[PATCH net 4/4] NTB: ntb_transport: Reject oversized TX buffers

From: Koichiro Den

Date: Mon Aug 17 2026 - 01:38:09 EST


ntb_process_tx() handles an oversized buffer by calling tx_handler()
with a NULL data pointer and returning success. ntb_netdev therefore
neither frees the skb in its completion callback nor takes its enqueue
error path, leaking it.

Reject oversized buffers in ntb_transport_tx_enqueue() before acquiring
a queue entry and return -EMSGSIZE. The caller retains ownership of the
buffer, and the preceding netdev patch frees the skb when enqueue
returns this permanent error.

Fixes: fce8a7bb5b4b ("PCI-Express Non-Transparent Bridge Support")
Cc: stable@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Signed-off-by: Koichiro Den <den@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
---
Previously posted at:
https://lore.kernel.org/r/20260810165136.2292436-3-den@xxxxxxxxxxxxx/

I moved the fix here because it addresses a pre-existing issue
independently of that feature series. I also moved the size check before
the tx_free_q lookup so -EBUSY cannot mask -EMSGSIZE.
---
drivers/ntb/ntb_transport.c | 12 +++---------
1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)

diff --git a/drivers/ntb/ntb_transport.c b/drivers/ntb/ntb_transport.c
index 4bdd81edcb87..f9caa1a653c5 100644
--- a/drivers/ntb/ntb_transport.c
+++ b/drivers/ntb/ntb_transport.c
@@ -1955,15 +1955,6 @@ static int ntb_process_tx(struct ntb_transport_qp *qp,
return -EAGAIN;
}

- if (entry->len > qp->tx_max_frame - sizeof(struct ntb_payload_header)) {
- if (qp->tx_handler)
- qp->tx_handler(qp, qp->cb_data, NULL, -EIO);
-
- ntb_list_add(&qp->ntb_tx_free_q_lock, &entry->entry,
- &qp->tx_free_q);
- return 0;
- }
-
ntb_async_tx(qp, entry);

qp->tx_pkts++;
@@ -2356,6 +2347,9 @@ int ntb_transport_tx_enqueue(struct ntb_transport_qp *qp, void *cb, void *data,
if (!qp->link_is_up)
return -ENOLINK;

+ if (len > qp->tx_max_frame - sizeof(struct ntb_payload_header))
+ return -EMSGSIZE;
+
entry = ntb_list_rm(&qp->ntb_tx_free_q_lock, &qp->tx_free_q);
if (!entry) {
qp->tx_err_no_buf++;
--
2.51.0