FAILED: patch "[PATCH] params: fix charp corruption on allocation failure" failed to apply to 5.15-stable tree

PATCH New [email protected] 2 participants 7 messages Sep 3 – Sep 8 Stable branch

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[email protected]

author maintainer

2026-09-03 14:25 UTC #0 lore raw

The patch below does not apply to the 5.15-stable tree.
If someone wants it applied there, or to any other stable or longterm tree, then please email the backport, including the original git commit id to <[email protected]>.

To reproduce the conflict and resubmit, you may use the following commands:

git fetch https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git/ linux-5.15.y
git checkout FETCH_HEAD
git cherry-pick -x 3dfaae04243cde460d82dfc2a7dd0bb6664d20ae
# <resolve conflicts, build, test, etc.>
git commit -s
git send-email --to '<[email protected]>' --in-reply-to '2026090332-lankiness-same-e48c@gregkh' --subject-prefix 'PATCH 5.15.y' 'HEAD^..'

Possible dependencies:

thanks,

greg k-h

------------------ original commit in Linus's tree ------------------

From 3dfaae04243cde460d82dfc2a7dd0bb6664d20ae Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Jiacheng Yu <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 2026 12:32:43 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] params: fix charp corruption on allocation failure

param_set_charp() stores charp parameters in allocated memory after slab is available, and releases the previous value when the parameter is updated.

The previous value is released before the replacement allocation succeeds. If kmalloc_parameter() fails, the setter returns -ENOMEM with the parameter left as NULL.

Failing zswap's compressor update before zswap is initialized can later trigger:

  BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000000
  RIP: 0010:strcmp+0x10/0x30
  Call Trace:
    zswap_setup+0x3b1/0x490
    zswap_enabled_param_set+0x5b/0xa0
    param_attr_store+0x93/0xe0
    module_attr_store+0x1c/0x30
    kernfs_fop_write_iter+0x116/0x1f0

Allocate and copy the replacement first, then replace the parameter value only after allocation succeeds.

Fixes e180a6b7759a ("param: fix charp parameters set via sysfs")

Cc [email protected]

Signed-off-by Jiacheng Yu <[email protected]>

Reviewed-by Petr Pavlu <[email protected]>

Signed-off-by Petr Pavlu <[email protected]>

kernel/params.c +8 -6

index 3456b104efc9..a1ff4bfc9165 100644
@@ -261,6 +261,7 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(param_set_uint_minmax);
 
 int param_set_charp(const char *val, const struct kernel_param *kp)
 {
+	char *tmp;
 	size_t len, maxlen = 1024;
 
 	len = strnlen(val, maxlen + 1);

@@ -269,19 +270,20 @@ int param_set_charp(const char *val, const struct kernel_param *kp)
 		return -ENOSPC;
 	}
 
-	maybe_kfree_parameter(*(char **)kp->arg);
-
 	/*
 	 * This is a hack. We can't kmalloc() in early boot, and we
 	 * don't need to; this mangled commandline is preserved.
 	 */
 	if (slab_is_available()) {
-		*(char **)kp->arg = kmalloc_parameter(len + 1);
-		if (!*(char **)kp->arg)
+		tmp = kmalloc_parameter(len + 1);
+		if (!tmp)
 			return -ENOMEM;
-		strcpy(*(char **)kp->arg, val);
+		memcpy(tmp, val, len + 1);
 	} else
-		*(const char **)kp->arg = val;
+		tmp = (char *)val;
+
+	maybe_kfree_parameter(*(char **)kp->arg);
+	*(char **)kp->arg = tmp;
 
 	return 0;
 }

Sasha Levin

maintainer

2026-09-08 18:21 UTC #1 lore raw

PATCH 1/6 kernel/params.c: Use kstrtobool() instead of strtobool()

From: Christophe JAILLET <[email protected]>

[ Upstream commit def7b92efd868a6c78da86770704c1a03506016e ]

strtobool() is the same as kstrtobool(). However, the latter is more used within the kernel.

In order to remove strtobool() and slightly simplify kstrtox.h, switch to the other function name.

While at it, include the corresponding header file (<linux/kstrtox.h>)

Signed-off-by Christophe JAILLET <[email protected]>

Reviewed-by Miroslav Benes <[email protected]>

Signed-off-by Luis Chamberlain <[email protected]>

Stable-dep-of: 3dfaae04243c ("params: fix charp corruption on allocation failure")

Signed-off-by Sasha Levin <[email protected]>

---
 kernel/params.c | 3 ++-
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

kernel/params.c +2 -1

index 1233673b42ecc..b904bd98dd01b 100644
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 */
 #include <linux/kernel.h>
+#include <linux/kstrtox.h>
 #include <linux/string.h>
 #include <linux/errno.h>
 #include <linux/module.h>

@@ -310,7 +311,7 @@ int param_set_bool(const char *val, const struct kernel_param *kp)
 	if (!val) val = "1";
 
 	/* One of =[yYnN01] */
-	return strtobool(val, kp->arg);
+	return kstrtobool(val, kp->arg);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(param_set_bool);

Signature · 1 line

2.53.0

Sasha Levin

maintainer

2026-09-08 18:21 UTC #2 lore raw

PATCH 2/6 params: Do not go over the limit when getting the string length

From: Andy Shevchenko <[email protected]>

[ Upstream commit fd0cd057a1b7351604daa6ffc91dfe28adf7225d ]

We can use strnlen() even on early stages and it prevents from going over the string boundaries in case it's already too long.

Reviewed-by Luis Chamberlain <[email protected]>

Reviewed-by Kees Cook <[email protected]>

Signed-off-by Andy Shevchenko <[email protected]>

Link https://lore.kernel.org/r/[email protected] open here

Signed-off-by Kees Cook <[email protected]>

Stable-dep-of: 3dfaae04243c ("params: fix charp corruption on allocation failure")

Signed-off-by Sasha Levin <[email protected]>

---
 kernel/params.c | 9 ++++++---
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

kernel/params.c +6 -3

index b904bd98dd01b..55541483d6d36 100644
@@ -264,7 +264,10 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(param_set_uint_minmax);
 
 int param_set_charp(const char *val, const struct kernel_param *kp)
 {
-	if (strlen(val) > 1024) {
+	size_t len, maxlen = 1024;
+
+	len = strnlen(val, maxlen + 1);
+	if (len == maxlen + 1) {
 		pr_err("%s: string parameter too long\n", kp->name);
 		return -ENOSPC;
 	}

@@ -274,7 +277,7 @@ int param_set_charp(const char *val, const struct kernel_param *kp)
 	/* This is a hack.  We can't kmalloc in early boot, and we
 	 * don't need to; this mangled commandline is preserved. */
 	if (slab_is_available()) {
-		*(char **)kp->arg = kmalloc_parameter(strlen(val)+1);
+		*(char **)kp->arg = kmalloc_parameter(len + 1);
 		if (!*(char **)kp->arg)
 			return -ENOMEM;
 		strcpy(*(char **)kp->arg, val);

@@ -512,7 +515,7 @@ int param_set_copystring(const char *val, const struct kernel_param *kp)
 {
 	const struct kparam_string *kps = kp->str;
 
-	if (strlen(val)+1 > kps->maxlen) {
+	if (strnlen(val, kps->maxlen) == kps->maxlen) {
 		pr_err("%s: string doesn't fit in %u chars.\n",
 		       kp->name, kps->maxlen-1);
 		return -ENOSPC;

Signature · 1 line

2.53.0

Sasha Levin

maintainer

2026-09-08 18:21 UTC #3 lore raw

PATCH 3/6 params: Use size_add() for kmalloc()

In reply to Sasha Levin

From: Andy Shevchenko <[email protected]>

[ Upstream commit 0fc79cbc937f2a754a302a710a94b68c61d0a89a ]

Prevent allocations from integer overflow by using size_add().

Reviewed-by Luis Chamberlain <[email protected]>

Reviewed-by Kees Cook <[email protected]>

Signed-off-by Andy Shevchenko <[email protected]>

Link https://lore.kernel.org/r/[email protected] open here

Signed-off-by Kees Cook <[email protected]>

Stable-dep-of: 3dfaae04243c ("params: fix charp corruption on allocation failure")

Signed-off-by Sasha Levin <[email protected]>

---
 kernel/params.c | 3 ++-
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

kernel/params.c +2 -1

index 55541483d6d36..0139fe38d0b2a 100644
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include <linux/moduleparam.h>
 #include <linux/device.h>
 #include <linux/err.h>
+#include <linux/overflow.h>
 #include <linux/slab.h>
 #include <linux/ctype.h>
 #include <linux/security.h>

@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ static void *kmalloc_parameter(unsigned int size)
 {
 	struct kmalloced_param *p;
 
-	p = kmalloc(sizeof(*p) + size, GFP_KERNEL);
+	p = kmalloc(size_add(sizeof(*p), size), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!p)
 		return NULL;

Signature · 1 line

2.53.0

Sasha Levin

maintainer

2026-09-08 18:21 UTC #4 lore raw

PATCH 4/6 params: Sort headers

In reply to Sasha Levin

From: Andy Shevchenko <[email protected]>

[ Upstream commit a05f096c2c0ca52e8fd34740c7d4b53ab3e7123e ]

Sort the headers in alphabetic order in order to ease the maintenance for this part.

Reviewed-by Luis Chamberlain <[email protected]>

Reviewed-by Kees Cook <[email protected]>

Signed-off-by Andy Shevchenko <[email protected]>

Link https://lore.kernel.org/r/[email protected] open here

Signed-off-by Kees Cook <[email protected]>

Stable-dep-of: 3dfaae04243c ("params: fix charp corruption on allocation failure")

Signed-off-by Sasha Levin <[email protected]>

---
 kernel/params.c | 12 ++++++------
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)

kernel/params.c +6 -6

index 0139fe38d0b2a..dc714a1c67cc4 100644
@@ -3,18 +3,18 @@
    Copyright (C) 2001 Rusty Russell.
 
 */
+#include <linux/ctype.h>
+#include <linux/device.h>
+#include <linux/err.h>
+#include <linux/errno.h>
 #include <linux/kernel.h>
 #include <linux/kstrtox.h>
-#include <linux/string.h>
-#include <linux/errno.h>
 #include <linux/module.h>
 #include <linux/moduleparam.h>
-#include <linux/device.h>
-#include <linux/err.h>
 #include <linux/overflow.h>
-#include <linux/slab.h>
-#include <linux/ctype.h>
 #include <linux/security.h>
+#include <linux/slab.h>
+#include <linux/string.h>
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SYSFS
 /* Protects all built-in parameters, modules use their own param_lock */

Signature · 1 line

2.53.0

Sasha Levin

maintainer

2026-09-08 18:21 UTC #5 lore raw

PATCH 5/6 params: Fix multi-line comment style

In reply to Sasha Levin

From: Andy Shevchenko <[email protected]>

[ Upstream commit b5e3f86a47d34f7b8af899f8cc70520f6daf8b53 ]

The multi-line comment style in the file is rather arbitrary. Make it follow the standard one.

Reviewed-by Luis Chamberlain <[email protected]>

Reviewed-by Kees Cook <[email protected]>

Signed-off-by Andy Shevchenko <[email protected]>

Link https://lore.kernel.org/r/[email protected] open here

Signed-off-by Kees Cook <[email protected]>

Stable-dep-of: 3dfaae04243c ("params: fix charp corruption on allocation failure")

Signed-off-by Sasha Levin <[email protected]>

---
 kernel/params.c | 20 ++++++++++++--------
 1 file changed, 12 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

kernel/params.c +12 -8

index dc714a1c67cc4..e1eba5b8230c1 100644
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
-/* Helpers for initial module or kernel cmdline parsing
-   Copyright (C) 2001 Rusty Russell.
-
-*/
+/*
+ * Helpers for initial module or kernel cmdline parsing
+ * Copyright (C) 2001 Rusty Russell.
+ */
 #include <linux/ctype.h>
 #include <linux/device.h>
 #include <linux/err.h>

@@ -275,8 +275,10 @@ int param_set_charp(const char *val, const struct kernel_param *kp)
 
 	maybe_kfree_parameter(*(char **)kp->arg);
 
-	/* This is a hack.  We can't kmalloc in early boot, and we
-	 * don't need to; this mangled commandline is preserved. */
+	/*
+	 * This is a hack. We can't kmalloc() in early boot, and we
+	 * don't need to; this mangled commandline is preserved.
+	 */
 	if (slab_is_available()) {
 		*(char **)kp->arg = kmalloc_parameter(len + 1);
 		if (!*(char **)kp->arg)

@@ -741,8 +743,10 @@ void module_param_sysfs_remove(struct module *mod)
 {
 	if (mod->mkobj.mp) {
 		sysfs_remove_group(&mod->mkobj.kobj, &mod->mkobj.mp->grp);
-		/* We are positive that no one is using any param
-		 * attrs at this point.  Deallocate immediately. */
+		/*
+		 * We are positive that no one is using any param
+		 * attrs at this point. Deallocate immediately.
+		 */
 		free_module_param_attrs(&mod->mkobj);
 	}
 }

Signature · 1 line

2.53.0

Sasha Levin

maintainer

2026-09-08 18:21 UTC #6 lore raw

PATCH 6/6 params: fix charp corruption on allocation failure

In reply to Sasha Levin

From: Jiacheng Yu <[email protected]>

[ Upstream commit 3dfaae04243cde460d82dfc2a7dd0bb6664d20ae ]

param_set_charp() stores charp parameters in allocated memory after slab is available, and releases the previous value when the parameter is updated.

The previous value is released before the replacement allocation succeeds. If kmalloc_parameter() fails, the setter returns -ENOMEM with the parameter left as NULL.

Failing zswap's compressor update before zswap is initialized can later trigger:

  BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000000
  RIP: 0010:strcmp+0x10/0x30
  Call Trace:
    zswap_setup+0x3b1/0x490
    zswap_enabled_param_set+0x5b/0xa0
    param_attr_store+0x93/0xe0
    module_attr_store+0x1c/0x30
    kernfs_fop_write_iter+0x116/0x1f0

Allocate and copy the replacement first, then replace the parameter value only after allocation succeeds.

Fixes e180a6b7759a ("param: fix charp parameters set via sysfs")

Cc [email protected]

Signed-off-by Jiacheng Yu <[email protected]>

Reviewed-by Petr Pavlu <[email protected]>

Signed-off-by Petr Pavlu <[email protected]>

Signed-off-by Sasha Levin <[email protected]>

---
 kernel/params.c | 14 ++++++++------
 1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)

kernel/params.c +8 -6

index e1eba5b8230c1..32682334ca7ff 100644
@@ -265,6 +265,7 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(param_set_uint_minmax);
 
 int param_set_charp(const char *val, const struct kernel_param *kp)
 {
+	char *tmp;
 	size_t len, maxlen = 1024;
 
 	len = strnlen(val, maxlen + 1);

@@ -273,19 +274,20 @@ int param_set_charp(const char *val, const struct kernel_param *kp)
 		return -ENOSPC;
 	}
 
-	maybe_kfree_parameter(*(char **)kp->arg);
-
 	/*
 	 * This is a hack. We can't kmalloc() in early boot, and we
 	 * don't need to; this mangled commandline is preserved.
 	 */
 	if (slab_is_available()) {
-		*(char **)kp->arg = kmalloc_parameter(len + 1);
-		if (!*(char **)kp->arg)
+		tmp = kmalloc_parameter(len + 1);
+		if (!tmp)
 			return -ENOMEM;
-		strcpy(*(char **)kp->arg, val);
+		memcpy(tmp, val, len + 1);
 	} else
-		*(const char **)kp->arg = val;
+		tmp = (char *)val;
+
+	maybe_kfree_parameter(*(char **)kp->arg);
+	*(char **)kp->arg = tmp;
 
 	return 0;
 }

Signature · 1 line

2.53.0