[PATCH] mctp: route: hold key->lock in mctp_flow_prepare_output()

From: Chengfeng Ye

Date: Mon Mar 02 2026 - 12:42:54 EST


mctp_flow_prepare_output() checks key->dev and may call
mctp_dev_set_key(), but it does not hold key->lock while doing so.

mctp_dev_set_key() and mctp_dev_release_key() are annotated with
__must_hold(&key->lock), so key->dev access is intended to be
serialized by key->lock. The mctp_sendmsg() transmit path reaches
mctp_flow_prepare_output() via mctp_local_output() -> mctp_dst_output()
without holding key->lock, so the check-and-set sequence is racy.

Example interleaving:

CPU0 CPU1
---- ----
mctp_flow_prepare_output(key, devA)
if (!key->dev) // sees NULL
mctp_flow_prepare_output(
key, devB)
if (!key->dev) // still NULL
mctp_dev_set_key(devB, key)
mctp_dev_hold(devB)
key->dev = devB
mctp_dev_set_key(devA, key)
mctp_dev_hold(devA)
key->dev = devA // overwrites devB

Now both devA and devB references were acquired, but only the final
key->dev value is tracked for release. One reference can be lost,
causing a resource leak as mctp_dev_release_key() would only decrease
the reference on one dev.

Fix by taking key->lock around the key->dev check and
mctp_dev_set_key() call.

Signed-off-by: Chengfeng Ye <dg573847474@xxxxxxxxx>
---
net/mctp/route.c | 8 +++++++-
1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/net/mctp/route.c b/net/mctp/route.c
index 0381377ab760..4a1ac55ad31e 100644
--- a/net/mctp/route.c
+++ b/net/mctp/route.c
@@ -359,6 +359,7 @@ static void mctp_flow_prepare_output(struct sk_buff *skb, struct mctp_dev *dev)
{
struct mctp_sk_key *key;
struct mctp_flow *flow;
+ unsigned long flags;

flow = skb_ext_find(skb, SKB_EXT_MCTP);
if (!flow)
@@ -366,12 +367,17 @@ static void mctp_flow_prepare_output(struct sk_buff *skb, struct mctp_dev *dev)

key = flow->key;

+ spin_lock_irqsave(&key->lock, flags);
+
if (key->dev) {
WARN_ON(key->dev != dev);
- return;
+ goto out_unlock;
}

mctp_dev_set_key(dev, key);
+
+out_unlock:
+ spin_unlock_irqrestore(&key->lock, flags);
}
#else
static void mctp_skb_set_flow(struct sk_buff *skb, struct mctp_sk_key *key) {}
--
2.25.1