mm/damon/core: fix damon_call()/damos_walk() vs kdmond exit race
Subsystems (3)
SeongJae Park
maintainercover mm/damon/core: fix damon_call()/damos_walk() vs kdmond exit race
damon_call() and damos_walk() can leak memory and/or deadlock when they race with kdamond terminations. Fix those.
Changes from RFC v3
(https://lore.kernel.org/[email protected])
- Drop RFC tag.
- Rebase to latest mm-new.
Changes from RFC v2
(https://lore.kernel.org/[email protected])
- Update and wordsmith commit message.
- Add damos_walk() race fix.
Changes from RFC v1
(https://lore.kernel.org/[email protected])
- Clarify damon_call() call condition.
- Init call_controls_obsolete before kdamond_started completion.
- Wordsmith commit message.
- Split out repeat_call_control leak fix from the series.
SeongJae Park (2):
mm/damon/core: fix damon_call() vs kdamond_fn() exit race mm/damon/core: fix damos_walk() vs kdamond_fn() exit race
include/linux/damon.h | 2 ++ mm/damon/core.c | 66 ++++++++++++++++++------------------------- 2 files changed, 30 insertions(+), 38 deletions(-)
base-commit: 305aff97ab8306284a0aa85f9128403b50c89019
Signature · 1 line
2.47.3
SeongJae Park
maintainerPATCH 1/2 mm/damon/core: fix damon_call() vs kdamond_fn() exit race
When kdamond_fn() main loop is finished, the function cancels all remaining damon_call() requests and unset the damon_ctx->kdamond so that API callers and API functions themselves can know the context is terminated. damon_call() adds the caller's request to the queue first. After that, it shows if the kdamond of the damon_ctx is still running (damon_ctx->kdamond is set). Only if the kdamond is running, damon_call() starts waiting for the kdamond's handling of the newly added request.
The damon_call() requests registration and damon_ctx->kdamond unset are protected by different mutexes, though. Hence, damon_call() could race with damon_ctx->kdamond unset, and result in deadlocks.
For example, let's suppose kdamond successfully finished the damon_call() requests cancelling. Right after that, damon_call() is called for the context. It registers the new request, and shows the context is still running, because damon_ctx->kdamond unset is not yet done. Hence the damon_call() caller starts waiting for the handling of the request. However, the kdamond is already on the termination steps, so it never handles the new request. As a result, the damon_call() caller threads infinitely waits.
Fix this by introducing another damon_ctx field, namely call_controls_obsolete. It is protected by the damon_ctx->call_controls_lock, which protects damon_call() requests registration. Initialize (unset) it in kdamond_fn() before letting damon_start() returns and set it just before the cancelling of remaining damon_call() requests is executed. damon_call() reads the obsolete field under the lock and avoids adding a new request.
After this change, only requests that are guaranteed to be handled or cancelled are registered. Hence the after-registration DAMON context termination check is no longer needed. Remove it together.
Note that the deadlock will not happen when damon_call() is called for repeat mode request. In tis case, damon_call() returns instead of waiting for the handling when the request registration succeeds and it shows the kdamond is running. However, if the request also has dealloc_on_cancel, the request memory would be leaked.
The issue is found by sashiko [1].
[1] https://lore.kernel.org/[email protected]
--- include/linux/damon.h | 1 + mm/damon/core.c | 45 ++++++++++++++----------------------------- 2 files changed, 15 insertions(+), 31 deletions(-)
include/linux/damon.h +1 -0
@@ -818,6 +818,7 @@ struct damon_ctx {/* lists of &struct damon_call_control */ struct list_head call_controls; +bool call_controls_obsolete;struct mutex call_controls_lock;struct damos_walk_control *walk_control;
mm/damon/core.c +14 -31
77 lines not on this page · raw message
Signature · 1 line
2.47.3
SeongJae Park
maintainerRe: (sashiko review) [PATCH 1/2] mm/damon/core: fix damon_call() vs kdamond_fn() exit race
Forwarding Sashiko review for doing discussions via mails.
# review url: https://sashiko.dev/#/patchset/[email protected] # start of sashiko.dev inline review commit 9cf54c95f0c4bda07c5dbaf4019d0d731f6c58fd Author: SeongJae Park <[email protected]>
mm/damon/core: fix damon_call() vs kdamond_fn() exit race
This commit introduces a new call_controls_obsolete flag to prevent damon_call() from adding requests to a terminating kdamond context. It removes the after-registration DAMON context termination check.
Quoted 4 lines
mm/damon/core.c +0
-0
[ ... ]
Quoted 5 lines
mm/damon/core.c +1
-0@@ -1629,10 +1604,12 @@ int damon_call(struct damon_ctx *ctx, struct damon_call_control *control)INIT_LIST_HEAD (&control->list);mutex_lock (&ctx->call_controls_lock); +if (ctx->call_controls_obsolete) {
mm/damon/core.c int damon_call(struct damon_ctx *ctx, struct damon_call_control *control) · line 1615
Quoted 10 lines
mm/damon/core.c +3
-2+mutex_unlock (&ctx->call_controls_lock); +return -ECANCELED ; + }list_add_tail (&control->list, &ctx->call_controls);mutex_unlock (&ctx->call_controls_lock); -if (!damon_is_running (ctx)) -return damon_call_handle_inactive_ctx (ctx, control);if (control->repeat)return 0 ;wait_for_completion (&control->completion);
Can this code trigger a use-after-free on control?
This appears to be a pre-existing issue that remains unfixed. If kdamond_fn() is terminating, it executes kdamond_call(ctx, true). This function removes the request, sets it as canceled, and calls kfree(control) if control->dealloc_on_cancel is true.
Since ctx->call_controls_lock is dropped right before the control->repeat check:
CPU1 (kdamond_fn)kdamond_call(ctx, true)
list_del(&control->list);
kfree(control);CPU2 (damon_call)
mutex_unlock(&ctx->call_controls_lock);
if (control->repeat)Could kdamond_call() free control before damon_call() evaluates control->repeat?
Furthermore, if memory poisoning causes the freed memory to evaluate control->repeat as false, would this proceed to call wait_for_completion() on the freed memory and cause wait queue corruption?
# end of sashiko.dev inline review # review url: https://sashiko.dev/#/patchset/[email protected] # # hkml [1] generated a draft of this mail. It can be regenerated # using below command: # # hkml patch sashiko_dev --for_forwarding \ # [email protected] # # [1] https://github.com/sjp38/hackermail
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SeongJae Park
maintainerRe: (sashiko review) [PATCH 1/2] mm/damon/core: fix damon_call() vs kdamond_fn() exit race
Quoted 53 lines · On Fri, 27 Mar 2026 17:43:06 -0700 SeongJae Park <[email protected]> wrote:
Forwarding Sashiko review for doing discussions via mails.
# review url: https://sashiko.dev/#/patchset/[email protected] # start of sashiko.dev inline review commit 9cf54c95f0c4bda07c5dbaf4019d0d731f6c58fd Author: SeongJae Park <[email protected]>
mm/damon/core: fixdamon_call()vskdamond_fn()exit raceThis commit introduces a new
call_controls_obsoleteflag to preventdamon_call()from adding requests to a terminating kdamond context. It removes the after-registration DAMON context termination check.Quoted 4 lines
mm/damon/core.c +0
-0[ ... ]
Quoted 5 lines
mm/damon/core.c +1
-0@@ -1629,10 +1604,12 @@ int damon_call(struct damon_ctx *ctx, struct damon_call_control *control)INIT_LIST_HEAD (&control->list);mutex_lock (&ctx->call_controls_lock); +if (ctx->call_controls_obsolete) {mm/damon/core.c int damon_call(struct damon_ctx *ctx, struct damon_call_control *control) · line 1615
Quoted 10 lines
mm/damon/core.c +3
-2+mutex_unlock (&ctx->call_controls_lock); +return -ECANCELED ; + }list_add_tail (&control->list, &ctx->call_controls);mutex_unlock (&ctx->call_controls_lock); -if (!damon_is_running (ctx)) -return damon_call_handle_inactive_ctx (ctx, control);if (control->repeat)return 0 ;wait_for_completion (&control->completion);Can this code trigger a use-after-free on control?
This appears to be a pre-existing issue that remains unfixed. If
kdamond_fn()is terminating, it executeskdamond_call(ctx, true). This function removes the request, sets it as canceled, and calls kfree(control) ifcontrol->dealloc_on_cancelis true.Since
ctx->call_controls_lockis dropped right before thecontrol->repeatcheck:CPU1 (
kdamond_fn)kdamond_call(ctx, true)list_del(&control->list); kfree(control);
Quoted 6 lines
CPU2 (
damon_call)mutex_unlock(&ctx->call_controls_lock); if (control->repeat)Could
kdamond_call()free control beforedamon_call()evaluatescontrol->repeat?
No. kdamond_call(ctx, true) is called only after call_controls_obsolete is set, under the call_control_lock. And damon_call() reads the call_controls_obsolete just after acquiring the call_control_lock, and return if it is set.
Hence CPU2 in this scenario cannot execute the mutex_unlock() part after CPU1 entered kdamond_call().
Quoted 4 lines
Furthermore, if memory poisoning causes the freed memory to evaluate
control->repeatas false, would this proceed to callwait_for_completion()on the freed memory and cause wait queue corruption?
So this is also wrong.
Thanks,
SJ
[...]
SeongJae Park
maintainerPATCH 2/2 mm/damon/core: fix damos_walk() vs kdamond_fn() exit race
In reply to SeongJae ParkWhen kdamond_fn() main loop is finished, the function cancels remaining damos_walk() request and unset the damon_ctx->kdamond so that API callers and API functions themselves can show the context is terminated. damos_walk() adds the caller's request to the queue first. After that, it shows if the kdamond of the damon_ctx is still running (damon_ctx->kdamond is set). Only if the kdamond is running, damos_walk() starts waiting for the kdamond's handling of the newly added request.
The damos_walk() requests registration and damon_ctx->kdamond unset are protected by different mutexes, though. Hence, damos_walk() could race with damon_ctx->kdamond unset, and result in deadlocks.
For example, let's suppose kdamond successfully finished the damow_walk() request cancelling. Right after that, damos_walk() is called for the context. It registers the new request, and shows the context is still running, because damon_ctx->kdamond unset is not yet done. Hence the damos_walk() caller starts waiting for the handling of the request. However, the kdamond is already on the termination steps, so it never handles the new request. As a result, the damos_walk() caller thread infinitely waits.
Fix this by introducing another damon_ctx field, namely walk_control_obsolete. It is protected by the damon_ctx->walk_control_lock, which protects damos_walk() request registration. Initialize (unset) it in kdamond_fn() before letting damon_start() returns and set it just before the cancelling of the remaining damos_walk() request is executed. damos_walk() reads the obsolete field under the lock and avoids adding a new request.
After this change, only requests that are guaranteed to be handled or cancelled are registered. Hence the after-registration DAMON context termination check is no longer needed. Remove it together.
The issue is found by sashiko [1].
[1] https://lore.kernel.org/[email protected]
--- include/linux/damon.h | 1 + mm/damon/core.c | 21 ++++++++++++++------- 2 files changed, 15 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)
include/linux/damon.h +1 -0
@@ -822,6 +822,7 @@ struct damon_ctx {struct mutex call_controls_lock;struct damos_walk_control *walk_control; +bool walk_control_obsolete;struct mutex walk_control_lock;/*
mm/damon/core.c +14 -7
@@ -1637,6 +1637,10 @@ int damon_call(struct damon_ctx *ctx, struct damon_call_control *control)* passed at least one &damos->apply_interval_us, kdamond marks the request as * completed so that damos_walk() can wakeup and return. * +* Note that this function should be called only after damon_start() with the +* @ctx has succeeded. Otherwise, this function could fall into an indefinite +* wait. +* * Return: 0 on success, negative error code otherwise. */ int damos_walk (struct damon_ctx *ctx,struct damos_walk_control *control)
@@ -1644,19 +1648,16 @@ int damos_walk(struct damon_ctx *ctx, struct damos_walk_control *control)init_completion (&control->completion); control->canceled = false;mutex_lock (&ctx->walk_control_lock); +if (ctx->walk_control_obsolete) { +mutex_unlock (&ctx->walk_control_lock); +return -ECANCELED ; + }if (ctx->walk_control) {mutex_unlock (&ctx->walk_control_lock);return -EBUSY ; } ctx->walk_control = control;mutex_unlock (&ctx->walk_control_lock); -if (!damon_is_running (ctx)) { -mutex_lock (&ctx->walk_control_lock); -if (ctx->walk_control == control) - ctx->walk_control =NULL ; -mutex_unlock (&ctx->walk_control_lock); -return -EINVAL ; - }wait_for_completion (&control->completion);if (control->canceled)return -ECANCELED ;
@@ -2932,6 +2933,9 @@ static int kdamond_fn(void *data)mutex_lock (&ctx->call_controls_lock); ctx->call_controls_obsolete = false;mutex_unlock (&ctx->call_controls_lock); +mutex_lock (&ctx->walk_control_lock); + ctx->walk_control_obsolete = false; +mutex_unlock (&ctx->walk_control_lock);complete (&ctx->kdamond_started);kdamond_init_ctx (ctx);
@@ -3046,6 +3050,9 @@ static int kdamond_fn(void *data) ctx->call_controls_obsolete = true;mutex_unlock (&ctx->call_controls_lock);kdamond_call (ctx, true); +mutex_lock (&ctx->walk_control_lock); + ctx->walk_control_obsolete = true; +mutex_unlock (&ctx->walk_control_lock);damos_walk_cancel (ctx);pr_debug ("kdamond (%d) finishes\n" , current->pid);
Signature · 1 line
2.47.3
SeongJae Park
maintainerRe: (sashiko status) [PATCH 0/2] mm/damon/core: fix damon_call()/damos_walk() vs kdmond exit race
In reply to SeongJae ParkForwarding sashiko.dev review status for this thread.
# review url: https://sashiko.dev/#/patchset/[email protected]
- [PATCH 1/2] mm/damon/core: fix damon_call() vs kdamond_fn() exit race
- status: Reviewed
- review: ISSUES MAY FOUND
- [PATCH 2/2] mm/damon/core: fix damos_walk() vs kdamond_fn() exit race
- status: Reviewed
- review: No issues found.
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