Re: [PATCH] driver core: Fix uevent_show() vs driver detach race

[Dan Williams]

Tetsuo Handa wrote:
> On 2024/07/13 8:49, Dan Williams wrote:
> >>> +	/* Synchronize with dev_uevent() */
> >>> +	synchronize_rcu();
> >>> +
> >>
> >> this synchronize_rcu(), in order to make sure that
> >> READ_ONCE(dev->driver) in dev_uevent() observes NULL?
> > 
> > No, this synchronize_rcu() is to make sure that if dev_uevent() wins the
> > race and observes that dev->driver is not NULL that it is still safe to
> > dereference that result because the 'struct device_driver' object is
> > still live.
> 
> I can't catch what the pair of rcu_read_lock()/rcu_read_unlock() in dev_uevent()
> and synchronize_rcu() in module_remove_driver() is for.

It is to extend the lifetime of @driver if dev_uevent() observes
non-NULL @dev->driver.

> I think that the below race is possible.
> Please explain how "/* Synchronize with module_remove_driver() */" works.

It is for this race:

Thread1:                                               Thread2:                                              
dev_uevent(...)                                        delete_module()                                       
  driver = dev->driver;                                  mod->exit()                                         
  if (driver)                                              driver_unregister()
                                                              driver_detach() // <-- @dev->driver marked NULL
                                                              module_remove_driver()
                                                         free_module() // <-- @driver object destroyed 
    add_uevent_var(env, "DRIVER=%s", driver->name); // <-- use after free of @driver 

If driver_detach() happens before Thread1 reads dev->driver then there
is no use after free risk.

The previous attempt to fix this held the device_lock() over
dev_uevent() which prevents driver_detach() from even starting, but that
causes lockdep issues and is even more heavy-handed than the
synchronize_rcu() delay. RCU makes sure that @driver stays alive between
reading @dev->driver and reading @driver->name.