[RFC PATCH v3 09/11] KEYS: Pin the backing kernel module for a key type

From: Jarkko Sakkinen

Date: Wed Nov 04 2026 - 23:06:51 EST


Add the owner field (populated with THIS_MODULE) to struct key_type.

Pin the module in key_alloc() and keyring_restrict(), and release it in
key_gc_unused_keys() and keyring_destroy(), which are wires to the keys
and restrictions.

Reject module owners still in MODULE_STATE_COMING so that the failed
module_init() paths cannot leave behind referenced keys.

Signed-off-by: Jarkko Sakkinen <jarkko@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
include/linux/key-type.h | 6 ++++-
security/keys/gc.c | 14 ++++++++++--
security/keys/key.c | 48 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++----------
security/keys/keyring.c | 36 +++++++++++++++++++++++++-----
4 files changed, 83 insertions(+), 21 deletions(-)

diff --git a/include/linux/key-type.h b/include/linux/key-type.h
index c4f329b6ae3f..9ecec31ad571 100644
--- a/include/linux/key-type.h
+++ b/include/linux/key-type.h
@@ -10,9 +10,11 @@

#include <linux/key.h>
#include <linux/errno.h>
+#include <linux/init.h>

#ifdef CONFIG_KEYS

+struct module;
struct kernel_pkey_query;
struct kernel_pkey_params;

@@ -161,6 +163,7 @@ struct key_type {
const void *in, const void *in2);

/* internal fields */
+ struct module *owner;
atomic64_t index_id; /* Opaque keyring index ID */
struct list_head link; /* link in types list */
struct lock_class_key lock_class; /* key->sem lock class */
@@ -168,7 +171,8 @@ struct key_type {

extern struct key_type key_type_keyring;

-extern int register_key_type(struct key_type *ktype);
+int __register_key_type(struct key_type *ktype, struct module *owner);
+#define register_key_type(ktype) __register_key_type(ktype, THIS_MODULE)
extern void unregister_key_type(struct key_type *ktype);

extern int key_payload_reserve(struct key *key, size_t datalen);
diff --git a/security/keys/gc.c b/security/keys/gc.c
index 2c3eddc0443a..94f01fb5050f 100644
--- a/security/keys/gc.c
+++ b/security/keys/gc.c
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
*/

#include <linux/slab.h>
+#include <linux/module.h>
#include <linux/security.h>
#include <keys/keyring-type.h>
#include "internal.h"
@@ -148,6 +149,7 @@ static noinline void key_gc_unused_keys(struct list_head *keys)
while (!list_empty(keys)) {
struct key *key =
list_entry(keys->next, struct key, graveyard_link);
+ struct module *owner = key->type->owner;
short state = key->state;

list_del(&key->graveyard_link);
@@ -161,8 +163,15 @@ static noinline void key_gc_unused_keys(struct list_head *keys)
#endif

/* Throw away the key data if the key is instantiated */
- if (state == KEY_IS_POSITIVE && key->type->destroy)
- key->type->destroy(key);
+ if (state == KEY_IS_POSITIVE) {
+ if (key->type->destroy)
+ key->type->destroy(key);
+ } else if (key->restrict_link) {
+ if (key->restrict_link->keytype)
+ module_put(key->restrict_link->keytype->owner);
+ key_put(key->restrict_link->key);
+ kfree(key->restrict_link);
+ }

security_key_free(key);

@@ -176,6 +185,7 @@ static noinline void key_gc_unused_keys(struct list_head *keys)

memzero_explicit(key, sizeof(*key));
kmem_cache_free(key_jar, key);
+ module_put(owner);
}
}

diff --git a/security/keys/key.c b/security/keys/key.c
index 3f1f0fc13710..0b2a03c511e5 100644
--- a/security/keys/key.c
+++ b/security/keys/key.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@

#include <linux/export.h>
#include <linux/init.h>
+#include <linux/module.h>
#include <linux/poison.h>
#include <linux/sched.h>
#include <linux/slab.h>
@@ -234,19 +235,34 @@ struct key *key_alloc(struct key_type *type, const char *desc,

key = ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
if (!desc || !*desc)
- goto error;
+ goto out;
+
+ /* Failed module initialization ignores outstanding module references. */
+ if ((type->owner && module_is_coming(type->owner)) ||
+ !try_module_get(type->owner)) {
+ key = ERR_PTR(-ENOENT);
+ goto out;
+ }
+
+ if (restrict_link && restrict_link->keytype &&
+ ((restrict_link->keytype->owner &&
+ module_is_coming(restrict_link->keytype->owner)) ||
+ !try_module_get(restrict_link->keytype->owner))) {
+ key = ERR_PTR(-ENOENT);
+ goto out_put_module;
+ }

if (type->vet_description) {
ret = type->vet_description(desc);
if (ret < 0) {
key = ERR_PTR(ret);
- goto error;
+ goto out_put_restrict_module;
}
}

desclen = strlen(desc);
if (desclen >= KEY_MAX_DESC_SIZE)
- goto error;
+ goto out_put_restrict_module;
quotalen = desclen + 1 + type->def_datalen;

/* get hold of the key tracking for this user */
@@ -323,8 +339,6 @@ struct key *key_alloc(struct key_type *type, const char *desc,
refcount_inc(&key->domain_tag->usage);
atomic_inc(&user->nkeys);
key_alloc_serial(key);
-
-error:
return key;

security_error:
@@ -338,7 +352,7 @@ struct key *key_alloc(struct key_type *type, const char *desc,
}
key_user_put(user);
key = ERR_PTR(ret);
- goto error;
+ goto out_put_restrict_module;

no_memory_3:
kmem_cache_free(key_jar, key);
@@ -352,13 +366,22 @@ struct key *key_alloc(struct key_type *type, const char *desc,
key_user_put(user);
no_memory_1:
key = ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
- goto error;
+ goto out_put_restrict_module;

no_quota:
spin_unlock_irqrestore(&user->lock, irqflags);
key_user_put(user);
key = ERR_PTR(-EDQUOT);
- goto error;
+
+out_put_restrict_module:
+ if (restrict_link && restrict_link->keytype)
+ module_put(restrict_link->keytype->owner);
+
+out_put_module:
+ module_put(type->owner);
+
+out:
+ return key;
}
EXPORT_SYMBOL(key_alloc);

@@ -1231,19 +1254,20 @@ int generic_key_instantiate(struct key *key, struct key_preparsed_payload *prep)
EXPORT_SYMBOL(generic_key_instantiate);

/**
- * register_key_type - Register a type of key.
+ * __register_key_type - Register a type of key.
* @ktype: The new key type.
+ * @owner: Module owning the key type.
*
* Register a new key type.
*
* Returns 0 on success or -EEXIST if a type of this name already exists.
*/
-int register_key_type(struct key_type *ktype)
+int __register_key_type(struct key_type *ktype, struct module *owner)
{
struct key_type *p;
int ret;

- memset(&ktype->lock_class, 0, sizeof(ktype->lock_class));
+ ktype->owner = owner;

ret = -EEXIST;
down_write(&key_types_sem);
@@ -1264,7 +1288,7 @@ int register_key_type(struct key_type *ktype)
up_write(&key_types_sem);
return ret;
}
-EXPORT_SYMBOL(register_key_type);
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(__register_key_type);

/**
* unregister_key_type - Unregister a type of key.
diff --git a/security/keys/keyring.c b/security/keys/keyring.c
index 5281da9d5bf7..f90ab46ecfab 100644
--- a/security/keys/keyring.c
+++ b/security/keys/keyring.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@

#include <linux/export.h>
#include <linux/init.h>
+#include <linux/module.h>
#include <linux/sched.h>
#include <linux/slab.h>
#include <linux/security.h>
@@ -436,6 +437,9 @@ static void keyring_destroy(struct key *keyring)
if (keyring->restrict_link) {
struct key_restriction *keyres = keyring->restrict_link;

+ if (keyres->keytype)
+ module_put(keyres->keytype->owner);
+
key_put(keyres->key);
kfree(keyres);
}
@@ -540,6 +544,9 @@ struct key *keyring_alloc(const char *description, kuid_t uid, kgid_t gid,
if (!IS_ERR(keyring)) {
ret = key_instantiate_and_link(keyring, NULL, 0, dest, NULL);
if (ret < 0) {
+ if (restrict_link && restrict_link->keytype)
+ module_put(restrict_link->keytype->owner);
+ keyring->restrict_link = NULL;
key_put(keyring);
keyring = ERR_PTR(ret);
}
@@ -1062,7 +1069,7 @@ int keyring_restrict(key_ref_t keyring_ref, const char *type,

if (!restrict_type->lookup_restriction) {
ret = -ENOENT;
- goto error;
+ goto out;
}

restrict_link = restrict_type->lookup_restriction(restriction);
@@ -1070,7 +1077,15 @@ int keyring_restrict(key_ref_t keyring_ref, const char *type,

if (IS_ERR(restrict_link)) {
ret = PTR_ERR(restrict_link);
- goto error;
+ goto out;
+ }
+
+ if (restrict_link && restrict_link->keytype &&
+ ((restrict_link->keytype->owner &&
+ module_is_coming(restrict_link->keytype->owner)) ||
+ !try_module_get(restrict_link->keytype->owner))) {
+ ret = -ENOENT;
+ goto out_free_restriction;
}

down_write(&keyring->sem);
@@ -1088,12 +1103,21 @@ int keyring_restrict(key_ref_t keyring_ref, const char *type,
up_write(&keyring_serialise_restrict_sem);
up_write(&keyring->sem);

- if (ret < 0) {
+ if (ret < 0)
+ goto out_put_module;
+
+ goto out;
+
+out_put_module:
+ if (restrict_link && restrict_link->keytype)
+ module_put(restrict_link->keytype->owner);
+
+out_free_restriction:
+ if (restrict_link)
key_put(restrict_link->key);
- kfree(restrict_link);
- }
+ kfree(restrict_link);

-error:
+out:
if (restrict_type)
key_type_put(restrict_type);

--
2.47.3