[PATCH V5 04/14] i3c: master: Fix use-after-free of master->this

From: Adrian Hunter

Date: Fri Aug 07 2026 - 11:07:38 EST


sysfs attribute callbacks for the master controller device dereference
master->this. However, master->this is freed in
i3c_master_detach_free_devs() before the master device itself is
released.

As a result, sysfs accesses can dereference a freed master->this
pointer, leading to a use-after-free.

Keep master->this alive until i3c_masterdev_release(), which is called
after the master device and its sysfs state are being torn down. Do not
free master->this as part of the normal device detach path.

On the error path in i3c_master_set_info(), reset master->this and
bus.cur_master to NULL before freeing the allocated device.

Fixes: 3a379bbcea0a ("i3c: Add core I3C infrastructure")
Cc: stable@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Signed-off-by: Adrian Hunter <adrian.hunter@xxxxxxxxx>
Reviewed-by: Frank Li <Frank.Li@xxxxxxx>
---


Changes in V5:

Added Frank's Rev'd-by

Changes in V4:

Also reset master->this and bus.cur_master to NULL on the
i3c_master_set_info() error path before freeing the allocated
device. Tidied up the commit message wording.

Changes in V3:

New patch


drivers/i3c/master.c | 17 +++++++++++------
1 file changed, 11 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)

diff --git a/drivers/i3c/master.c b/drivers/i3c/master.c
index abb582645a2e..2357874bb9d6 100644
--- a/drivers/i3c/master.c
+++ b/drivers/i3c/master.c
@@ -842,6 +842,11 @@ static struct attribute *i3c_masterdev_attrs[] = {
};
ATTRIBUTE_GROUPS(i3c_masterdev);

+static void i3c_master_free_i3c_dev(struct i3c_dev_desc *dev)
+{
+ kfree(dev);
+}
+
static void i3c_masterdev_release(struct device *dev)
{
struct i3c_master_controller *master = dev_to_i3cmaster(dev);
@@ -854,6 +859,8 @@ static void i3c_masterdev_release(struct device *dev)
i3c_bus_cleanup(bus);

fwnode_handle_put(dev->fwnode);
+
+ i3c_master_free_i3c_dev(master->this);
}

static const struct device_type i3c_masterdev_type = {
@@ -1125,11 +1132,6 @@ static void i3c_device_release(struct device *dev)
kfree(i3cdev);
}

-static void i3c_master_free_i3c_dev(struct i3c_dev_desc *dev)
-{
- kfree(dev);
-}
-
static struct i3c_dev_desc *
i3c_master_alloc_i3c_dev(struct i3c_master_controller *master,
const struct i3c_device_info *info)
@@ -2266,6 +2268,8 @@ int i3c_master_set_info(struct i3c_master_controller *master,
return 0;

err_free_dev:
+ master->bus.cur_master = NULL;
+ master->this = NULL;
i3c_master_free_i3c_dev(i3cdev);

return ret;
@@ -2286,7 +2290,8 @@ static void i3c_master_detach_free_devs(struct i3c_master_controller *master)
i3cdev->boardinfo->init_dyn_addr,
I3C_ADDR_SLOT_FREE);

- i3c_master_free_i3c_dev(i3cdev);
+ if (i3cdev != master->this)
+ i3c_master_free_i3c_dev(i3cdev);
}

list_for_each_entry_safe(i2cdev, i2ctmp, &master->bus.devs.i2c,
--
2.53.0