[PATCH] xfrm: iptfs: fix ABBA deadlock in iptfs_destroy_state()
From: Tristan Madani
Date: Thu May 28 2026 - 12:39:53 EST
iptfs_destroy_state() calls hrtimer_cancel() while holding a spinlock
that the timer callback also acquires, leading to an ABBA deadlock on
SMP systems.
For the output timer (iptfs_timer):
- iptfs_destroy_state() holds x->lock, calls hrtimer_cancel()
- iptfs_delay_timer() callback takes x->lock
For the drop timer (drop_timer):
- iptfs_destroy_state() holds drop_lock, calls hrtimer_cancel()
- iptfs_drop_timer() callback takes drop_lock
Both timers use HRTIMER_MODE_REL_SOFT, so their callbacks run in softirq
context. When hrtimer_cancel() is called for a soft timer that is
currently executing on another CPU, hrtimer_cancel_wait_running() spins
on softirq_expiry_lock -- the same lock held by the softirq running the
callback. If the callback is blocked waiting for the spinlock held by
the caller of hrtimer_cancel(), a circular dependency forms:
CPU 0: holds lock_A -> waits for softirq_expiry_lock
CPU 1: holds softirq_expiry_lock -> waits for lock_A
Fix this by cancelling both timers before acquiring their respective
locks. hrtimer_cancel() is safe to call without holding any lock and
will wait for any in-progress callback to complete. The locks are still
acquired afterwards to synchronize with any in-flight packet processing
before tearing down the state.
Found by source code audit.
Fixes: 4b3faf610cc6 ("xfrm: iptfs: add new iptfs xfrm mode impl")
Cc: Christian Hopps <chopps@xxxxxxxx>
Cc: Steffen Klassert <steffen.klassert@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: stable@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Signed-off-by: Tristan Madani <tristan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
---
net/xfrm/xfrm_iptfs.c | 6 ++++--
1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
diff --git a/net/xfrm/xfrm_iptfs.c b/net/xfrm/xfrm_iptfs.c
index 97bc979e55baf..fd25b2b230793 100644
--- a/net/xfrm/xfrm_iptfs.c
+++ b/net/xfrm/xfrm_iptfs.c
@@ -2708,8 +2708,9 @@ static void iptfs_destroy_state(struct xfrm_state *x)
if (!xtfs)
return;
- spin_lock_bh(&xtfs->x->lock);
hrtimer_cancel(&xtfs->iptfs_timer);
+
+ spin_lock_bh(&xtfs->x->lock);
__skb_queue_head_init(&list);
skb_queue_splice_init(&xtfs->queue, &list);
spin_unlock_bh(&xtfs->x->lock);
@@ -2717,8 +2718,9 @@ static void iptfs_destroy_state(struct xfrm_state *x)
while ((skb = __skb_dequeue(&list)))
kfree_skb(skb);
- spin_lock_bh(&xtfs->drop_lock);
hrtimer_cancel(&xtfs->drop_timer);
+
+ spin_lock_bh(&xtfs->drop_lock);
spin_unlock_bh(&xtfs->drop_lock);
if (xtfs->ra_newskb)
--
2.47.3