[PATCH bpf v2] bpf, sockmap: disallow update and delete from tc, xdp and flow_dissector

From: Sechang Lim

Date: Fri Jun 19 2026 - 23:46:53 EST


sock_map_update_common() and __sock_map_delete() hold stab->lock and call
sock_map_unref() -> sock_map_del_link(), which takes sk_callback_lock for
write. That gives the order stab->lock -> sk_callback_lock.

The reverse order comes from the SK_SKB stream parser.
sk_psock_strp_data_ready() holds sk_callback_lock for read, and after the
verdict tcp_bpf_strp_read_sock() acks the consumed data inline via
__tcp_cleanup_rbuf(). The ACK goes out egress, where a sched_cls program
deletes from the sockmap and takes stab->lock:

WARNING: possible circular locking dependency detected
7.1.0-rc6 Not tainted
------------------------------------------------------
syz.9.8824 is trying to acquire lock:
(&stab->lock){+.-.}-{3:3}, at: __sock_map_delete net/core/sock_map.c:421
but task is already holding lock:
(clock-AF_INET){++.-}-{3:3}, at: sk_psock_strp_data_ready net/core/skmsg.c:1173

-> #1 (clock-AF_INET){++.-}-{3:3}:
_raw_write_lock_bh
sock_map_del_link net/core/sock_map.c:167
sock_map_unref net/core/sock_map.c:184
sock_map_update_common net/core/sock_map.c:509
sock_map_update_elem_sys net/core/sock_map.c:588
map_update_elem kernel/bpf/syscall.c:1805

-> #0 (&stab->lock){+.-.}-{3:3}:
_raw_spin_lock_bh
__sock_map_delete net/core/sock_map.c:421
sock_map_delete_elem net/core/sock_map.c:452
bpf_prog_06044d24140080b6
tcx_run net/core/dev.c:4451
sch_handle_egress net/core/dev.c:4541
__dev_queue_xmit net/core/dev.c:4808
...
tcp_bpf_strp_read_sock net/ipv4/tcp_bpf.c:701
strp_data_ready net/strparser/strparser.c:402
sk_psock_strp_data_ready net/core/skmsg.c:1174
tcp_data_queue net/ipv4/tcp_input.c:5661

Possible unsafe locking scenario:

CPU0 CPU1
---- ----
rlock(clock-AF_INET);
lock(&stab->lock);
lock(clock-AF_INET);
lock(&stab->lock);

*** DEADLOCK ***

A tc, xdp or flow_dissector program has no reason to update or delete a
sockmap, and redirect does not go through here. Drop them from
may_update_sockmap() so the verifier rejects it. It also closes the
matching sockhash inversion.

Fixes: 0126240f448d ("bpf: sockmap: Allow update from BPF")
Suggested-by: John Fastabend <john.fastabend@xxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Sechang Lim <rhkrqnwk98@xxxxxxxxx>
---
v2:
- reject sockmap update/delete from tc, xdp and flow_dissector (John
Fastabend)
- fix the changelog (Jiayuan Chen)

v1:
- https://lore.kernel.org/all/20260616091153.2966617-1-rhkrqnwk98@xxxxxxxxx/

kernel/bpf/verifier.c | 4 ----
1 file changed, 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/kernel/bpf/verifier.c b/kernel/bpf/verifier.c
index 7fb88e1cd7c4..94d225521b5a 100644
--- a/kernel/bpf/verifier.c
+++ b/kernel/bpf/verifier.c
@@ -8766,11 +8766,7 @@ static bool may_update_sockmap(struct bpf_verifier_env *env, int func_id)
return true;
break;
case BPF_PROG_TYPE_SOCKET_FILTER:
- case BPF_PROG_TYPE_SCHED_CLS:
- case BPF_PROG_TYPE_SCHED_ACT:
- case BPF_PROG_TYPE_XDP:
case BPF_PROG_TYPE_SK_REUSEPORT:
- case BPF_PROG_TYPE_FLOW_DISSECTOR:
case BPF_PROG_TYPE_SK_LOOKUP:
return true;
default:
--
2.43.0