[RFC] tty: n_gsm: fix use-after-free in gsmtty_install

From: Kito Xu (veritas501)

Date: Tue Apr 14 2026 - 22:50:18 EST


gsmtty_install() reads gsm_mux[] without holding gsm_mux_lock and
defers mux_get() about 40 lines later. A concurrent gsmld_close() can
free the mux through gsm_cleanup_mux() -> mux_put() -> kfree(gsm) in
that window, leading to a use-after-free when gsmtty_install() later
dereferences the stale pointer.

race condition:

cpu 0 | cpu 1
gsmtty_install() | gsmld_close()
gsm = gsm_mux[mux] // no lock |
// CFS preempts here | gsm_cleanup_mux(gsm)
| gsm->dead = true
| mux_put(gsm)
| -> kfree(gsm)
gsm->dead // UAF! |
mutex_lock(&gsm->mutex) // UAF! |

Acquire gsm_mux_lock before reading gsm_mux[] and take the refcount
via kref_get() while still holding the lock, so the mux cannot be
freed between lookup and refcount increment.

Fixes: 86176ed90545 ("TTY: n_gsm, use tty_port_install")
Signed-off-by: Kito Xu (veritas501) <hxzene@xxxxxxxxx>
---
drivers/tty/n_gsm.c | 23 ++++++++++++++++-------
1 file changed, 16 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)

diff --git a/drivers/tty/n_gsm.c b/drivers/tty/n_gsm.c
index c13e050de83b..6519f1c92fc5 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/n_gsm.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/n_gsm.c
@@ -4288,14 +4288,20 @@ static int gsmtty_install(struct tty_driver *driver, struct tty_struct *tty)

if (mux >= MAX_MUX)
return -ENXIO;
- /* FIXME: we need to lock gsm_mux for lifetimes of ttys eventually */
- if (gsm_mux[mux] == NULL)
- return -EUNATCH;
if (line == 0 || line > 61) /* 62/63 reserved */
return -ECHRNG;
+
+ /* Acquire gsm_mux_lock to prevent concurrent gsmld_close() from
+ * freeing the mux between reading gsm_mux[] and taking a refcount.
+ */
+ spin_lock(&gsm_mux_lock);
gsm = gsm_mux[mux];
- if (gsm->dead)
- return -EL2HLT;
+ if (!gsm || gsm->dead) {
+ spin_unlock(&gsm_mux_lock);
+ return gsm ? -EL2HLT : -EUNATCH;
+ }
+ kref_get(&gsm->ref);
+ spin_unlock(&gsm_mux_lock);
/* If DLCI 0 is not yet fully open return an error.
This is ok from a locking
perspective as we don't have to worry about this
@@ -4309,8 +4315,10 @@ static int gsmtty_install(struct tty_driver *driver, struct tty_struct *tty)
if (dlci0->state == DLCI_OPENING)
wait_event(gsm->event, dlci0->state != DLCI_OPENING);

- if (dlci0->state != DLCI_OPEN)
+ if (dlci0->state != DLCI_OPEN) {
+ mux_put(gsm);
return -EL2NSYNC;
+ }

mutex_lock(&gsm->mutex);
}
@@ -4322,6 +4330,7 @@ static int gsmtty_install(struct tty_driver *driver, struct tty_struct *tty)
}
if (dlci == NULL) {
mutex_unlock(&gsm->mutex);
+ mux_put(gsm);
return -ENOMEM;
}
ret = tty_port_install(&dlci->port, driver, tty);
@@ -4329,12 +4338,12 @@ static int gsmtty_install(struct tty_driver *driver, struct tty_struct *tty)
if (alloc)
dlci_put(dlci);
mutex_unlock(&gsm->mutex);
+ mux_put(gsm);
return ret;
}

dlci_get(dlci);
dlci_get(gsm->dlci[0]);
- mux_get(gsm);
tty->driver_data = dlci;
mutex_unlock(&gsm->mutex);

--
2.43.0