Re: [PATCH] tty: n_tty: fix KCSAN data-race in n_tty_flush_buffer / n_tty_lookahead_flow_ctrl

From: Osama Abdelkader

Date: Thu Feb 26 2026 - 10:33:32 EST


On Wed, Feb 11, 2026 at 10:08:38PM +0100, Osama Abdelkader wrote:
> n_tty_lookahead_flow_ctrl() accesses ldata->lookahead_count without
> holding termios_rwsem, while reset_buffer_flags() in n_tty_flush_buffer()
> resets it with exclusive termios_rwsem held. This causes a data race
> reported by KCSAN when a PTY is closed while flush_to_ldisc is still
> processing lookahead data.
>
> Fix by taking termios_rwsem (read) in n_tty_lookahead_flow_ctrl(),
> consistent with __receive_buf() which also modifies lookahead_count
> under the read lock.
>
> Reported-by: syzbot+80806cf7508e92c7cc86@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Closes: https://syzkaller.appspot.com/bug?extid=80806cf7508e92c7cc86
> Fixes: 6bb6fa6908eb ("tty: Implement lookahead to process XON/XOFF timely")
> Signed-off-by: Osama Abdelkader <osama.abdelkader@xxxxxxxxx>
> ---
> drivers/tty/n_tty.c | 2 ++
> 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)
>
> diff --git a/drivers/tty/n_tty.c b/drivers/tty/n_tty.c
> index e6a0f5b40d0a..725d6ed2b863 100644
> --- a/drivers/tty/n_tty.c
> +++ b/drivers/tty/n_tty.c
> @@ -1480,6 +1480,8 @@ static void n_tty_lookahead_flow_ctrl(struct tty_struct *tty, const u8 *cp,
> struct n_tty_data *ldata = tty->disc_data;
> u8 flag = TTY_NORMAL;
>
> + guard(rwsem_read)(&tty->termios_rwsem);
> +
> ldata->lookahead_count += count;
>
> if (!I_IXON(tty))
> --
> 2.43.0
>

ping