[PATCH] kernfs: protect of->kn access in fop_read_iter/fop_mmap

From: Ravineet Singh

Date: Mon Apr 27 2026 - 09:36:12 EST


kernfs_fop_read_iter() and kernfs_fop_mmap() dereference of->kn->flags
without holding an active reference on the kernfs node. If the node is
removed concurrently, this leads to a use-after-free:

[ 448.037888] Unable to handle kernel paging request at virtual address ffffff821d8cedf0
[ 448.093213] Mem abort info:
[ 448.104535] ESR = 0x0000000096000005
[ 448.113391] EC = 0x25: DABT (current EL), IL = 32 bits
[ 448.126411] SET = 0, FnV = 0
[ 448.130758] EA = 0, S1PTW = 0
[ 448.134268] FSC = 0x05: level 1 translation fault
[ 448.140335] Data abort info:
[ 448.143275] ISV = 0, ISS = 0x00000005, ISS2 = 0x00000000
[ 448.150223] CM = 0, WnR = 0, TnD = 0, TagAccess = 0
[ 448.155668] GCS = 0, Overlay = 0, DirtyBit = 0, Xs = 0
[ 448.161233] swapper pgtable: 4k pages, 39-bit VAs, pgdp=00000000afab8000
[ 448.168835] [ffffff821d8cedf0] pgd=0000000000000000, p4d=0000000000000000, pud=0000000000000000
[ 448.178817] Internal error: Oops: 0000000096000005 [#1] PREEMPT SMP
[ 448.284717] pc : kernfs_fop_read_iter+0x1c/0x1ac
[ 448.289416] lr : vfs_read+0x1c0/0x2a0
[ 448.368374] Call trace:
[ 448.370855] kernfs_fop_read_iter+0x1c/0x1ac
[ 448.375156] vfs_read+0x1c0/0x2a0
[ 448.378508] ksys_read+0x6c/0x100
[ 448.381901] __arm64_sys_read+0x18/0x20
[ 448.385768] invoke_syscall.constprop.0+0x4c/0xe0
[ 448.390502] do_el0_svc+0x3c/0xb8
[ 448.393898] el0_svc+0x18/0x4c
[ 448.396990] el0t_64_sync_handler+0x118/0x124
[ 448.401377] el0t_64_sync+0x14c/0x150

Use kernfs_get_active_of() to obtain an active reference that also
checks the released flag, consistent with other of->kn accesses in
fs/kernfs/file.c. These paths were not covered when
kernfs_get_active_of() was introduced in commit 3c9ba2777d6c8
("kernfs: Fix UAF in polling when open file is released").

Fixes: 4eaad21a6ac9 ("kernfs: implement ->read_iter")
Cc: stable <stable@xxxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Ravineet Singh <ravineet.a.singh@xxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: David Nyström <david.nystrom@xxxxxxxx>
---
fs/kernfs/file.c | 20 ++++++++++++++++++--
1 file changed, 18 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/fs/kernfs/file.c b/fs/kernfs/file.c
index 1163aa7697384..6a52d24a63156 100644
--- a/fs/kernfs/file.c
+++ b/fs/kernfs/file.c
@@ -293,7 +293,16 @@ static ssize_t kernfs_file_read_iter(struct kiocb *iocb, struct iov_iter *iter)

static ssize_t kernfs_fop_read_iter(struct kiocb *iocb, struct iov_iter *iter)
{
- if (kernfs_of(iocb->ki_filp)->kn->flags & KERNFS_HAS_SEQ_SHOW)
+ struct kernfs_open_file *of = kernfs_of(iocb->ki_filp);
+ bool has_seq;
+
+ if (!kernfs_get_active_of(of))
+ return -ENODEV;
+
+ has_seq = of->kn->flags & KERNFS_HAS_SEQ_SHOW;
+ kernfs_put_active_of(of);
+
+ if (has_seq)
return seq_read_iter(iocb, iter);
return kernfs_file_read_iter(iocb, iter);
}
@@ -458,6 +467,7 @@ static int kernfs_fop_mmap(struct file *file, struct vm_area_struct *vma)
{
struct kernfs_open_file *of = kernfs_of(file);
const struct kernfs_ops *ops;
+ bool has_mmap;
int rc;

/*
@@ -467,7 +477,13 @@ static int kernfs_fop_mmap(struct file *file, struct vm_area_struct *vma)
* without grabbing @of->mutex by testing HAS_MMAP flag. See the
* comment in kernfs_fop_open() for more details.
*/
- if (!(of->kn->flags & KERNFS_HAS_MMAP))
+ if (!kernfs_get_active_of(of))
+ return -ENODEV;
+
+ has_mmap = of->kn->flags & KERNFS_HAS_MMAP;
+ kernfs_put_active_of(of);
+
+ if (!has_mmap)
return -ENODEV;

mutex_lock(&of->mutex);
--
2.43.0