// For flags

CVE-2022-49441

tty: fix deadlock caused by calling printk() under tty_port->lock

Severity Score

5.5
*CVSS v3

Exploit Likelihood

*EPSS

Affected Versions

*CPE

Public Exploits

0
*Multiple Sources

Exploited in Wild

-
*KEV

Decision

-
*SSVC
Descriptions

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: ======================================================
WARNING: possible circular locking dependency detected
5.4.143-00237-g08ccc19a-dirty #10 Not tainted
------------------------------------------------------
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 (&port->lock){-.-.}-{2:2}: __raw_spin_lock_irqsave include/linux/spinlock_api_smp.h:110 [inline] _raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x35/0x50 kernel/locking/spinlock.c:159 tty_port_tty_get drivers/tty/tty_port.c:288 [inline] <-- lock(&port->lock); tty_port_default_wakeup+0x1d/0xb0 drivers/tty/tty_port.c:47 serial8250_tx_chars+0x530/0xa80 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c:1767 serial8250_handle_irq.part.0+0x31f/0x3d0 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c:1854 serial8250_handle_irq drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c:1827 [inline] <-- lock(&port_lock_key); serial8250_default_handle_irq+0xb2/0x220 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c:1870 serial8250_interrupt+0xfd/0x200 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_core.c:126 __handle_irq_event_percpu+0x109/0xa50 kernel/irq/handle.c:156 [...] -> #1 (&port_lock_key){-.-.}-{2:2}: __raw_spin_lock_irqsave include/linux/spinlock_api_smp.h:110 [inline] _raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x35/0x50 kernel/locking/spinlock.c:159 serial8250_console_write+0x184/0xa40 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c:3198 <-- lock(&port_lock_key); call_console_drivers kernel/printk/printk.c:1819 [inline] console_unlock+0x8cb/0xd00 kernel/printk/printk.c:2504 vprintk_emit+0x1b5/0x470 kernel/printk/printk.c:2024 <-- lock(console_owner); vprintk_func+0x8d/0x250 kernel/printk/printk_safe.c:394 printk+0xba/0xed kernel/printk/printk.c:2084 register_console+0x8b3/0xc10 kernel/printk/printk.c:2829 univ8250_console_init+0x3a/0x46 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_core.c:681 console_init+0x49d/0x6d3 kernel/printk/printk.c:2915 start_kernel+0x5e9/0x879 init/main.c:713 secondary_startup_64+0xa4/0xb0 arch/x86/kernel/head_64.S:241 -> #0 (console_owner){....}-{0:0}: [...] lock_acquire+0x127/0x340 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:4734 console_trylock_spinning kernel/printk/printk.c:1773 ---truncated---

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: ====================================================== WARNING: possible circular locking dependency detected 5.4.143-00237-g08ccc19a-dirty #10 Not tainted ------------------------------------------------------ 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 (&port->lock){-.-.}-{2:2}: __raw_spin_lock_irqsave include/linux/spinlock_api_smp.h:110 [inline] _raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x35/0x50 kernel/locking/spinlock.c:159 tty_port_tty_get drivers/tty/tty_port.c:288 [inline] <-- lock(&port->lock); tty_port_default_wakeup+0x1d/0xb0 drivers/tty/tty_port.c:47 serial8250_tx_chars+0x530/0xa80 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c:1767 serial8250_handle_irq.part.0+0x31f/0x3d0 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c:1854 serial8250_handle_irq drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c:1827 [inline] <-- lock(&port_lock_key); serial8250_default_handle_irq+0xb2/0x220 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c:1870 serial8250_interrupt+0xfd/0x200 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_core.c:126 __handle_irq_event_percpu+0x109/0xa50 kernel/irq/handle.c:156 [...] -> #1 (&port_lock_key){-.-.}-{2:2}: __raw_spin_lock_irqsave include/linux/spinlock_api_smp.h:110 [inline] _raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x35/0x50 kernel/locking/spinlock.c:159 serial8250_console_write+0x184/0xa40 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c:3198 <-- lock(&port_lock_key); call_console_drivers kernel/printk/printk.c:1819 [inline] console_unlock+0x8cb/0xd00 kernel/printk/printk.c:2504 vprintk_emit+0x1b5/0x470 kernel/printk/printk.c:2024 <-- lock(console_owner); vprintk_func+0x8d/0x250 kernel/printk/printk_safe.c:394 printk+0xba/0xed kernel/printk/printk.c:2084 register_console+0x8b3/0xc10 kernel/printk/printk.c:2829 univ8250_console_init+0x3a/0x46 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_core.c:681 console_init+0x49d/0x6d3 kernel/printk/printk.c:2915 start_kernel+0x5e9/0x879 init/main.c:713 secondary_startup_64+0xa4/0xb0 arch/x86/kernel/head_64.S:241 -> #0 (console_owner){....}-{0:0}: [...] lock_acquire+0x127/0x340 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:4734 console_trylock_spinning kernel/printk/printk.c:1773 ---truncated---

*Credits: N/A
CVSS Scores
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Complete
Integrity
Complete
Availability
Complete
* Common Vulnerability Scoring System
SSVC
  • Decision:-
Exploitation
-
Automatable
-
Tech. Impact
-
* Organization's Worst-case Scenario
Timeline
  • 2025-02-26 CVE Reserved
  • 2025-02-26 CVE Published
  • 2025-02-26 CVE Updated
  • 2025-02-27 EPSS Updated
  • ---------- Exploited in Wild
  • ---------- KEV Due Date
  • ---------- First Exploit
CWE
CAPEC
Affected Vendors, Products, and Versions
Vendor Product Version Other Status
Vendor Product Version Other Status <-- --> Vendor Product Version Other Status
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 4.9.117 < 4.9.318
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 4.9.117 < 4.9.318"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 4.14.60 < 4.14.283
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 4.14.60 < 4.14.283"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 4.18 < 4.19.247
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 4.18 < 4.19.247"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 4.18 < 5.4.198
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 4.18 < 5.4.198"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 4.18 < 5.10.121
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 4.18 < 5.10.121"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 4.18 < 5.15.46
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 4.18 < 5.15.46"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 4.18 < 5.17.14
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 4.18 < 5.17.14"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 4.18 < 5.18.3
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 4.18 < 5.18.3"
en
Affected
Linux
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Linux Kernel
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>= 4.18 < 5.19
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 4.18 < 5.19"
en
Affected
Linux
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Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
3.18.118
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version "3.18.118"
en
Affected
Linux
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Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
4.4.146
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en
Affected
Linux
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Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
4.17.12
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version "4.17.12"
en
Affected