[PATCH] KEYS: Fix add_key() race with keyring restriction
From: tjdqudcks0424
Date: Wed Sep 30 2026 - 00:20:38 EST
From: 성병찬 <tjdqudcks0424@xxxxxxxxx>
__key_create_or_update() snapshots keyring->restrict_link before taking
the destination keyring's semaphore. keyring_restrict() installs a
restriction while holding that semaphore.
This allows a writer to observe no restriction, wait for the keyring
owner to install a reject-all restriction and return successfully, and
then link a key using the stale NULL snapshot. The writer only needs
write permission on the destination keyring.
Move the restrict_link read after __key_link_lock() and
__key_link_begin(). The read and the subsequent restriction check are
then serialized with restriction installation by keyring->sem.
The race was reproduced on v7.2.8 in 19 executions where restriction
installation returned before the link completed. All 19 linked the key
despite the reject-all restriction. With this change, 312 executions
reached the same ordering and every add_key() call failed with -EPERM.
The issue was found by manual concurrency analysis assisted by AI-based
analysis and independently verified with a QEMU reproducer and kernel
instrumentation.
Fixes: 5ac7eace2d00 ("KEYS: Add a facility to restrict new links into a keyring")
Cc: stable@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Signed-off-by: 성병찬 <tjdqudcks0424@xxxxxxxxx>
---
security/keys/key.c | 6 +++---
1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)
diff --git a/security/keys/key.c b/security/keys/key.c
index b34a64d81d47..a438c4508595 100644
--- a/security/keys/key.c
+++ b/security/keys/key.c
@@ -840,9 +840,6 @@ static key_ref_t __key_create_or_update(key_ref_t keyring_ref,
key_check(keyring);
- if (!(flags & KEY_ALLOC_BYPASS_RESTRICTION))
- restrict_link = keyring->restrict_link;
-
key_ref = ERR_PTR(-ENOTDIR);
if (keyring->type != &key_type_keyring)
goto error_put_type;
@@ -880,6 +877,9 @@ static key_ref_t __key_create_or_update(key_ref_t keyring_ref,
goto error_link_end;
}
+ if (!(flags & KEY_ALLOC_BYPASS_RESTRICTION))
+ restrict_link = keyring->restrict_link;
+
if (restrict_link && restrict_link->check) {
ret = restrict_link->check(keyring, index_key.type,
&prep.payload, restrict_link->key);
base-commit: 6f8319e3e9a44dd537d17f41565a8453c560a581
--
2.43.0