Skip to contentSkip to conversation

Recent Linux kernel commit breaks Gnulib test suite.

DISCUSSION Collin Funk 3 participants 4 messages Jun 5, 2025

Subsystems (2)
lore
Share & tools
lore
#0 lore raw

Hi,

Using the following testdir:

    $ git clone https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/gnulib.git && cd gnulib
    $ ./gnulib-tool --create-testdir --dir testdir1 --single-configure `./gnulib-tool --list | grep acl`

I see the following result:

    $ cd testdir1 && ./configure && make check
    [...]
    FAIL: test-copy-acl.sh
    [...]
    FAIL: test-file-has-acl.sh

This occurs with these two kernels:

    $ uname -r
    6.14.9-300.fc42.x86_64
    $ uname -r
    6.14.8-300.fc42.x86_64

But with this kernel:

    $ uname -r
    6.14.6-300.fc42.x86_64

The result is:

    $ cd testdir1 && ./configure && make check
    [...]
    PASS: test-copy-acl.sh
    [...]
    PASS: test-file-has-acl.sh

Here is the test-suite.log from 6.14.9-300.fc42.x86_64:

FAIL: test-copy-acl.sh
======================

/home/collin/.local/src/gnulib/testdir1/gltests/test-copy-acl: preserving permissions for 'tmpfile2': Numerical result out of range FAIL test-copy-acl.sh (exit status: 1)

FAIL: test-file-has-acl.sh
==========================

file_has_acl("tmpfile0") returned no, expected yes FAIL test-file-has-acl.sh (exit status: 1)

To investigate further, I created the testdir again after applying the following diff:

    diff --git a/tests/test-copy-acl.sh b/tests/test-copy-acl.sh
    index 061755f124..f9457e884f 100755
    --- a/tests/test-copy-acl.sh
    +++ b/tests/test-copy-acl.sh
    @@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ cd "$builddir" ||
       {
         echo "Simple contents" > "$2"
         chmod 600 "$2"
    -    ${CHECKER} "$builddir"/test-copy-acl${EXEEXT} "$1" "$2" || exit 1
    +    ${CHECKER} strace "$builddir"/test-copy-acl${EXEEXT} "$1" "$2" || exit 1
         ${CHECKER} "$builddir"/test-sameacls${EXEEXT} "$1" "$2" || exit 1
         func_test_same_acls                           "$1" "$2" || exit 1
       }

Then running the test from inside testdir1/gltests:

    $ ./test-copy-acl.sh
    [...]
    access("/etc/selinux/config", F_OK)     = 0
    openat(AT_FDCWD, "tmpfile0", O_RDONLY)  = 3
    fstat(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0610, st_size=16, ...}) = 0
    openat(AT_FDCWD, "tmpfile2", O_WRONLY)  = 4
    fchmod(4, 0610)                         = 0
    flistxattr(3, NULL, 0)                  = 17
    flistxattr(3, 0x7ffda3f6c900, 17)       = -1 ERANGE (Numerical result out of range)
    write(2, "/home/collin/.local/src/gnulib/t"..., 63/home/collin/.local/src/gnulib/testdir1/gltests/test-copy-acl: ) = 63
    write(2, "preserving permissions for 'tmpf"..., 37preserving permissions for 'tmpfile2') = 37
    write(2, ": Numerical result out of range", 31: Numerical result out of range) = 31
    write(2, "\n", 1
    )                       = 1
    exit_group(1)                           = ?
    +++ exited with 1 +++

So, we get the buffer size from 'flistxattr(3, NULL, 0)' and then call it again after allocating it 'flistxattr(3, 0x7ffda3f6c900, 17)'. This shouldn't fail with ERANGE then.

To confirm, I replaced 'strace' with 'gdb --args'. Here is the result:

    (gdb) b qcopy_acl 
    Breakpoint 1 at 0x400a10: file qcopy-acl.c, line 84.
    (gdb) run
    Starting program: /home/collin/.local/src/gnulib/testdir1/gltests/test-copy-acl tmpfile0 tmpfile2
    [Thread debugging using libthread_db enabled]
    Using host libthread_db library "/lib64/libthread_db.so.1".
    
    Breakpoint 1, qcopy_acl (src_name=src_name@entry=0x7fffffffd7c3 "tmpfile0", source_desc=source_desc@entry=3, 
        dst_name=dst_name@entry=0x7fffffffd7cc "tmpfile2", dest_desc=dest_desc@entry=4, mode=mode@entry=392) at qcopy-acl.c:84
    84	  ret = chmod_or_fchmod (dst_name, dest_desc, mode);
    (gdb) n
    90	  if (ret == 0)
    (gdb) n
    92	      ret = source_desc <= 0 || dest_desc <= 0
    (gdb) s
    attr_copy_fd (src_path=src_path@entry=0x7fffffffd7c3 "tmpfile0", src_fd=src_fd@entry=3, dst_path=dst_path@entry=0x7fffffffd7cc "tmpfile2", 
        dst_fd=dst_fd@entry=4, check=check@entry=0x4009b0 <is_attr_permissions>, ctx=ctx@entry=0x0) at libattr/attr_copy_fd.c:73
    73		if (check == NULL)
    (gdb) n
    76		size = flistxattr (src_fd, NULL, 0);
    (gdb) n
    77		if (size < 0) {
    (gdb) print size
    $1 = 17
    (gdb) n
    86		names = (char *) my_alloc (size+1);
    (gdb) n
    92		size = flistxattr (src_fd, names, size);
    (gdb) print errno
    $2 = 0
    (gdb) n
    93		if (size < 0) {
    (gdb) print size
    $3 = -1
    (gdb) print errno
    $4 = 34

After confirming with the Fedora Kernel tags [1], I am fairly confident that it was caused by this commit [2].

But I am not familiar enough with ACLs, SELinux, or the Kernel to know the fix.

Adding the lists where this was discussed and some of the signers to CC, since they will know better than me.

Collin

[1] https://gitlab.com/cki-project/kernel-ark
[2] https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/8b0ba61df5a1c44e2b3cf683831a4fc5e24ea99d

maintainer
#2 lore raw
In reply to Collin Funk
Quoted 129 lines · Collin Funk

Hi,

Using the following testdir:

    $ git clone https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/gnulib.git && cd gnulib
    $ ./gnulib-tool --create-testdir --dir testdir1 --single-configure `./gnulib-tool --list | grep acl`

I see the following result:

    $ cd testdir1 && ./configure && make check
    [...]
    FAIL: test-copy-acl.sh
    [...]
    FAIL: test-file-has-acl.sh

This occurs with these two kernels:

    $ uname -r
    6.14.9-300.fc42.x86_64
    $ uname -r
    6.14.8-300.fc42.x86_64

But with this kernel:

    $ uname -r
    6.14.6-300.fc42.x86_64

The result is:

    $ cd testdir1 && ./configure && make check
    [...]
    PASS: test-copy-acl.sh
    [...]
    PASS: test-file-has-acl.sh

Here is the test-suite.log from 6.14.9-300.fc42.x86_64:

FAIL: test-copy-acl.sh
======================

/home/collin/.local/src/gnulib/testdir1/gltests/test-copy-acl: preserving permissions for 'tmpfile2': Numerical result out of range FAIL test-copy-acl.sh (exit status: 1)

FAIL: test-file-has-acl.sh
==========================

file_has_acl("tmpfile0") returned no, expected yes FAIL test-file-has-acl.sh (exit status: 1)

To investigate further, I created the testdir again after applying the following diff:

    diff --git a/tests/test-copy-acl.sh b/tests/test-copy-acl.sh
    index 061755f124..f9457e884f 100755
    --- a/tests/test-copy-acl.sh
    +++ b/tests/test-copy-acl.sh
    @@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ cd "$builddir" ||
       {
         echo "Simple contents" > "$2"
         chmod 600 "$2"
    -    ${CHECKER} "$builddir"/test-copy-acl${EXEEXT} "$1" "$2" || exit 1
    +    ${CHECKER} strace "$builddir"/test-copy-acl${EXEEXT} "$1" "$2" || exit 1
         ${CHECKER} "$builddir"/test-sameacls${EXEEXT} "$1" "$2" || exit 1
         func_test_same_acls                           "$1" "$2" || exit 1
       }

Then running the test from inside testdir1/gltests:

    $ ./test-copy-acl.sh
    [...]
    access("/etc/selinux/config", F_OK)     = 0
    openat(AT_FDCWD, "tmpfile0", O_RDONLY)  = 3
    fstat(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0610, st_size=16, ...}) = 0
    openat(AT_FDCWD, "tmpfile2", O_WRONLY)  = 4
    fchmod(4, 0610)                         = 0
    flistxattr(3, NULL, 0)                  = 17
    flistxattr(3, 0x7ffda3f6c900, 17)       = -1 ERANGE (Numerical result out of range)
    write(2, "/home/collin/.local/src/gnulib/t"..., 63/home/collin/.local/src/gnulib/testdir1/gltests/test-copy-acl: ) = 63
    write(2, "preserving permissions for 'tmpf"..., 37preserving permissions for 'tmpfile2') = 37
    write(2, ": Numerical result out of range", 31: Numerical result out of range) = 31
    write(2, "\n", 1
    )                       = 1
    exit_group(1)                           = ?
    +++ exited with 1 +++

So, we get the buffer size from 'flistxattr(3, NULL, 0)' and then call it again after allocating it 'flistxattr(3, 0x7ffda3f6c900, 17)'. This shouldn't fail with ERANGE then.

To confirm, I replaced 'strace' with 'gdb --args'. Here is the result:

    (gdb) b qcopy_acl
    Breakpoint 1 at 0x400a10: file qcopy-acl.c, line 84.
    (gdb) run
    Starting program: /home/collin/.local/src/gnulib/testdir1/gltests/test-copy-acl tmpfile0 tmpfile2
    [Thread debugging using libthread_db enabled]
    Using host libthread_db library "/lib64/libthread_db.so.1".

    Breakpoint 1, qcopy_acl (src_name=src_name@entry=0x7fffffffd7c3 "tmpfile0", source_desc=source_desc@entry=3,
        dst_name=dst_name@entry=0x7fffffffd7cc "tmpfile2", dest_desc=dest_desc@entry=4, mode=mode@entry=392) at qcopy-acl.c:84
    84    ret = chmod_or_fchmod (dst_name, dest_desc, mode);
    (gdb) n
    90    if (ret == 0)
    (gdb) n
    92        ret = source_desc <= 0 || dest_desc <= 0
    (gdb) s
    attr_copy_fd (src_path=src_path@entry=0x7fffffffd7c3 "tmpfile0", src_fd=src_fd@entry=3, dst_path=dst_path@entry=0x7fffffffd7cc "tmpfile2",
        dst_fd=dst_fd@entry=4, check=check@entry=0x4009b0 <is_attr_permissions>, ctx=ctx@entry=0x0) at libattr/attr_copy_fd.c:73
    73          if (check == NULL)
    (gdb) n
    76          size = flistxattr (src_fd, NULL, 0);
    (gdb) n
    77          if (size < 0) {
    (gdb) print size
    $1 = 17
    (gdb) n
    86          names = (char *) my_alloc (size+1);
    (gdb) n
    92          size = flistxattr (src_fd, names, size);
    (gdb) print errno
    $2 = 0
    (gdb) n
    93          if (size < 0) {
    (gdb) print size
    $3 = -1
    (gdb) print errno
    $4 = 34
Quoted 8 lines

After confirming with the Fedora Kernel tags [1], I am fairly confident that it was caused by this commit [2].

But I am not familiar enough with ACLs, SELinux, or the Kernel to know the fix.

Adding the lists where this was discussed and some of the signers to CC, since they will know better than me.

Thank you for the bug report. Looks like the security xattr handling is somehow replacing the overall length with just the length of the security.selinux xattr rather than adding it to the length of the acl xattr. Will check to see if this is already fixed on vfs.fixes; if not, will look into a fix although it wasn't immediately obvious to me why this is happening. There is also another patch related to this pending that is supposed to go through the LSM tree which might fix it.

Quoted 5 lines

Collin

[1] https://gitlab.com/cki-project/kernel-ark
[2] https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/8b0ba61df5a1c44e2b3cf683831a4fc5e24ea99d

maintainer
#3 lore raw
Quoted 140 lines · Stephen Smalley
Quoted 129 lines · Collin Funk

Hi,

Using the following testdir:

    $ git clone https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/gnulib.git && cd gnulib
    $ ./gnulib-tool --create-testdir --dir testdir1 --single-configure `./gnulib-tool --list | grep acl`

I see the following result:

    $ cd testdir1 && ./configure && make check
    [...]
    FAIL: test-copy-acl.sh
    [...]
    FAIL: test-file-has-acl.sh

This occurs with these two kernels:

    $ uname -r
    6.14.9-300.fc42.x86_64
    $ uname -r
    6.14.8-300.fc42.x86_64

But with this kernel:

    $ uname -r
    6.14.6-300.fc42.x86_64

The result is:

    $ cd testdir1 && ./configure && make check
    [...]
    PASS: test-copy-acl.sh
    [...]
    PASS: test-file-has-acl.sh

Here is the test-suite.log from 6.14.9-300.fc42.x86_64:

FAIL: test-copy-acl.sh
======================

/home/collin/.local/src/gnulib/testdir1/gltests/test-copy-acl: preserving permissions for 'tmpfile2': Numerical result out of range FAIL test-copy-acl.sh (exit status: 1)

FAIL: test-file-has-acl.sh
==========================

file_has_acl("tmpfile0") returned no, expected yes FAIL test-file-has-acl.sh (exit status: 1)

To investigate further, I created the testdir again after applying the following diff:

    diff --git a/tests/test-copy-acl.sh b/tests/test-copy-acl.sh
    index 061755f124..f9457e884f 100755
    --- a/tests/test-copy-acl.sh
    +++ b/tests/test-copy-acl.sh
    @@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ cd "$builddir" ||
       {
         echo "Simple contents" > "$2"
         chmod 600 "$2"
    -    ${CHECKER} "$builddir"/test-copy-acl${EXEEXT} "$1" "$2" || exit 1
    +    ${CHECKER} strace "$builddir"/test-copy-acl${EXEEXT} "$1" "$2" || exit 1
         ${CHECKER} "$builddir"/test-sameacls${EXEEXT} "$1" "$2" || exit 1
         func_test_same_acls                           "$1" "$2" || exit 1
       }

Then running the test from inside testdir1/gltests:

    $ ./test-copy-acl.sh
    [...]
    access("/etc/selinux/config", F_OK)     = 0
    openat(AT_FDCWD, "tmpfile0", O_RDONLY)  = 3
    fstat(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0610, st_size=16, ...}) = 0
    openat(AT_FDCWD, "tmpfile2", O_WRONLY)  = 4
    fchmod(4, 0610)                         = 0
    flistxattr(3, NULL, 0)                  = 17
    flistxattr(3, 0x7ffda3f6c900, 17)       = -1 ERANGE (Numerical result out of range)
    write(2, "/home/collin/.local/src/gnulib/t"..., 63/home/collin/.local/src/gnulib/testdir1/gltests/test-copy-acl: ) = 63
    write(2, "preserving permissions for 'tmpf"..., 37preserving permissions for 'tmpfile2') = 37
    write(2, ": Numerical result out of range", 31: Numerical result out of range) = 31
    write(2, "\n", 1
    )                       = 1
    exit_group(1)                           = ?
    +++ exited with 1 +++

So, we get the buffer size from 'flistxattr(3, NULL, 0)' and then call it again after allocating it 'flistxattr(3, 0x7ffda3f6c900, 17)'. This shouldn't fail with ERANGE then.

To confirm, I replaced 'strace' with 'gdb --args'. Here is the result:

    (gdb) b qcopy_acl
    Breakpoint 1 at 0x400a10: file qcopy-acl.c, line 84.
    (gdb) run
    Starting program: /home/collin/.local/src/gnulib/testdir1/gltests/test-copy-acl tmpfile0 tmpfile2
    [Thread debugging using libthread_db enabled]
    Using host libthread_db library "/lib64/libthread_db.so.1".

    Breakpoint 1, qcopy_acl (src_name=src_name@entry=0x7fffffffd7c3 "tmpfile0", source_desc=source_desc@entry=3,
        dst_name=dst_name@entry=0x7fffffffd7cc "tmpfile2", dest_desc=dest_desc@entry=4, mode=mode@entry=392) at qcopy-acl.c:84
    84    ret = chmod_or_fchmod (dst_name, dest_desc, mode);
    (gdb) n
    90    if (ret == 0)
    (gdb) n
    92        ret = source_desc <= 0 || dest_desc <= 0
    (gdb) s
    attr_copy_fd (src_path=src_path@entry=0x7fffffffd7c3 "tmpfile0", src_fd=src_fd@entry=3, dst_path=dst_path@entry=0x7fffffffd7cc "tmpfile2",
        dst_fd=dst_fd@entry=4, check=check@entry=0x4009b0 <is_attr_permissions>, ctx=ctx@entry=0x0) at libattr/attr_copy_fd.c:73
    73          if (check == NULL)
    (gdb) n
    76          size = flistxattr (src_fd, NULL, 0);
    (gdb) n
    77          if (size < 0) {
    (gdb) print size
    $1 = 17
    (gdb) n
    86          names = (char *) my_alloc (size+1);
    (gdb) n
    92          size = flistxattr (src_fd, names, size);
    (gdb) print errno
    $2 = 0
    (gdb) n
    93          if (size < 0) {
    (gdb) print size
    $3 = -1
    (gdb) print errno
    $4 = 34
Quoted 8 lines

After confirming with the Fedora Kernel tags [1], I am fairly confident that it was caused by this commit [2].

But I am not familiar enough with ACLs, SELinux, or the Kernel to know the fix.

Adding the lists where this was discussed and some of the signers to CC, since they will know better than me.

Quoted 8 lines

Thank you for the bug report. Looks like the security xattr handling is somehow replacing the overall length with just the length of the security.selinux xattr rather than adding it to the length of the acl xattr. Will check to see if this is already fixed on vfs.fixes; if not, will look into a fix although it wasn't immediately obvious to me why this is happening. There is also another patch related to this pending that is supposed to go through the LSM tree which might fix it.

Sorry, mea culpa; should be fixed by
https://lore.kernel.org/selinux/[email protected]/

Quoted 6 lines
Quoted 6 lines

Collin

[1] https://gitlab.com/cki-project/kernel-ark
[2] https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/8b0ba61df5a1c44e2b3cf683831a4fc5e24ea99d