[PATCH bpf-next v5] bpf: Fix use-after-free on mm_struct in bpf_find_vma()

From: Sanghyun Park

Date: Mon Jun 29 2026 - 22:35:42 EST


bpf_find_vma() reads task->mm and calls mmap_read_trylock(mm) without
holding a reference on the mm. On a foreign task, a concurrent exit_mm()
can free the mm_struct between the lockless read and the trylock,
resulting in a use-after-free. mm_struct is not SLAB_TYPESAFE_BY_RCU.

For the current task, task->mm is stable. For a foreign task, pin the mm
under task->alloc_lock and release it with mmput_async(), mirroring commit
d8e27d2d22b6 ("bpf: fix mm lifecycle in open-coded task_vma iterator").
Use spin_trylock() instead of get_task_mm() so BPF context does not block
on alloc_lock. Reject irqs-disabled contexts and !CONFIG_MMU on the
foreign-task path because dropping the mm reference is not safe there.

Race:

CPU0 (BPF program) CPU1 (exiting task)
============================ ==========================
bpf_find_vma(foreign_task):
mm = task->mm
exit_mm():
task->mm = NULL
mmput(mm) -> frees mm_struct
mmap_read_trylock(mm)
// UAF on mm

Fixes: 7c7e3d31e785 ("bpf: Introduce helper bpf_find_vma")
Acked-by: Yonghong Song <yonghong.song@xxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Sanghyun Park <sanghyun.park.cnu@xxxxxxxxx>
---
v5:
- Replace bpf_iter_mmput_async() with mmput_async() directly as suggested
by Yonghong.
- Add Yonghong's Acked-by.
v4: https://lore.kernel.org/bpf/20260610024637.343364-1-sanghyun.park.cnu@xxxxxxxxx/
- Use [PATCH bpf-next] subject as requested by Alexei.
- Add the missing BPF maintainers/reviewers to Cc.
v3: https://lore.kernel.org/bpf/20260609105216.3536839-1-sanghyun.park.cnu@xxxxxxxxx/
- Drop get_task_mm()+mmput(); mirror d8e27d2d22b6 with alloc_lock
trylock + mmput_async(). (Yonghong Song)
- Reject irqs-disabled contexts on the foreign-task path.
- Reject foreign-task path when !CONFIG_MMU: bpf_iter_mmput_async()
falls back to mmput() which may sleep, and bpf_find_vma() can run
in non-sleepable context.
- Shorten the foreign-task rationale comment and trim the changelog body.
- Fix the v2's whitespace damage.
v2: https://lore.kernel.org/bpf/CAOrxSK5_7e4114VyfEU9htGi+UneuNt88fGVKOAa3_ZenPOFkA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx/

kernel/bpf/task_iter.c | 43 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++------------
1 file changed, 31 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-)

diff --git a/kernel/bpf/task_iter.c b/kernel/bpf/task_iter.c
index e791ae065c39b..27ceead874651 100644
--- a/kernel/bpf/task_iter.c
+++ b/kernel/bpf/task_iter.c
@@ -756,6 +756,7 @@ BPF_CALL_5(bpf_find_vma, struct task_struct *, task, u64, start,
struct mmap_unlock_irq_work *work = NULL;
struct vm_area_struct *vma;
bool irq_work_busy = false;
+ bool mmput_needed = false;
struct mm_struct *mm;
int ret = -ENOENT;

@@ -765,14 +766,38 @@ BPF_CALL_5(bpf_find_vma, struct task_struct *, task, u64, start,
if (!task)
return -ENOENT;

- mm = task->mm;
+ if (task == current) {
+ mm = task->mm;
+ } else {
+ /*
+ * Foreign task: pin task->mm against a concurrent exit_mm().
+ * Use trylock on alloc_lock instead of get_task_mm()'s
+ * blocking task_lock() to avoid deadlocking the target task.
+ */
+ if (!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_MMU))
+ return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+ if (irqs_disabled())
+ return -EBUSY;
+ if (!spin_trylock(&task->alloc_lock))
+ return -EBUSY;
+ mm = task->mm;
+ if (mm && !(task->flags & PF_KTHREAD)) {
+ mmget(mm);
+ mmput_needed = true;
+ } else {
+ mm = NULL;
+ }
+ spin_unlock(&task->alloc_lock);
+ }
if (!mm)
return -ENOENT;

irq_work_busy = bpf_mmap_unlock_get_irq_work(&work);

- if (irq_work_busy || !mmap_read_trylock(mm))
- return -EBUSY;
+ if (irq_work_busy || !mmap_read_trylock(mm)) {
+ ret = -EBUSY;
+ goto out;
+ }

vma = find_vma(mm, start);

@@ -782,6 +807,9 @@ BPF_CALL_5(bpf_find_vma, struct task_struct *, task, u64, start,
ret = 0;
}
bpf_mmap_unlock_mm(work, mm);
+out:
+ if (mmput_needed)
+ mmput_async(mm);
return ret;
}

@@ -796,15 +824,6 @@ const struct bpf_func_proto bpf_find_vma_proto = {
.arg5_type = ARG_ANYTHING,
};

-static inline void bpf_iter_mmput_async(struct mm_struct *mm)
-{
-#ifdef CONFIG_MMU
- mmput_async(mm);
-#else
- mmput(mm);
-#endif
-}
-
struct bpf_iter_task_vma_kern_data {
struct task_struct *task;
struct mm_struct *mm;
--
2.48.1