Re: [PATCH] Convert struct pid count to refcount_t

[Oleg Nesterov]

On 03/27, Joel Fernandes wrote:
>
> Also, based on Kees comment, I think it appears to me that get_pid and
> put_pid can race in this way in the original code right?
>
> get_pid			put_pid
>
> 			atomic_dec_and_test returns 1
> atomic_inc
> 			kfree
>
> deref pid /* boom */
> -------------------------------------------------
>
> I think get_pid needs to call atomic_inc_not_zero()

No.

get_pid() should only be used if you already have a reference or you do
something like

	rcu_read_lock();
	pid = find_vpid();
	get_pid();
	rcu_read_lock();

in this case we rely on call_rcu(delayed_put_pid) which drops the initial
reference.

If put_pid() sees pid->count == 1, then a) nobody else has a reference and
b) nobody else can find this pid on rcu-protected lists, so it is safe to
free it.

Oleg.