[PATCH net] net: macb: take bp->lock around NCR read-modify-writes
From: Théo Lebrun
Date: Fri Sep 18 2026 - 16:03:27 EST
NCR is read-modify-written from many contexts:
- macb_mac_link_down() clears RE|TE,
- macb_mac_link_up() sets RE|TE|PTPUNI,
- macb_hresp_error_task() clears then re-sets RE|TE,
- macb_start_xmit() / macb_tx_restart() / macb_tx_error_task() set
TSTART (already under bp->lock),
- macb_interrupt() might toggle RE (also under bp->lock).
The first three risk concurrent RMW with anyone from the list as they
don't grab bp->lock.
Theoretical bugfix only, it has never reproduced on hardware. Also note
it does *not* take the lock hoping to protect against full races
inbetween BH scheduling concurrently. We only want to ensure consistent
NCR RMW operations.
Fixes: 7897b071ac3b ("net: macb: convert to phylink")
Cc: stable@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Signed-off-by: Théo Lebrun <theo.lebrun@xxxxxxxxxxx>
---
drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb_main.c | 14 ++++++++++++--
1 file changed, 12 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb_main.c
index b8234ac4b602..b58d3f01f2cc 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb_main.c
@@ -777,6 +777,7 @@ static void macb_mac_link_down(struct phylink_config *config, unsigned int mode,
struct net_device *netdev = to_net_dev(config->dev);
struct macb *bp = netdev_priv(netdev);
struct macb_queue *queue;
+ unsigned long flags;
unsigned int q;
u32 ctrl;
@@ -786,8 +787,10 @@ static void macb_mac_link_down(struct phylink_config *config, unsigned int mode,
bp->rx_intr_mask | MACB_TX_INT_FLAGS | MACB_BIT(HRESP));
/* Disable Rx and Tx */
+ spin_lock_irqsave(&bp->lock, flags);
ctrl = macb_readl(bp, NCR) & ~(MACB_BIT(RE) | MACB_BIT(TE));
macb_writel(bp, NCR, ctrl);
+ spin_unlock_irqrestore(&bp->lock, flags);
netif_tx_stop_all_queues(netdev);
}
@@ -940,11 +943,13 @@ static void macb_mac_link_up(struct phylink_config *config,
}
/* Enable Rx and Tx; Enable PTP unicast */
+ spin_lock_irqsave(&bp->lock, flags);
ctrl = macb_readl(bp, NCR);
if (gem_has_ptp(bp))
ctrl |= MACB_BIT(PTPUNI);
macb_writel(bp, NCR, ctrl | MACB_BIT(RE) | MACB_BIT(TE));
+ spin_unlock_irqrestore(&bp->lock, flags);
netif_tx_wake_all_queues(netdev);
}
@@ -1995,6 +2000,7 @@ static void macb_hresp_error_task(struct work_struct *work)
struct macb *bp = from_work(bp, work, hresp_err_bh_work);
struct net_device *netdev = bp->netdev;
struct macb_queue *queue;
+ unsigned long flags;
unsigned int q;
u32 ctrl;
@@ -2003,9 +2009,11 @@ static void macb_hresp_error_task(struct work_struct *work)
MACB_TX_INT_FLAGS |
MACB_BIT(HRESP));
}
+ spin_lock_irqsave(&bp->lock, flags);
ctrl = macb_readl(bp, NCR);
ctrl &= ~(MACB_BIT(RE) | MACB_BIT(TE));
macb_writel(bp, NCR, ctrl);
+ spin_unlock_irqrestore(&bp->lock, flags);
netif_tx_stop_all_queues(netdev);
netif_carrier_off(netdev);
@@ -2022,8 +2030,10 @@ static void macb_hresp_error_task(struct work_struct *work)
MACB_TX_INT_FLAGS |
MACB_BIT(HRESP));
- ctrl |= MACB_BIT(RE) | MACB_BIT(TE);
- macb_writel(bp, NCR, ctrl);
+ spin_lock_irqsave(&bp->lock, flags);
+ ctrl = MACB_BIT(RE) | MACB_BIT(TE);
+ macb_writel(bp, NCR, macb_readl(bp, NCR) | ctrl);
+ spin_unlock_irqrestore(&bp->lock, flags);
netif_carrier_on(netdev);
netif_tx_start_all_queues(netdev);
---
base-commit: 994db8ab9d90c64dd641b7ead6efe2eaea7a50dc
change-id: 20260918-macb-ncr-rmw-be5137e60f0b
Best regards,
--
Théo Lebrun <theo.lebrun@xxxxxxxxxxx>