Re: [PATCH v3] loop: Fix NULL pointer dereference in lo_rw_aio()

From: Hillf Danton

Date: Fri May 29 2026 - 18:10:55 EST


On Fri, 29 May 2026 15:04:10 +0800 Hillf Danton wrote:
>On Fri, 29 May 2026 09:14:47 +0900 Tetsuo Handa wrote:
>>On 2026/05/29 8:00, Hillf Danton wrote:
>>>> Given the loop workqueue that triggered the jfs warning, can you specify
>>>> the reason why the workqueue in question is NOT flushed while closing disk?
>>>>
>>> Got it, the loop workqueue is NOT flushed to avoid deadlock, see d292dc80686a
>>> ("loop: don't destroy lo->workqueue in __loop_clr_fd") for detail.
>>> And the deadlock can be reproduced by flushing the loop workqueue with
>>> disk->open_mutex held [1].
>>>
>>> [1] Subject: Re: [syzbot] possible deadlock in blkdev_put (3)
>>> https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/000000000000ea753505da2658d5@xxxxxxxxxx/
>>
>>We can avoid the following lockdep warnings (including [1] you mentioned)
>>
>> https://syzkaller.appspot.com/bug?extid=2f62807dc3239b8f584e
>> https://syzkaller.appspot.com/bug?extid=c4e9d077bcc86bee08dc
>> https://syzkaller.appspot.com/bug?extid=0f427123ae84b3ba6dc7
>> https://syzkaller.appspot.com/bug?extid=4feabfc9641267769c97
>> https://syzkaller.appspot.com/bug?extid=fb0ff9bfe34ad282ebd4
>>
>>caused by "drain_workqueue() with disk->open_mutex held" if we assign
>>caller-specific lockdep class to disk->open_mutex
>>
>> https://sourceforge.net/p/tomoyo/tomoyo.git/ci/c2245c765ebeba9dcb924d9171d8d470a9ac41c8/
>>
>>.
>>
>>Also, we can avoid lockdep warning caused by "drain_workqueue() with disk->open_mutex held" +
>>"holding system_transition_mutex" if we forbid binding to pseudo files as backing file
>>in the loop driver
>>
>> https://lkml.kernel.org/r/d38e4600-3c32-491f-aa49-905f4fad1bfb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>
>>which we can reproduce with
>>
>> echo 7:0 > /sys/power/resume
>> losetup /dev/loop0 /sys/power/resume
>> cat /dev/loop0 > /dev/null
>> losetup -d /dev/loop0
>>
>>.
>>
>> Therefore, I think we can address this problem by "drain_workqueue() with disk->open_mutex
>> held" in the loop driver side.
>>
> Good news.
>
Bad news: Subject: [syzbot] [block?] possible deadlock in loop_process_work
[3] https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/6a19f5f7.5099cdd9.8e407.0004.GAE@xxxxxxxxxx/

syzbot found the following issue on:

HEAD commit: c1ecb239fa34 Add linux-next specific files for 20260522
git tree: linux-next
console output: https://syzkaller.appspot.com/x/log.txt?x=12fa6336580000
kernel config: https://syzkaller.appspot.com/x/.config?x=77a9211ff284de54
dashboard link: https://syzkaller.appspot.com/bug?extid=78ad2c6a58c0a1faa5f5
compiler: Debian clang version 21.1.8 (++20251221033036+2078da43e25a-1~exp1~20251221153213.50), Debian LLD 21.1.8

Unfortunately, I don't have any reproducer for this issue yet.

Downloadable assets:
disk image: https://storage.googleapis.com/syzbot-assets/4cb88c910144/disk-c1ecb239.raw.xz
vmlinux: https://storage.googleapis.com/syzbot-assets/4a9bc938cf88/vmlinux-c1ecb239.xz
kernel image: https://storage.googleapis.com/syzbot-assets/684f1e33f264/bzImage-c1ecb239.xz

IMPORTANT: if you fix the issue, please add the following tag to the commit:
Reported-by: syzbot+78ad2c6a58c0a1faa5f5@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

======================================================
WARNING: possible circular locking dependency detected
syzkaller #0 Tainted: G L
------------------------------------------------------
kworker/u8:15/1491 is trying to acquire lock:
ffff88805e1a6480 (sb_writers#5){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: do_req_filebacked drivers/block/loop.c:433 [inline]
ffff88805e1a6480 (sb_writers#5){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: loop_handle_cmd drivers/block/loop.c:1941 [inline]
ffff88805e1a6480 (sb_writers#5){.+.+}-{0:0}, at: loop_process_work+0x637/0x11b0 drivers/block/loop.c:1976

but task is already holding lock:
ffffc90006e27c40 ((work_completion)(&worker->work)){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: process_one_work+0x8be/0x1630 kernel/workqueue.c:3294

which lock already depends on the new lock.


the existing dependency chain (in reverse order) is:

-> #7 ((work_completion)(&worker->work)){+.+.}-{0:0}:
process_one_work+0x8d7/0x1630 kernel/workqueue.c:3294
process_scheduled_works kernel/workqueue.c:3401 [inline]
worker_thread+0xb49/0x1140 kernel/workqueue.c:3482
kthread+0x388/0x470 kernel/kthread.c:436
ret_from_fork+0x514/0xb70 arch/x86/kernel/process.c:158
ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:245

-> #6 ((wq_completion)loop4){+.+.}-{0:0}:
touch_wq_lockdep_map+0xcb/0x180 kernel/workqueue.c:4033
__flush_workqueue+0x14b/0x14f0 kernel/workqueue.c:4075
drain_workqueue+0xd3/0x390 kernel/workqueue.c:4239
__loop_clr_fd drivers/block/loop.c:1130 [inline]
lo_release+0x287/0x8f0 drivers/block/loop.c:1767
bdev_release+0x541/0x660 block/bdev.c:-1
blkdev_release+0x15/0x20 block/fops.c:705
__fput+0x461/0xa70 fs/file_table.c:510
fput_close_sync+0x11f/0x240 fs/file_table.c:615
__do_sys_close fs/open.c:1511 [inline]
__se_sys_close fs/open.c:1496 [inline]
__x64_sys_close+0x7e/0x110 fs/open.c:1496
do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:63 [inline]
do_syscall_64+0x15f/0x560 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:94
entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f

-> #5 (&disk->open_mutex){+.+.}-{4:4}:
__mutex_lock_common kernel/locking/rtmutex_api.c:559 [inline]
mutex_lock_nested+0x5a/0x1d0 kernel/locking/rtmutex_api.c:578
__del_gendisk+0x127/0x980 block/genhd.c:710
del_gendisk+0xe7/0x160 block/genhd.c:823
nbd_dev_remove drivers/block/nbd.c:268 [inline]
nbd_dev_remove_work+0x47/0xe0 drivers/block/nbd.c:284
process_one_work+0x98b/0x1630 kernel/workqueue.c:3318
process_scheduled_works kernel/workqueue.c:3401 [inline]
worker_thread+0xb49/0x1140 kernel/workqueue.c:3482
kthread+0x388/0x470 kernel/kthread.c:436
ret_from_fork+0x514/0xb70 arch/x86/kernel/process.c:158
ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:245

-> #4 (&set->update_nr_hwq_lock){++++}-{4:4}:
down_read+0x97/0x200 kernel/locking/rwsem.c:1568
add_disk_fwnode+0xe7/0x480 block/genhd.c:596
add_disk include/linux/blkdev.h:794 [inline]
nbd_dev_add+0x72c/0xb50 drivers/block/nbd.c:1984
nbd_genl_connect+0x965/0x1c80 drivers/block/nbd.c:2125
genl_family_rcv_msg_doit+0x22a/0x330 net/netlink/genetlink.c:1114
genl_family_rcv_msg net/netlink/genetlink.c:1194 [inline]
genl_rcv_msg+0x61c/0x7a0 net/netlink/genetlink.c:1209
netlink_rcv_skb+0x232/0x4b0 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2551
genl_rcv+0x28/0x40 net/netlink/genetlink.c:1218
netlink_unicast_kernel net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1319 [inline]
netlink_unicast+0x780/0x920 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1345
netlink_sendmsg+0x813/0xb40 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1895
sock_sendmsg_nosec+0x112/0x150 net/socket.c:797
__sock_sendmsg net/socket.c:812 [inline]
____sys_sendmsg+0x55c/0x870 net/socket.c:2716
___sys_sendmsg+0x2a5/0x360 net/socket.c:2770
__sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2802 [inline]
__do_sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2807 [inline]
__se_sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2805 [inline]
__x64_sys_sendmsg+0x1c3/0x2a0 net/socket.c:2805
do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:63 [inline]
do_syscall_64+0x15f/0x560 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:94
entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f

-> #3 (genl_mutex){+.+.}-{4:4}:
__mutex_lock_common kernel/locking/rtmutex_api.c:559 [inline]
mutex_lock_nested+0x5a/0x1d0 kernel/locking/rtmutex_api.c:578
genl_lock net/netlink/genetlink.c:35 [inline]
genl_lock_all net/netlink/genetlink.c:48 [inline]
genl_register_family+0x7b9/0x17b0 net/netlink/genetlink.c:784
vdpa_init+0x39/0x70 drivers/vdpa/vdpa.c:1565
do_one_initcall+0x250/0x870 init/main.c:1347
do_initcall_level+0x104/0x190 init/main.c:1409
do_initcalls+0x59/0xa0 init/main.c:1425
kernel_init_freeable+0x2a6/0x3e0 init/main.c:1658
kernel_init+0x1d/0x1d0 init/main.c:1548
ret_from_fork+0x514/0xb70 arch/x86/kernel/process.c:158
ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:245

-> #2 (cb_lock){++++}-{4:4}:
down_read+0x97/0x200 kernel/locking/rwsem.c:1568
genl_rcv+0x19/0x40 net/netlink/genetlink.c:1217
netlink_unicast_kernel net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1319 [inline]
netlink_unicast+0x780/0x920 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1345
netlink_sendmsg+0x813/0xb40 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1895
sock_sendmsg_nosec+0x112/0x150 net/socket.c:797
__sock_sendmsg net/socket.c:812 [inline]
sock_sendmsg+0x1ca/0x2d0 net/socket.c:835
splice_to_socket+0xae5/0x11f0 fs/splice.c:884
do_splice_from fs/splice.c:936 [inline]
do_splice+0xef8/0x1940 fs/splice.c:1349
__do_splice fs/splice.c:1431 [inline]
__do_sys_splice fs/splice.c:1634 [inline]
__se_sys_splice+0x353/0x490 fs/splice.c:1616
do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:63 [inline]
do_syscall_64+0x15f/0x560 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:94
entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f

-> #1 (&pipe->mutex){+.+.}-{4:4}:
__mutex_lock_common kernel/locking/rtmutex_api.c:559 [inline]
mutex_lock_nested+0x5a/0x1d0 kernel/locking/rtmutex_api.c:578
iter_file_splice_write+0x1f3/0x10f0 fs/splice.c:682
do_splice_from fs/splice.c:936 [inline]
do_splice+0xef8/0x1940 fs/splice.c:1349
__do_splice fs/splice.c:1431 [inline]
__do_sys_splice fs/splice.c:1634 [inline]
__se_sys_splice+0x353/0x490 fs/splice.c:1616
do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:63 [inline]
do_syscall_64+0x15f/0x560 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:94
entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f

-> #0 (sb_writers#5){.+.+}-{0:0}:
check_prev_add kernel/locking/lockdep.c:3167 [inline]
check_prevs_add kernel/locking/lockdep.c:3286 [inline]
validate_chain kernel/locking/lockdep.c:3910 [inline]
__lock_acquire+0x15a5/0x2d10 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:5239
lock_acquire+0x106/0x350 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:5870
percpu_down_read_internal include/linux/percpu-rwsem.h:53 [inline]
percpu_down_read_freezable include/linux/percpu-rwsem.h:83 [inline]
__sb_start_write include/linux/fs/super.h:19 [inline]
sb_start_write include/linux/fs/super.h:125 [inline]
kiocb_start_write include/linux/fs.h:2767 [inline]
lo_rw_aio+0xb1b/0xf00 drivers/block/loop.c:401
do_req_filebacked drivers/block/loop.c:433 [inline]
loop_handle_cmd drivers/block/loop.c:1941 [inline]
loop_process_work+0x637/0x11b0 drivers/block/loop.c:1976
process_one_work+0x98b/0x1630 kernel/workqueue.c:3318
process_scheduled_works kernel/workqueue.c:3401 [inline]
worker_thread+0xb49/0x1140 kernel/workqueue.c:3482
kthread+0x388/0x470 kernel/kthread.c:436
ret_from_fork+0x514/0xb70 arch/x86/kernel/process.c:158
ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:245

other info that might help us debug this:

Chain exists of:
sb_writers#5 --> (wq_completion)loop4 --> (work_completion)(&worker->work)

Possible unsafe locking scenario:

CPU0 CPU1
---- ----
lock((work_completion)(&worker->work));
lock((wq_completion)loop4);
lock((work_completion)(&worker->work));
rlock(sb_writers#5);

*** DEADLOCK ***