[PATCH] ALSA: core: Fix potential data race at fasync handling

From: Takashi Iwai

Date: Mon Apr 20 2026 - 02:22:11 EST


In snd_fasync_work_fn(), which is the offload work for traversing and
processing the pending fasync list, the call of kill_fasync() is done
outside the snd_fasync_lock for avoiding deadlocks. The problem is
that its the references of fasync->on, fasync->signal and fasync->poll
are done there also outside the lock. Since these may be modified by
snd_kill_fasync() call concurrently from other process, inconsistent
values might be passed to kill_fasync(). Although there shouldn't be
critical UAF, it's still better to be addressed.

This patch moves the kill_fasync() argument evaluations inside the
snd_fasync_lock for avoiding the data races above. The handling in
fasync->on flag is optimized in the loop to skip directly.

Also, for more clarity, snd_fasync_free() takes the lock and unlink
the pending entry more directly instead of clearing fasync->on flag.

Reported-by: Jake Lamberson <lamberson.jake@xxxxxxxxx>
Fixes: ef34a0ae7a26 ("ALSA: core: Add async signal helpers")
Cc: <stable@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Takashi Iwai <tiwai@xxxxxxx>
---
sound/core/misc.c | 13 ++++++++++---
1 file changed, 10 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/sound/core/misc.c b/sound/core/misc.c
index 88d9e1f9a6e9..5aca09edf971 100644
--- a/sound/core/misc.c
+++ b/sound/core/misc.c
@@ -100,14 +100,18 @@ static LIST_HEAD(snd_fasync_list);
static void snd_fasync_work_fn(struct work_struct *work)
{
struct snd_fasync *fasync;
+ int signal, poll;

spin_lock_irq(&snd_fasync_lock);
while (!list_empty(&snd_fasync_list)) {
fasync = list_first_entry(&snd_fasync_list, struct snd_fasync, list);
list_del_init(&fasync->list);
+ if (!fasync->on)
+ continue;
+ signal = fasync->signal;
+ poll = fasync->poll;
spin_unlock_irq(&snd_fasync_lock);
- if (fasync->on)
- kill_fasync(&fasync->fasync, fasync->signal, fasync->poll);
+ kill_fasync(&fasync->fasync, signal, poll);
spin_lock_irq(&snd_fasync_lock);
}
spin_unlock_irq(&snd_fasync_lock);
@@ -158,7 +162,10 @@ void snd_fasync_free(struct snd_fasync *fasync)
{
if (!fasync)
return;
- fasync->on = 0;
+
+ scoped_guard(spinlock_irq, &snd_fasync_lock)
+ list_del_init(&fasync->list);
+
flush_work(&snd_fasync_work);
kfree(fasync);
}
--
2.53.0