[PATCH v2] kconfig: fix dangling check_top after an unexpected recursive dependency

From: Leizhen Zhang

Date: Thu Oct 08 2026 - 12:46:42 EST


If the last symbol of a recursive dependency is a choice value,
sym_check_print_recursive() pushes the on-stack cv_stack onto the
dependency stack. If the choice is then not found on the stack, the
function prints "unexpected recursive dependency error" and returns
without removing cv_stack again. check_top is left pointing into the
stack frame of the returned function, and the next dep_stack_remove()
dereferences it:

AddressSanitizer: stack-use-after-return ... in dep_stack_remove

This can be triggered by an (invalid) Kconfig file in which a symbol is
a choice value of two choices and the second choice depends on it:

choice
prompt "c1"
config A
bool "a"
endchoice

choice
prompt "c2"
depends on A
config A
bool "a"
endchoice

Jump to the existing cleanup at the end of the function instead of
returning directly.

Found by fuzzing Kconfig input with ASan/UBSan.

Fixes: d595cea62403 ("kconfig: print more info when we see a recursive dependency")
Assisted-by: Claude:claude-opus-5-5 ASan UBSan libFuzzer
Signed-off-by: Leizhen Zhang <lzsx618@xxxxxxxxx>
---
v2:
- Use my real name in the From and Signed-off-by lines. No code
changes.

v1: https://lore.kernel.org/r/20261005202509.3461632-1-lzsx618@xxxxxxxxx

scripts/kconfig/symbol.c | 3 ++-
1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/scripts/kconfig/symbol.c b/scripts/kconfig/symbol.c
index dcb4b45e67..2e87af0985 100644
--- a/scripts/kconfig/symbol.c
+++ b/scripts/kconfig/symbol.c
@@ -1181,7 +1181,7 @@ static void sym_check_print_recursive(struct symbol *last_sym)
break;
if (!stack) {
fprintf(stderr, "unexpected recursive dependency error\n");
- return;
+ goto out;
}

for (; stack; stack = stack->next) {
@@ -1226,6 +1226,7 @@ static void sym_check_print_recursive(struct symbol *last_sym)
"subsection \"Kconfig recursive dependency limitations\"\n"
"\n");

+out:
if (check_top == &cv_stack)
dep_stack_remove();
}
--
2.34.1