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nfc: nci: fix circular locking dependency in nci_close_device

PATCH Applied Jakub Kicinski 3 participants 3 messages Mar 17 – Mar 20

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Jakub Kicinski

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#0 lore raw

PATCH 1/1 nfc: nci: fix circular locking dependency in nci_close_device

nci_close_device() flushes rx_wq and tx_wq while holding req_lock. This causes a circular locking dependency because nci_rx_work() running on rx_wq can end up taking req_lock too:

nci_rx_work -> nci_rx_data_packet -> nci_data_exchange_complete

    -> __sk_destruct -> rawsock_destruct -> nfc_deactivate_target
    -> nci_deactivate_target -> nci_request -> mutex_lock(&ndev->req_lock)

Move the flush of rx_wq after req_lock has been released. This should safe (I think) because NCI_UP has already been cleared and the transport is closed, so the work will see it and return -ENETDOWN.

NIPA has been hitting this running the nci selftest with a debug kernel on roughly 4% of the runs.

Fixes 6a2968aaf50c ("NFC: basic NCI protocol implementation")

---
CC: [email protected]
CC: [email protected]
CC: [email protected]

---
 net/nfc/nci/core.c | 10 ++++++----
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
net/nfc/nci/core.c +6 -4
index 43d871525dbc..5f46c4b5720f 100644
@@ -579,8 +579,7 @@ static int nci_close_device(struct nci_dev *ndev)
 	skb_queue_purge(&ndev->rx_q);
 	skb_queue_purge(&ndev->tx_q);
 
-	/* Flush RX and TX wq */
-	flush_workqueue(ndev->rx_wq);
+	/* Flush TX wq, RX wq flush can't be under the lock */
 	flush_workqueue(ndev->tx_wq);
 
 	/* Reset device */
@@ -592,13 +591,13 @@ static int nci_close_device(struct nci_dev *ndev)
 		      msecs_to_jiffies(NCI_RESET_TIMEOUT));
 
 	/* After this point our queues are empty
-	 * and no works are scheduled.
+	 * rx work may be running but will see that NCI_UP was cleared
 	 */
 	ndev->ops->close(ndev);
 
 	clear_bit(NCI_INIT, &ndev->flags);
 
-	/* Flush cmd wq */
+	/* Flush cmd and tx wq */
 	flush_workqueue(ndev->cmd_wq);
 
 	timer_delete_sync(&ndev->cmd_timer);
@@ -613,6 +612,9 @@ static int nci_close_device(struct nci_dev *ndev)
 
 	mutex_unlock(&ndev->req_lock);
 
+	/* rx_work may take req_lock via nci_deactivate_target */
+	flush_workqueue(ndev->rx_wq);
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
Signature · 1 line
2.53.0
Reviewed-by on v1 1/1
#1 lore raw
Quoted 13 lines · Jakub Kicinski

nci_close_device() flushes rx_wq and tx_wq while holding req_lock. This causes a circular locking dependency because nci_rx_work() running on rx_wq can end up taking req_lock too:

nci_rx_work -> nci_rx_data_packet -> nci_data_exchange_complete

    -> __sk_destruct -> rawsock_destruct -> nfc_deactivate_target
    -> nci_deactivate_target -> nci_request -> mutex_lock(&ndev->req_lock)

Move the flush of rx_wq after req_lock has been released. This should safe (I think) because NCI_UP has already been cleared and the transport is closed, so the work will see it and return -ENETDOWN.

Quoted 5 lines

NIPA has been hitting this running the nci selftest with a debug kernel on roughly 4% of the runs.

Fixes 6a2968aaf50c ("NFC: basic NCI protocol implementation")
Quoted 51 lines

---
CC: [email protected]
CC: [email protected]
CC: [email protected]

---
 net/nfc/nci/core.c | 10 ++++++----
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
net/nfc/nci/core.c +6 -5
index 43d871525dbc..5f46c4b5720f 100644
@@ -579,8 +579,7 @@ static int nci_close_device(struct nci_dev *ndev)
        skb_queue_purge(&ndev->rx_q);
        skb_queue_purge(&ndev->tx_q);
 
-       /* Flush RX and TX wq */
-       flush_workqueue(ndev->rx_wq);
+       /* Flush TX wq, RX wq flush can't be under the lock */
        flush_workqueue(ndev->tx_wq);
 
        /* Reset device */
@@ -592,13 +591,13 @@ static int nci_close_device(struct nci_dev *ndev)
                      msecs_to_jiffies(NCI_RESET_TIMEOUT));
 
        /* After this point our queues are empty
-        * and no works are scheduled.
+        * rx work may be running but will see that NCI_UP was cleared
         */
        ndev->ops->close(ndev);
 
        clear_bit(NCI_INIT, &ndev->flags);
 
-       /* Flush cmd wq */
+       /* Flush cmd and tx wq */
        flush_workqueue(ndev->cmd_wq);
 
        timer_delete_sync(&ndev->cmd_timer);
@@ -613,6 +612,9 @@ static int nci_close_device(struct nci_dev *ndev)
 
        mutex_unlock(&ndev->req_lock);
 
+       /* rx_work may take req_lock via nci_deactivate_target */
+       flush_workqueue(ndev->rx_wq);
+
        return 0;
 }
 
--

2.53.0

#2 lore raw
In reply to Jakub Kicinski
This patch was applied to netdev/net.git (main) by Jakub Kicinski <[email protected]>:

Hello:

This patch was applied to netdev/net.git (main)
by Jakub Kicinski <[email protected]>:

Quoted 9 lines · On Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:33:34 -0700 you wrote:

nci_close_device() flushes rx_wq and tx_wq while holding req_lock. This causes a circular locking dependency because nci_rx_work() running on rx_wq can end up taking req_lock too:

nci_rx_work -> nci_rx_data_packet -> nci_data_exchange_complete

    -> __sk_destruct -> rawsock_destruct -> nfc_deactivate_target
    -> nci_deactivate_target -> nci_request -> mutex_lock(&ndev->req_lock)

[...]

Here is the summary with links:
- [net] nfc: nci: fix circular locking dependency in nci_close_device

    https://git.kernel.org/netdev/net/c/4527025d440c

You are awesome, thank you!

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