Re: [PATCH net-next] net: ethernet: oa_tc6: fix race condition on ongoing_tx_skb

From: Parthiban.Veerasooran
Date: Thu Dec 19 2024 - 07:06:23 EST


Hi,

On 19/12/24 12:29 pm, Dheeraj Reddy Jonnalagadda wrote:
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> A race condition exists in function oa_tc6_prepare_spi_tx_buf_for_tx_skbs
> due to an unsynchronized access to shared variable tc6->ongoing_tx_skb.
>
> The issue arises because the condition (!tc6->ongoing_tx_skb) is checked
> outside the critical section. Two or more threads can simultaneously
> evaluate this condition as true before acquiring the lock. This results
> in both threads entering the critical section and modifying
> tc6->ongoing_tx_skb, causing inconsistent state updates or overwriting
> each other's changes.
>
> Consider the following scenario. A race window exists in the sequence:
>
> Thread1 Thread2
> ------------------------ ------------------------
> - if ongoing_tx_skb is NULL
> - if ongoing_tx_skb is NULL
> - spin_lock_bh()
> - ongoing_tx_skb = waiting_tx_skb
> - waiting_tx_skb = NULL
> - spin_unlock_bh()
> - spin_lock_bh()
> - ongoing_tx_skb = waiting_tx_skb
> - waiting_tx_skb = NULL
> - spin_unlock_bh()
I don't think this scenario/sequence exists as the ongoing_tx_skb is not
shared between two threads. waiting_tx_skb alone is shared between
oa_tc6_start_xmit() and oa_tc6_spi_thread_handler(). ongoing_tx_skb is
used only in the oa_tc6_spi_thread_handler() thread and it is
sequential. So in my opinion, as done before, protecting waiting_tx_skb
alone is enough and no need to protect ongoing_tx_skb.

Best regards,
Parthiban V
>
> This leads to lost updates between ongoing_tx_skb and waiting_tx_skb
> fields. Moving the NULL check inside the critical section ensures both
> the NULL check and the assignment are protected by the same lock,
> maintaining atomic check-and-set operations.
>
> Fixes: e592b5110b3e ("net: ethernet: oa_tc6: fix tx skb race condition between reference pointers")
> Closes: https://scan7.scan.coverity.com/#/project-view/52337/11354?selectedIssue=1602611
> Signed-off-by: Dheeraj Reddy Jonnalagadda <dheeraj.linuxdev@xxxxxxxxx>
> ---
> drivers/net/ethernet/oa_tc6.c | 4 ++--
> 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/oa_tc6.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/oa_tc6.c
> index db200e4ec284..66d55ec9bc88 100644
> --- a/drivers/net/ethernet/oa_tc6.c
> +++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/oa_tc6.c
> @@ -1004,12 +1004,12 @@ static u16 oa_tc6_prepare_spi_tx_buf_for_tx_skbs(struct oa_tc6 *tc6)
> */
> for (used_tx_credits = 0; used_tx_credits < tc6->tx_credits;
> used_tx_credits++) {
> + spin_lock_bh(&tc6->tx_skb_lock);
> if (!tc6->ongoing_tx_skb) {
> - spin_lock_bh(&tc6->tx_skb_lock);
> tc6->ongoing_tx_skb = tc6->waiting_tx_skb;
> tc6->waiting_tx_skb = NULL;
> - spin_unlock_bh(&tc6->tx_skb_lock);
> }
> + spin_unlock_bh(&tc6->tx_skb_lock);
> if (!tc6->ongoing_tx_skb)
> break;
> oa_tc6_add_tx_skb_to_spi_buf(tc6);
> --
> 2.34.1
>