Re: [PATCH v4 1/3] panic: fix redirect CPU race in panic_try_force_cpu()

[Petr Mladek]

On Tue 2026-07-14 17:31:00, Bradley Morgan wrote:
> The cmpxchg() in panic_try_force_cpu() makes sure that only one CPU
> tries to redirect panic() to the requested CPU. It is similar to the
> cmpxchg() in panic_try_start() which makes sure that only one CPU does
> the panic(). In both situations, only the winner of cmpxchg() should
> proceed further. Other CPUs should go offline.
> 
> There is a bug because the cmpxchg loser returns false and falls through
> into vpanic(). Two non-target CPUs A and B panic, the requested CPU is C:
> 
>              cpu A                          cpu B
>           ----------                     ----------
>     panic()                              panic()
>     vpanic()                             vpanic()
>     panic_try_force_cpu()                panic_try_force_cpu()
>         cmpxchg wins                        cmpxchg fails
>         redirect = A                        old_cpu = A
>         IPI -> C                            return false      <- BUG
>         return true                     panic_try_start() wins
>     panic_smp_self_stop()                __crash_kexec() on B
>     (A stops)                            (target C bypassed)
> 
> The loser must stop, not fall through. It cannot just return true,
> though. A CPU that already won the redirect cmpxchg can reenter
> panic_try_force_cpu() on the same CPU, for example a nested NMI during
> the message formatting, before the IPI is sent:
> 
>              cpu A (1st)                  cpu A (nested)
>           ----------                     ----------
>     panic()
>     vpanic()
>     panic_try_force_cpu()
>         cmpxchg wins (redirect = A)
>         vsnprintf(msg) ...
>             <-- NMI, nested panic -->
>                                      panic()
>                                      vpanic()
>                                      panic_try_force_cpu()
>                                          cmpxchg fails
>                                          old_cpu == A (this CPU)
>                                          return true   <- would halt
>                                      panic_smp_self_stop()
>                                      (IPI never sent, panic abandoned)
> 
> Check old_cpu against this_cpu so a second call from the same CPU
> returns false and falls through to panic_try_start() instead.
> 
> Also fix the panic_in_progress() check. We must not redirect when
> panic_cpu is already assigned. Return true to stop when the panic is on
> another CPU, false to proceed when it is this one.
> 
> Reported-by: Sashiko <sashiko-bot@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Closes: https://sashiko.dev/#/patchset/20260705164123.18746-1-include@xxxxxxxxx
> Closes: https://sashiko.dev/#/patchset/20260707172252.4842-1-include@xxxxxxxxx
> Cc: stable@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Signed-off-by: Bradley Morgan <include@xxxxxxxxx>

> --- a/kernel/panic.c
> +++ b/kernel/panic.c
> @@ -396,16 +396,20 @@ static bool panic_try_force_cpu(const char *fmt, va_list args)
>  		return false;
>  	}
>  
> -	/* Another panic already in progress */
> +	/*
> +	 * Don't redirect when a panic is already in progress. Stop this
> +	 * CPU when it's another one, proceed when it's this one.
> +	 */
>  	if (panic_in_progress())
> -		return false;
> +		return !panic_on_this_cpu();

Nit: I would use

		return panic_on_other_cpu();

It is more straightforward. The negative logic just added an extra
step for understanding the code.

Otherwise, it looks good to me.

With the proposed change:

Reviewed-by: Petr Mladek <pmladek@xxxxxxxx>

Best Regards,
Petr