[PATCH AUTOSEL 6.19-6.1] misc: bcm_vk: Fix possible null-pointer dereferences in bcm_vk_read()
From: Sasha Levin
Date: Wed Feb 18 2026 - 21:11:06 EST
From: Tuo Li <islituo@xxxxxxxxx>
[ Upstream commit ba75ecb97d3f4e95d59002c13afb6519205be6cb ]
In the function bcm_vk_read(), the pointer entry is checked, indicating
that it can be NULL. If entry is NULL and rc is set to -EMSGSIZE, the
following code may cause null-pointer dereferences:
struct vk_msg_blk tmp_msg = entry->to_h_msg[0];
set_msg_id(&tmp_msg, entry->usr_msg_id);
tmp_msg.size = entry->to_h_blks - 1;
To prevent these possible null-pointer dereferences, copy to_h_msg,
usr_msg_id, and to_h_blks from iter into temporary variables, and return
these temporary variables to the application instead of accessing them
through a potentially NULL entry.
Signed-off-by: Tuo Li <islituo@xxxxxxxxx>
Reviewed-by: Scott Branden <scott.branden@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Link: https://patch.msgid.link/20251211063637.3987937-1-islituo@xxxxxxxxx
Signed-off-by: Greg Kroah-Hartman <gregkh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Sasha Levin <sashal@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
LLM Generated explanations, may be completely bogus:
The buggy commit is present in stable trees 5.15 and 6.1 (among others),
confirming the bug exists in stable kernels.
## Summary
**Bug**: Guaranteed null-pointer dereference in `bcm_vk_read()` when
user provides a buffer too small for the message. `entry` is NULL but
dereferenced in the `else if (rc == -EMSGSIZE)` branch.
**Fix quality**: Small, surgical, correct. Saves needed values from
`iter` (which is valid) into temporary variables while inside the loop,
then uses those temporaries instead of the NULL `entry` pointer. The fix
is reviewed by the subsystem maintainer and merged by Greg KH.
**Risk**: Very low. The fix only changes when values are copied (from
inside the loop to the same code path), using temporary variables. No
behavioral change for the normal path.
**Impact**: Prevents a kernel crash/oops that any user of this driver
can trigger by calling `read()` with an undersized buffer.
**Scope**: Single file, ~10 meaningful lines changed. Clean and self-
contained.
**Stable criteria**: Meets all criteria:
- Obviously correct and tested (reviewed by maintainer)
- Fixes a real bug (null-pointer dereference = kernel crash)
- Fixes an important issue (kernel crash from userspace)
- Small and contained
- No new features or APIs
## Verification
- **git blame** confirmed the buggy lines (`entry->to_h_msg[0]`,
`entry->usr_msg_id`, `entry->to_h_blks` at lines 1055, 1061, 1062)
originate from commit `111d746bb4767a` (Jan 2021, "misc: bcm-vk: add
VK messaging support")
- **Code trace** verified: `entry` is initialized to NULL (line 1012),
remains NULL in the `-EMSGSIZE` path (only set to `iter` in the
buffer-big-enough branch), and is then dereferenced in `else if (rc ==
-EMSGSIZE)` branch — confirmed null-pointer dereference
- **git tag** confirmed the buggy commit is present in stable trees
p-5.15 and p-6.1
- **Diff review** confirmed the fix correctly saves values from `iter`
(valid pointer) into temporaries before leaving the loop, and uses
those temporaries in the error path
- **Reviewed-by: Scott Branden** (subsystem maintainer) confirms
correctness
**YES**
drivers/misc/bcm-vk/bcm_vk_msg.c | 12 ++++++++----
1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
diff --git a/drivers/misc/bcm-vk/bcm_vk_msg.c b/drivers/misc/bcm-vk/bcm_vk_msg.c
index 1f42d1d5a630a..665a3888708ac 100644
--- a/drivers/misc/bcm-vk/bcm_vk_msg.c
+++ b/drivers/misc/bcm-vk/bcm_vk_msg.c
@@ -1010,6 +1010,9 @@ ssize_t bcm_vk_read(struct file *p_file,
struct device *dev = &vk->pdev->dev;
struct bcm_vk_msg_chan *chan = &vk->to_h_msg_chan;
struct bcm_vk_wkent *entry = NULL, *iter;
+ struct vk_msg_blk tmp_msg;
+ u32 tmp_usr_msg_id;
+ u32 tmp_blks;
u32 q_num;
u32 rsp_length;
@@ -1034,6 +1037,9 @@ ssize_t bcm_vk_read(struct file *p_file,
entry = iter;
} else {
/* buffer not big enough */
+ tmp_msg = iter->to_h_msg[0];
+ tmp_usr_msg_id = iter->usr_msg_id;
+ tmp_blks = iter->to_h_blks;
rc = -EMSGSIZE;
}
goto read_loop_exit;
@@ -1052,14 +1058,12 @@ ssize_t bcm_vk_read(struct file *p_file,
bcm_vk_free_wkent(dev, entry);
} else if (rc == -EMSGSIZE) {
- struct vk_msg_blk tmp_msg = entry->to_h_msg[0];
-
/*
* in this case, return just the first block, so
* that app knows what size it is looking for.
*/
- set_msg_id(&tmp_msg, entry->usr_msg_id);
- tmp_msg.size = entry->to_h_blks - 1;
+ set_msg_id(&tmp_msg, tmp_usr_msg_id);
+ tmp_msg.size = tmp_blks - 1;
if (copy_to_user(buf, &tmp_msg, VK_MSGQ_BLK_SIZE) != 0) {
dev_err(dev, "Error return 1st block in -EMSGSIZE\n");
rc = -EFAULT;
--
2.51.0