -303,7 +303,9 @@ struct dma_buf { * @file: * * File pointer used for sharing buffers across, and for refcounting.
* See dma_buf_get() and dma_buf_put().
* See dma_buf_get() and dma_buf_put(). Exporters can use* get_file_active(&dma_buf->file) to safely acquire a reference;
Please add something like "* when the exporter holds a common lock with the ->release() callback".
Apart from that looks good to me.
Regards, Christian.
*/ struct file *file;* the file could otherwise be closed at any time.
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