[PATCH bpf v3 1/3] bpf: Add validation for bpf_set_retval argument
From: Xu Kuohai
Date: Sat May 30 2026 - 06:35:44 EST
From: Xu Kuohai <xukuohai@xxxxxxxxxx>
The bpf_set_retval() helper is used by cgroup BPF programs to set the
return value of the target hook. The argument type for this helper is
ARG_ANYTHING. This allows setting a positive value, which no cgroup
hook expects and can cause issues, such as:
- BPF_LSM_CGROUP: a positive value from bpf_lsm_socket_create bypasses
the err < 0 check in __sock_create(), leaving the socket object
unallocated. The positive return value is then propagated to the
syscall entry __sys_socket(), which also bypasses the IS_ERR() guard
and ultimately causes a NULL pointer dereference.
- BPF_CGROUP_DEVICE: a positive value can be returned through cgroup
device bpf prog -> devcgroup_check_permission() -> bdev_permission()
-> bdev_file_open_by_dev(), where ERR_PTR(positive) produces a pointer
that IS_ERR() does not catch, leading to a wild pointer dereference.
- BPF_CGROUP_SOCK: a positive value can be returned through cgroup sock
bpf prog -> __cgroup_bpf_run_filter_sk() -> inet_create() ->
__sock_create(), where inet_create() frees the newly allocated sk
via sk_common_release() and sets sock->sk = NULL on the non-zero
return, but __sock_create() only checks err < 0 for cleanup, so a
positive retval bypasses cleanup and returns a socket with NULL sk
to userspace, triggering a NULL pointer dereference on subsequent
socket operations.
- BPF_CGROUP_SYSCTL: a positive value can be returned through the cgroup
bpf prog -> __cgroup_bpf_run_filter_sysctl() -> proc_sys_call_handler(),
where a non-zero return bypasses the normal sysctl proc_handler and is
returned directly to userspace as the read()/write() syscall return value.
So add validation for the argument of the bpf_set_retval() helper.
For BPF_LSM_CGROUP, the same validation as BPF_LSM_MAC is enforced,
i.e. validate the argument against the LSM hook specific range, which
is returned by bpf_lsm_get_retval_range().
For all other cgroup program types, restrict the argument to
[-MAX_ERRNO, 0], which matches the kernel convention of 0 for success
and negative errno for error.
Since the return value type is always int, also restrict the argument type
to scalar.
Fixes: b44123b4a3dc ("bpf: Add cgroup helpers bpf_{get,set}_retval to get/set syscall return value")
Fixes: 69fd337a975c ("bpf: per-cgroup lsm flavor")
Reported-by: Quan Sun <2022090917019@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Closes: https://lore.kernel.org/all/567d3206-74a5-44e5-99c6-779c425f399e@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Signed-off-by: Xu Kuohai <xukuohai@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
kernel/bpf/verifier.c | 25 +++++++++++++++++++++++++
1 file changed, 25 insertions(+)
diff --git a/kernel/bpf/verifier.c b/kernel/bpf/verifier.c
index 7fb88e1cd7c4..4948bd4bf9e1 100644
--- a/kernel/bpf/verifier.c
+++ b/kernel/bpf/verifier.c
@@ -10460,6 +10460,19 @@ static int check_helper_call(struct bpf_verifier_env *env, struct bpf_insn *insn
}
break;
case BPF_FUNC_set_retval:
+ {
+ struct bpf_retval_range range = {
+ .minval = -MAX_ERRNO,
+ .maxval = 0,
+ .return_32bit = true
+ };
+ struct bpf_reg_state *r1 = ®s[BPF_REG_1];
+
+ if (r1->type != SCALAR_VALUE) {
+ verbose(env, "R1 is not a scalar\n");
+ return -EINVAL;
+ }
+
if (prog_type == BPF_PROG_TYPE_LSM &&
env->prog->expected_attach_type == BPF_LSM_CGROUP) {
if (!env->prog->aux->attach_func_proto->type) {
@@ -10469,8 +10482,20 @@ static int check_helper_call(struct bpf_verifier_env *env, struct bpf_insn *insn
verbose(env, "BPF_LSM_CGROUP that attach to void LSM hooks can't modify return value!\n");
return -EINVAL;
}
+ bpf_lsm_get_retval_range(env->prog, &range);
}
+
+ err = mark_chain_precision(env, BPF_REG_1);
+ if (err)
+ return err;
+
+ if (!retval_range_within(range, r1)) {
+ verbose_invalid_scalar(env, r1, range, "At bpf_set_retval", "R1");
+ return -EINVAL;
+ }
+
break;
+ }
case BPF_FUNC_dynptr_data:
{
struct bpf_reg_state *reg;
--
2.43.0