[PATCH net v3 3/3] sfc: ptp: avoid racing PPS timestamp updates

From: Alex Austin

Date: Wed Oct 21 2026 - 05:17:07 EST


efx_ptp_pps_worker() can race with SIOCHWTSTAMP via
efx_ptp_change_mode(). After the worker completes synchronization, the
ioctl can start another synchronization and update host_time_pps while
the worker copies it into the PPS event. This can report a partially
updated timestamp. Serializing synchronization transactions alone does
not protect this copy, which happens after phc_lock is released.

Return the timestamp through the caller's own pps_event_time rather
than the shared field in efx_ptp_data, so the worker reads storage no
one else can write.

Fixes: 7c236c43b838 ("sfc: Add support for IEEE-1588 PTP")
Signed-off-by: Alex Austin <alex.austin@xxxxxxx>
Reviewed-by: Alejandro Lucero <alucerop@xxxxxxx>
Reviewed-by: Pieter Jansen van Vuuren <pieter.jansen-van-vuuren@xxxxxxx>
---
drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/ptp.c | 26 ++++++++++++++++----------
1 file changed, 16 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)

diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/ptp.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/ptp.c
index eedab53..3c6a85b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/ptp.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/ptp.c
@@ -268,7 +268,6 @@ struct efx_ptp_rxfilter {
* @evt_frag_idx: Current fragment number
* @evt_code: Last event code
* @start: Address at which MC indicates ready for synchronisation
- * @host_time_pps: Host time at last PPS
* @adjfreq_ppb_shift: Shift required to convert scaled parts-per-billion
* frequency adjustment into a fixed point fractional nanosecond format.
* @current_adjfreq: Current ppb adjustment.
@@ -330,7 +329,6 @@ struct efx_ptp_data {
int evt_frag_idx;
int evt_code;
struct efx_buffer start;
- struct pps_event_time host_time_pps;
unsigned int adjfreq_ppb_shift;
s64 current_adjfreq;
struct ptp_clock *phc_clock;
@@ -912,7 +910,8 @@ static void efx_ptp_read_timeset(MCDI_DECLARE_STRUCT_PTR(data),
static int
efx_ptp_process_times(struct efx_nic *efx, MCDI_DECLARE_STRUCT_PTR(synch_buf),
size_t response_length,
- const struct pps_event_time *last_time)
+ const struct pps_event_time *last_time,
+ struct pps_event_time *host_time_pps)
{
unsigned number_readings =
MCDI_VAR_ARRAY_LEN(response_length,
@@ -990,6 +989,10 @@ efx_ptp_process_times(struct efx_nic *efx, MCDI_DECLARE_STRUCT_PTR(synch_buf),
"PTP bad synchronisation seconds\n");
return -EAGAIN;
}
+
+ if (!host_time_pps)
+ return 0;
+
delta.tv_sec = (last_sec - start_sec) & 1;
delta.tv_nsec =
last_time->ts_real.tv_nsec -
@@ -1006,8 +1009,8 @@ efx_ptp_process_times(struct efx_nic *efx, MCDI_DECLARE_STRUCT_PTR(synch_buf),
delta.tv_nsec += ktime_to_timespec64(mc_time).tv_nsec;

/* Set PPS timestamp to match NIC top of second */
- ptp->host_time_pps = *last_time;
- pps_sub_ts(&ptp->host_time_pps, delta);
+ *host_time_pps = *last_time;
+ pps_sub_ts(host_time_pps, delta);

return 0;
}
@@ -1020,7 +1023,8 @@ efx_ptp_process_times(struct efx_nic *efx, MCDI_DECLARE_STRUCT_PTR(synch_buf),
* the function that registered it, so a secondary function can capture here
* without serializing against the primary.
*/
-static int efx_ptp_synchronize(struct efx_nic *efx, unsigned int num_readings)
+static int efx_ptp_synchronize(struct efx_nic *efx, unsigned int num_readings,
+ struct pps_event_time *host_time_pps)
{
struct efx_ptp_data *ptp = efx->ptp_data;
MCDI_DECLARE_BUF(synch_buf, MC_CMD_PTP_OUT_SYNCHRONIZE_LENMAX);
@@ -1069,7 +1073,7 @@ static int efx_ptp_synchronize(struct efx_nic *efx, unsigned int num_readings)
&response_length);
if (rc == 0) {
rc = efx_ptp_process_times(efx, synch_buf, response_length,
- &last_time);
+ &last_time, host_time_pps);
if (rc == 0)
++ptp->good_syncs;
else
@@ -1501,14 +1505,15 @@ static void efx_ptp_pps_worker(struct work_struct *work)
{
struct efx_ptp_data *ptp =
container_of(work, struct efx_ptp_data, pps_work);
+ struct pps_event_time host_time_pps = {};
struct efx_nic *efx = ptp->efx;
struct ptp_clock_event ptp_evt;

- if (efx_ptp_synchronize(efx, PTP_SYNC_ATTEMPTS))
+ if (efx_ptp_synchronize(efx, PTP_SYNC_ATTEMPTS, &host_time_pps))
return;

ptp_evt.type = PTP_CLOCK_PPSUSR;
- ptp_evt.pps_times = ptp->host_time_pps;
+ ptp_evt.pps_times = host_time_pps;
ptp_clock_event(ptp->phc_clock, &ptp_evt);
}

@@ -1844,7 +1849,8 @@ int efx_ptp_change_mode(struct efx_nic *efx, bool enable_wanted,
rc = efx_ptp_start(efx);
if (rc == 0) {
rc = efx_ptp_synchronize(efx,
- PTP_SYNC_ATTEMPTS * 2);
+ PTP_SYNC_ATTEMPTS * 2,
+ NULL);
if (rc != 0)
efx_ptp_stop(efx);
}
--
2.34.1