[PATCH 03/13] perf symbols: Break infinite loop on zero-filled notes in sysfs__read_build_id()

From: Arnaldo Carvalho de Melo

Date: Fri Jun 12 2026 - 18:24:49 EST


From: Arnaldo Carvalho de Melo <acme@xxxxxxxxxx>

sysfs__read_build_id() iterates ELF note headers from sysfs files in a
while(1) loop. If the file contains a zero-filled note header (both
n_namesz and n_descsz are 0), the code computes n = namesz + descsz = 0
and calls read(fd, bf, 0). read() with count 0 returns 0, which
matches the expected (ssize_t)n value, so the error check passes and
the loop repeats — reading the same zero bytes and spinning forever.

This can happen with corrupted or zero-padded sysfs pseudo-files.

Add a check for n == 0 before the read, since no valid ELF note has
both name and description of zero length.

Reported-by: sashiko-bot <sashiko-bot@xxxxxxxxxx>
Fixes: f1617b40596cb341 ("perf symbols: Record the build_ids of kernel modules too")
Assisted-by: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Arnaldo Carvalho de Melo <acme@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
tools/perf/util/symbol-elf.c | 3 +++
1 file changed, 3 insertions(+)

diff --git a/tools/perf/util/symbol-elf.c b/tools/perf/util/symbol-elf.c
index d84e2e031d430cf5..dc48e2d2763379b9 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/symbol-elf.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/symbol-elf.c
@@ -995,6 +995,9 @@ int sysfs__read_build_id(const char *filename, struct build_id *bid)
} else {
n = namesz + descsz;
}
+ /* no valid note has both namesz and descsz zero */
+ if (n == 0)
+ break;
if (read(fd, bf, n) != (ssize_t)n)
break;
}
--
2.54.0