Re: [PATCH] fs/ntfs3: fix deadlock in ni_readpage_cmpr
From: Konstantin Komarov
Date: Fri Dec 26 2025 - 13:06:49 EST
On 12/22/25 16:10, Szymon Wilczek wrote:
Syzbot reported a task hung in ni_readpage_cmpr. This is caused by a lock
inversion deadlock involving the inode mutex (ni_lock) and page locks.
Scenario:
1. Task A enters ntfs_read_folio() for page X. It acquires ni_lock.
2. Task A calls ni_readpage_cmpr(), which attempts to lock all pages in
the compressed frame (including page Y).
3. Concurrently, Task B (e.g., via readahead) has locked page Y and
calls ntfs_read_folio().
4. Task B waits for ni_lock (held by A).
5. Task A waits for page Y lock (held by B).
-> DEADLOCK.
The fix is to restructure locking: do not take ni_lock in ntfs_read_folio().
Instead, acquire ni_lock inside ni_readpage_cmpr() ONLY AFTER all required
page locks for the frame have been successfully acquired. This restores the
correct lock ordering (Page Lock -> ni_lock) consistent with VFS.
Reported-by: syzbot+5af33dd272b913b65880@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Closes: https://syzkaller.appspot.com/bug?extid=5af33dd272b913b65880
Fixes: f35590ee26f5 ("fs/ntfs3: remove ntfs_bio_pages and use page cache for compressed I/O")
Signed-off-by: Szymon Wilczek <swilczek.lx@xxxxxxxxx>
---
fs/ntfs3/frecord.c | 2 ++
fs/ntfs3/inode.c | 3 +--
2 files changed, 3 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
diff --git a/fs/ntfs3/frecord.c b/fs/ntfs3/frecord.c
index 641ddaf8d4a0..f09a149cff9f 100644
--- a/fs/ntfs3/frecord.c
+++ b/fs/ntfs3/frecord.c
@@ -2107,7 +2107,9 @@ int ni_readpage_cmpr(struct ntfs_inode *ni, struct folio *folio)
pages[i] = pg;
}
+ ni_lock(ni);
err = ni_read_frame(ni, frame_vbo, pages, pages_per_frame, 0);
+ ni_unlock(ni);
out1:
for (i = 0; i < pages_per_frame; i++) {
diff --git a/fs/ntfs3/inode.c b/fs/ntfs3/inode.c
index 0a9ac5efeb67..33f819b162a5 100644
--- a/fs/ntfs3/inode.c
+++ b/fs/ntfs3/inode.c
@@ -735,9 +735,8 @@ static int ntfs_read_folio(struct file *file, struct folio *folio)
}
if (is_compressed(ni)) {
- ni_lock(ni);
+ /* ni_lock is taken inside ni_readpage_cmpr after page locks */
err = ni_readpage_cmpr(ni, folio);
- ni_unlock(ni);
return err;
}
Your patch is applied, thanks.
Regards,
Konstantin