Re: [PATCH v2 1/2] lib/ts_bm: fix integer overflow in pattern length calculation
From: Josh Law
Date: Sun Mar 08 2026 - 16:15:37 EST
8 Mar 2026 20:06:15 Josh Law <hlcj1234567@xxxxxxxxx>:
> 8 Mar 2026 19:55:20 Andrew Morton <akpm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
>
>> On Sun, 8 Mar 2026 18:10:53 +0000 Josh Law <hlcj1234567@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>>> From: Josh Law <objecting@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>>
>>> The ts_bm algorithm computes the required allocation size by
>>> multiplying the pattern length by the size of an integer. If the
>>> pattern length is sufficiently large, this can overflow the 32-bit
>>> unsigned int before it is widened to size_t. This could result in an
>>> undersized allocation and a subsequent heap buffer overflow when
>>> copying the pattern.
>>>
>>> Fix this by explicitly checking that the length does not exceed
>>> the maximum safe threshold before calculating the buffer sizes.
>>>
>>> ...
>>>
>>> --- a/lib/ts_bm.c
>>> +++ b/lib/ts_bm.c
>>> @@ -166,6 +166,9 @@ static struct ts_config *bm_init(const void *pattern, unsigned int len,
>>> unsigned int prefix_tbl_len = len * sizeof(unsigned int);
>>> size_t priv_size = sizeof(*bm) + len + prefix_tbl_len;
>>
>> The above description is referring to this expression?
>>
>> I think the uints will be promoted to size_t before the addition occurs?
>>
>> If you're referring to the prefix_tbl_len initialization then yes,
>> overflow could happen.
>>
>>> + if (unlikely(len == 0 || len > (UINT_MAX - sizeof(*bm)) / (sizeof(unsigned int) + 1)))
>>> + return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
>>
>> Seems odd to perform these (uncommented!) checks after having performed
>> the problematic operations. Something like:
>>
>> unsigned int prefix_tbl_len;
>> size_t priv_size;
>>
>> /* Explanatory comment goes here */
>> /* Can this actually happen? */
>> if (unlikely(len == 0))
>> return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
>>
>> /* Explanatory comment goes here */
>> if (unlikely(len > (UINT_MAX - sizeof(*bm)) / (sizeof(unsigned int) + 1))
>> return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
>>
>> prefix_tbl_len = len * sizeof(unsigned int);
>> priv_size = sizeof(*bm) + len + prefix_tbl_len;
>>
>>
>> Also, please check the various helpers in overflow.h.
>
> Yeah, I'm fixing that now, I also submitted a couple other patches you may want to have a look at
>
>
> V/R
>
>
> Josh law
Oh and also, sorry for bugging, but I have a maintainers patch I sent, and another one you need to look at,
V/R
Josh law