Re: [PATCH 1/2] liveupdate: Use refcount_t for FLB reference counts
From: Pasha Tatashin
Date: Thu Apr 23 2026 - 14:17:26 EST
On 04-23 17:40, David Matlack wrote:
> Use refcount_t instead of a raw integer to keep track of references on
> incoming and outgoing FLBs. Using refcount_t provides protection from
> overflow, underflow, and other issues.
>
> Fixes: cab056f2aae7 ("liveupdate: luo_flb: introduce File-Lifecycle-Bound global state")
> Signed-off-by: David Matlack <dmatlack@xxxxxxxxxx>
> ---
> include/linux/liveupdate.h | 3 ++-
> kernel/liveupdate/luo_flb.c | 22 ++++++++++------------
> 2 files changed, 12 insertions(+), 13 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/include/linux/liveupdate.h b/include/linux/liveupdate.h
> index 30c5a39ff9e9..8d3bbc35c828 100644
> --- a/include/linux/liveupdate.h
> +++ b/include/linux/liveupdate.h
> @@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
> #include <linux/kho/abi/luo.h>
> #include <linux/list.h>
> #include <linux/mutex.h>
> +#include <linux/refcount.h>
> #include <linux/rwsem.h>
> #include <linux/types.h>
> #include <uapi/linux/liveupdate.h>
> @@ -175,7 +176,7 @@ struct liveupdate_flb_ops {
> * @retrieved: True once the FLB's retrieve() callback has run.
> */
> struct luo_flb_private_state {
> - long count;
> + refcount_t count;
> u64 data;
> void *obj;
> struct mutex lock;
> diff --git a/kernel/liveupdate/luo_flb.c b/kernel/liveupdate/luo_flb.c
> index 00f5494812c4..59c5f31ab767 100644
> --- a/kernel/liveupdate/luo_flb.c
> +++ b/kernel/liveupdate/luo_flb.c
> @@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ static int luo_flb_file_preserve_one(struct liveupdate_flb *flb)
> struct luo_flb_private *private = luo_flb_get_private(flb);
>
> scoped_guard(mutex, &private->outgoing.lock) {
> - if (!private->outgoing.count) {
> + if (!refcount_read(&private->outgoing.count)) {
> struct liveupdate_flb_op_args args = {0};
> int err;
>
> @@ -126,8 +126,10 @@ static int luo_flb_file_preserve_one(struct liveupdate_flb *flb)
> }
> private->outgoing.data = args.data;
> private->outgoing.obj = args.obj;
> + refcount_set(&private->outgoing.count, 1);
> + } else {
> + refcount_inc(&private->outgoing.count);
> }
> - private->outgoing.count++;
It should be: refcount_inc(&private->outgoing.count); for both
cases, as it was before.
Additionally, please add refcount_set(&private->outgoing.count, 0) to
luo_flb_get_private, where the rest of the private fields are
initialized.
In general, I prefer to avoid refcount_set() because it breaks
continuity and makes debugging hard. It should only be used only during
initialization, so moving it to where the other fields are initialized
is the correct approach.
> }
>
> return 0;
> @@ -138,8 +140,7 @@ static void luo_flb_file_unpreserve_one(struct liveupdate_flb *flb)
> struct luo_flb_private *private = luo_flb_get_private(flb);
>
> scoped_guard(mutex, &private->outgoing.lock) {
> - private->outgoing.count--;
> - if (!private->outgoing.count) {
> + if (refcount_dec_and_test(&private->outgoing.count)) {
> struct liveupdate_flb_op_args args = {0};
>
> args.flb = flb;
> @@ -178,7 +179,7 @@ static int luo_flb_retrieve_one(struct liveupdate_flb *flb)
> for (int i = 0; i < fh->header_ser->count; i++) {
> if (!strcmp(fh->ser[i].name, flb->compatible)) {
> private->incoming.data = fh->ser[i].data;
> - private->incoming.count = fh->ser[i].count;
> + refcount_set(&private->incoming.count, fh->ser[i].count);
> found = true;
> break;
> }
> @@ -208,12 +209,8 @@ static int luo_flb_retrieve_one(struct liveupdate_flb *flb)
> static void luo_flb_file_finish_one(struct liveupdate_flb *flb)
> {
> struct luo_flb_private *private = luo_flb_get_private(flb);
> - u64 count;
>
> - scoped_guard(mutex, &private->incoming.lock)
> - count = --private->incoming.count;
> -
> - if (!count) {
> + if (refcount_dec_and_test(&private->incoming.count)) {
> struct liveupdate_flb_op_args args = {0};
>
> if (!private->incoming.retrieved) {
> @@ -652,12 +649,13 @@ void luo_flb_serialize(void)
> guard(rwsem_read)(&luo_register_rwlock);
> list_private_for_each_entry(gflb, &luo_flb_global.list, private.list) {
> struct luo_flb_private *private = luo_flb_get_private(gflb);
> + long count = refcount_read(&private->outgoing.count);
>
> - if (private->outgoing.count > 0) {
> + if (count > 0) {
> strscpy(fh->ser[i].name, gflb->compatible,
> sizeof(fh->ser[i].name));
> fh->ser[i].data = private->outgoing.data;
> - fh->ser[i].count = private->outgoing.count;
> + fh->ser[i].count = count;
> i++;
> }
> }
> --
> 2.54.0.rc2.544.gc7ae2d5bb8-goog
>