In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
tty: fix deadlock caused by calling printk() under tty_port->lock
pty_write() invokes kmalloc() which may invoke a normal printk() to print failure message. This can cause a deadlock in the scenario reported by syz-bot below:
CPU0 CPU1 CPU2
---- ---- ----
lock(console_owner);
lock(&port_lock_key);
lock(&port->lock); lock(&port_lock_key); lock(&port->lock); lock(console_owner);
As commit dbdda842fe96 ("printk: Add console owner and waiter logic to load balance console writes") said, such deadlock can be prevented by using printk_deferred() in kmalloc() (which is invoked in the section guarded by the port->lock). But there are too many printk() on the kmalloc() path, and kmalloc() can be called from anywhere, so changing printk() to printk_deferred() is too complicated and inelegant.
Therefore, this patch chooses to specify __GFP_NOWARN to kmalloc(), so that printk() will not be called, and this deadlock problem can be avoided.
Syzbot reported the following lockdep error:
syz-executor.4/29420 is trying to acquire lock: ffffffff8aedb2a0 (console_owner){....}-{0:0}, at: console_trylock_spinning kernel/printk/printk.c:1752 [inline] ffffffff8aedb2a0 (console_owner){....}-{0:0}, at: vprintk_emit+0x2ca/0x470 kernel/printk/printk.c:2023
but task is already holding lock: ffff8880119c9158 (&port->lock){-.-.}-{2:2}, at: pty_write+0xf4/0x1f0 drivers/tty/pty.c:120
which lock already depends on the new lock.
the existing dependency chain (in reverse order) is:
-> #2...
Exploitability
AV:LAC:LPR:LUI:NScope
S:UImpact
C:NI:NA:H5.5/CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H