[PATCH] gfs2: Fix use-after-free in iomap inline data write path

From: Deepanshu Kartikey

Date: Fri Jan 30 2026 - 04:24:17 EST


The inline data buffer head (dibh) is being released prematurely in
gfs2_iomap_begin() via release_metapath(), while iomap->inline_data
still points to dibh->b_data. This causes a use-after-free when
iomap_write_end_inline() later attempts to write to the inline data
area.

The bug sequence:
1. gfs2_iomap_begin() calls gfs2_meta_inode_buffer() to read inode
metadata into dibh
2. Sets iomap->inline_data = dibh->b_data + sizeof(struct gfs2_dinode)
3. Calls release_metapath() which calls brelse(dibh), dropping refcount
to 0
4. kswapd reclaims the page (~39ms later in the syzbot report)
5. iomap_write_end_inline() tries to memcpy() to iomap->inline_data
6. KASAN detects use-after-free write to freed memory

Fix by storing dibh in iomap->private and incrementing its refcount
with get_bh() in gfs2_iomap_begin(). The buffer is then properly
released in gfs2_iomap_end() after the inline write completes,
ensuring the page stays alive for the entire iomap operation.

Note: A C reproducer is not available for this issue. The fix is based
on analysis of the KASAN report and code review showing the buffer head
is freed before use.

Reported-by: syzbot+ea1cd4aa4d1e98458a55@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Closes: https://syzkaller.appspot.com/bug?extid=ea1cd4aa4d1e98458a55
Signed-off-by: Deepanshu Kartikey <kartikey406@xxxxxxxxx>
---
fs/gfs2/bmap.c | 8 ++++++++
1 file changed, 8 insertions(+)

diff --git a/fs/gfs2/bmap.c b/fs/gfs2/bmap.c
index 131091520de6..e70095809e4a 100644
--- a/fs/gfs2/bmap.c
+++ b/fs/gfs2/bmap.c
@@ -887,6 +887,8 @@ static int __gfs2_iomap_get(struct inode *inode, loff_t pos, loff_t length,
sizeof(struct gfs2_dinode);
iomap->type = IOMAP_INLINE;
iomap->inline_data = dibh->b_data + sizeof(struct gfs2_dinode);
+ iomap->private = dibh;
+ get_bh(dibh);
goto out;
}

@@ -1144,6 +1146,12 @@ static int gfs2_iomap_end(struct inode *inode, loff_t pos, loff_t length,
struct gfs2_inode *ip = GFS2_I(inode);
struct gfs2_sbd *sdp = GFS2_SB(inode);

+ /* Release buffer head for inline data */
+ if (iomap->type == IOMAP_INLINE && iomap->private) {
+ brelse(iomap->private);
+ iomap->private = NULL;
+ }
+
switch (flags & (IOMAP_WRITE | IOMAP_ZERO)) {
case IOMAP_WRITE:
if (flags & IOMAP_DIRECT)
--
2.43.0