RE: [PATCH 1/4] lockd: convert nlm_host.h_count from atomic_t to refcount_t

From: Reshetova, Elena
Date: Fri Dec 22 2017 - 04:29:44 EST


On Wed, Nov 29, 2017 at 01:15:43PM +0200, Elena Reshetova wrote:
> atomic_t variables are currently used to implement reference
> counters with the following properties:
> - counter is initialized to 1 using atomic_set()
> - a resource is freed upon counter reaching zero
> - once counter reaches zero, its further
> increments aren't allowed
> - counter schema uses basic atomic operations
> (set, inc, inc_not_zero, dec_and_test, etc.)

>Whoops, I forgot that this doesn't apply to h_count.

>Well, it's confusing, because h_count is actually used in two different
>ways: depending on whether a nlm_host represents a client or server, it
>may have the above properties or not.


So, what happens when it is not having the above properties? Is the object
being reused or?

I am just trying to understand if there is a way to fix this patch to work for the case
or is the drop is the only correct way to go.

Best Regards,
Elena.

>Inclined to drop this patch for now.

--b.

>
> Such atomic variables should be converted to a newly provided
> refcount_t type and API that prevents accidental counter overflows
> and underflows. This is important since overflows and underflows
> can lead to use-after-free situation and be exploitable.
>
> The variable nlm_host.h_count is used as pure reference counter.
> Convert it to refcount_t and fix up the operations.
>
> **Important note for maintainers:
>
> Some functions from refcount_t API defined in lib/refcount.c
> have different memory ordering guarantees than their atomic
> counterparts.
> The full comparison can be seen in
> https://lkml.org/lkml/2017/11/15/57 and it is hopefully soon
> in state to be merged to the documentation tree.
> Normally the differences should not matter since refcount_t provides
> enough guarantees to satisfy the refcounting use cases, but in
> some rare cases it might matter.
> Please double check that you don't have some undocumented
> memory guarantees for this variable usage.
>
> For the nlm_host.h_count it might make a difference
> in following places:
> - nlmsvc_release_host(): decrement in refcount_dec()
> provides RELEASE ordering, while original atomic_dec()
> was fully unordered. Since the change is for better, it
> should not matter.
> - nlmclnt_release_host(): decrement in refcount_dec_and_test() only
> provides RELEASE ordering and control dependency on success
> vs. fully ordered atomic counterpart. It doesn't seem to
> matter in this case since object freeing happens under mutex
> lock anyway.
>
> Suggested-by: Kees Cook <keescook@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Reviewed-by: David Windsor <dwindsor@xxxxxxxxx>
> Reviewed-by: Hans Liljestrand <ishkamiel@xxxxxxxxx>
> Signed-off-by: Elena Reshetova <elena.reshetova@xxxxxxxxx>
> ---
> fs/lockd/host.c | 14 +++++++-------
> include/linux/lockd/lockd.h | 3 ++-
> 2 files changed, 9 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/fs/lockd/host.c b/fs/lockd/host.c
> index 826a891..11b6832 100644
> --- a/fs/lockd/host.c
> +++ b/fs/lockd/host.c
> @@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ static struct nlm_host *nlm_alloc_host(struct nlm_lookup_host_info *ni,
> host->h_state = 0;
> host->h_nsmstate = 0;
> host->h_pidcount = 0;
> - atomic_set(&host->h_count, 1);
> + refcount_set(&host->h_count, 1);
> mutex_init(&host->h_mutex);
> host->h_nextrebind = now + NLM_HOST_REBIND;
> host->h_expires = now + NLM_HOST_EXPIRE;
> @@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ void nlmclnt_release_host(struct nlm_host *host)
>
> WARN_ON_ONCE(host->h_server);
>
> - if (atomic_dec_and_test(&host->h_count)) {
> + if (refcount_dec_and_test(&host->h_count)) {
> WARN_ON_ONCE(!list_empty(&host->h_lockowners));
> WARN_ON_ONCE(!list_empty(&host->h_granted));
> WARN_ON_ONCE(!list_empty(&host->h_reclaim));
> @@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ void nlmsvc_release_host(struct nlm_host *host)
> dprintk("lockd: release server host %s\n", host->h_name);
>
> WARN_ON_ONCE(!host->h_server);
> - atomic_dec(&host->h_count);
> + refcount_dec(&host->h_count);
> }
>
> /*
> @@ -504,7 +504,7 @@ struct nlm_host * nlm_get_host(struct nlm_host *host)
> {
> if (host) {
> dprintk("lockd: get host %s\n", host->h_name);
> - atomic_inc(&host->h_count);
> + refcount_inc(&host->h_count);
> host->h_expires = jiffies + NLM_HOST_EXPIRE;
> }
> return host;
> @@ -593,7 +593,7 @@ static void nlm_complain_hosts(struct net *net)
> if (net && host->net != net)
> continue;
> dprintk(" %s (cnt %d use %d exp %ld net %x)\n",
> - host->h_name, atomic_read(&host->h_count),
> + host->h_name, refcount_read(&host->h_count),
> host->h_inuse, host->h_expires, host->net->ns.inum);
> }
> }
> @@ -662,11 +662,11 @@ nlm_gc_hosts(struct net *net)
> for_each_host_safe(host, next, chain, nlm_server_hosts) {
> if (net && host->net != net)
> continue;
> - if (atomic_read(&host->h_count) || host->h_inuse
> + if (refcount_read(&host->h_count) || host->h_inuse
> || time_before(jiffies, host->h_expires)) {
> dprintk("nlm_gc_hosts skipping %s "
> "(cnt %d use %d exp %ld net %x)\n",
> - host->h_name, atomic_read(&host->h_count),
> + host->h_name, refcount_read(&host->h_count),
> host->h_inuse, host->h_expires,
> host->net->ns.inum);
> continue;
> diff --git a/include/linux/lockd/lockd.h b/include/linux/lockd/lockd.h
> index d7d313f..39dfeea 100644
> --- a/include/linux/lockd/lockd.h
> +++ b/include/linux/lockd/lockd.h
> @@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
> #include <net/ipv6.h>
> #include <linux/fs.h>
> #include <linux/kref.h>
> +#include <linux/refcount.h>
> #include <linux/utsname.h>
> #include <linux/lockd/bind.h>
> #include <linux/lockd/xdr.h>
> @@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ struct nlm_host {
> u32 h_state; /* pseudo-state counter */
> u32 h_nsmstate; /* true remote NSM state */
> u32 h_pidcount; /* Pseudopids */
> - atomic_t h_count; /* reference count */
> + refcount_t h_count; /* reference count */
> struct mutex h_mutex; /* mutex for pmap binding */
> unsigned long h_nextrebind; /* next portmap call */
> unsigned long h_expires; /* eligible for GC */
> --
> 2.7.4