Re: [PATCH v3 03/10] crash_dump: Disallow writing to dm-crypt configfs during kexec_file_load syscall
From: Sourabh Jain
Date: Wed Aug 05 2026 - 06:34:30 EST
On 29/07/26 09:06, Coiby Xu wrote:
If writing to the configfs group happens concurrently during
kexec_file_load syscall, it may lead to the following issues,
- buffer overflow if dm-crypt keys are added after allocation
- stale total_keys if dm-crypt keys are removed during iteration
- keys_header will not be freed if config/crash_dm_crypt_key/reuse is
set true
So hold config_keys_subsys.su_mutex for the entire sequence during the
kexec_file_load syscall to ensure a consistent snapshot.
Fixes: 479e58549b0f ("crash_dump: store dm crypt keys in kdump reserved memory")
Suggested-by: Sourabh Jain <sourabhjain@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Coiby Xu <coiby.xu@xxxxxxxxx>
---
kernel/crash_dump_dm_crypt.c | 23 +++++++++++++++++++++--
1 file changed, 21 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
diff --git a/kernel/crash_dump_dm_crypt.c b/kernel/crash_dump_dm_crypt.c
index 4335b6cb1fc4..d2e66c6fe6f3 100644
--- a/kernel/crash_dump_dm_crypt.c
+++ b/kernel/crash_dump_dm_crypt.c
@@ -293,6 +293,7 @@ static ssize_t config_keys_reuse_show(struct config_item *item, char *page)
static ssize_t config_keys_reuse_store(struct config_item *item,
const char *page, size_t count)
{
+ struct mutex *lock;
bool val;
int r;
@@ -302,8 +303,12 @@ static ssize_t config_keys_reuse_store(struct config_item *item,
return -EINVAL;
}
+ lock = &to_config_group(item)->cg_subsys->su_mutex;
+ mutex_lock(lock);
Is this lock only protecting against races between key reuse and kexec_file_load(),
or does it also handle the case where a new key is added during key reuse or
kexec_file_load() is running?
If it is only intended to protect key reuse versus kexec_file_load(), why can't we use
the kexec lock instead?
The reason I'm asking is that, in upcoming patches, the key reuse path accesses
kexec_crash_image properties and the crash reserved region directly. Doing so
without taking the kexec lock (using kexec_trylock()) could lead to race conditions.
- Sourabh Jain
+
+ r = -EINVAL;
if (kstrtobool(page, &val) || !val)
- return -EINVAL;
+ goto unlock;
The jump above skips setting count, causing the function to return count instead of -EINVAL.
Is this really intended?
if (is_dm_key_reused) {
pr_info("Already got dm-crypt keys, please continue with kexec_file_load syscall\n");
@@ -311,11 +316,15 @@ static ssize_t config_keys_reuse_store(struct config_item *item,
r = get_keys_from_kdump_reserved_memory();
if (r) {
pr_warn("Failed to get dm-crypt keys from reserved memory\n");
- return r;
+ goto unlock;
}
is_dm_key_reused = true;
}
+ r = count;
+
+unlock:
+ mutex_unlock(lock);
return count;
}
@@ -421,6 +430,8 @@ static int build_keys_header(void)
return 0;
}
+static bool mutex_acquired;
+
int crash_load_dm_crypt_keys(struct kimage *image)
{
struct kexec_buf kbuf = {
@@ -432,6 +443,9 @@ int crash_load_dm_crypt_keys(struct kimage *image)
};
int r = 0;
+ mutex_lock(&config_keys_subsys.su_mutex);
+ mutex_acquired = true;
+
if (key_count <= 0) {
kexec_dprintk("No dm-crypt keys\n");
return 0;
@@ -481,6 +495,11 @@ void kexec_file_post_load_cleanup_dm_crypt(struct kimage *image)
kfree_sensitive(keys_header);
keys_header = NULL;
}
+
+ if (mutex_acquired) {
+ mutex_unlock(&config_keys_subsys.su_mutex);
+ mutex_acquired = false;
+ }
}
static int __init configfs_dmcrypt_keys_init(void)