[PATCH 1/2] ceph: fix UAF in __kick_flushing_caps() on cf entry freed during unlock
From: Xiubo Li via B4 Relay
Date: Tue Jul 14 2026 - 04:19:16 EST
From: Xiubo Li <xiubo.li@xxxxxxxxx>
list_for_each_entry() iterates ci->i_cap_flush_list but drops
i_ceph_lock to send cap messages. During the unlock window,
handle_cap_flush_ack() can acquire i_ceph_lock, detach cf entries
with tid <= flush_tid from the list, release i_ceph_lock, and free
them via ceph_free_cap_flush() outside any lock. When the original
thread reacquires i_ceph_lock and the for-loop macro advances via
cf = list_next_entry(cf, i_list), it dereferences cf->i_list.next
on freed memory.
The race timeline:
__kick_flushing_caps() handle_cap_flush_ack()
----------------------- -----------------------
holds i_ceph_lock <---
iterates to cf (tid=10)
prepares FLUSH message
drops i_ceph_lock <---
__send_cap() ── FLUSH(tid=10)
MDS sends FLUSH_ACK(tid=10)
---> acquires i_ceph_lock
cf->tid(10) <= flush_tid(10),
detaches cf from i_cap_flush_list
drops i_ceph_lock
ceph_free_cap_flush(cf) <- frees it!
acquires i_ceph_lock <---
for-loop advances:
cf = list_next_entry(cf, i_list)
-- UAF on freed cf->i_list.next
The cf was just sent by __kick_flushing_caps itself via __send_cap().
The MDS may respond with FLUSH_ACK quickly enough that
handle_cap_flush_ack() frees cf before __kick_flushing_caps can
finish the iteration.
Fix by converting to a manual while loop: save the next pointer
under i_ceph_lock before dropping it, then use the saved pointer
after reacquiring, so the potentially-freed cf is never accessed again.
Signed-off-by: Xiubo Li <xiubo.li@xxxxxxxxx>
---
fs/ceph/caps.c | 11 +++++++++--
1 file changed, 9 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
diff --git a/fs/ceph/caps.c b/fs/ceph/caps.c
index f8d898ad091e..358ee4f14524 100644
--- a/fs/ceph/caps.c
+++ b/fs/ceph/caps.c
@@ -2626,9 +2626,14 @@ static void __kick_flushing_caps(struct ceph_mds_client *mdsc,
}
}
- list_for_each_entry(cf, &ci->i_cap_flush_list, i_list) {
- if (cf->tid < first_tid)
+ cf = list_first_entry(&ci->i_cap_flush_list, struct ceph_cap_flush, i_list);
+ while (&cf->i_list != &ci->i_cap_flush_list) {
+ struct ceph_cap_flush *next;
+
+ if (cf->tid < first_tid) {
+ cf = list_next_entry(cf, i_list);
continue;
+ }
cap = ci->i_auth_cap;
if (!(cap && cap->session == session)) {
@@ -2638,6 +2643,7 @@ static void __kick_flushing_caps(struct ceph_mds_client *mdsc,
}
first_tid = cf->tid + 1;
+ next = list_next_entry(cf, i_list);
if (!cf->is_capsnap) {
struct cap_msg_args arg;
@@ -2678,6 +2684,7 @@ static void __kick_flushing_caps(struct ceph_mds_client *mdsc,
}
spin_lock(&ci->i_ceph_lock);
+ cf = next;
}
}
--
2.53.0