netfilter: nf_conntrack: nf_conntrack_alloc() fixes

When a slab cache uses SLAB_DESTROY_BY_RCU, we must be careful when allocating
objects, since slab allocator could give a freed object still used by lockless
readers.

In particular, nf_conntrack RCU lookups rely on ct->tuplehash[xxx].hnnode.next
being always valid (ie containing a valid 'nulls' value, or a valid pointer to next
object in hash chain.)

kmem_cache_zalloc() setups object with NULL values, but a NULL value is not valid
for ct->tuplehash[xxx].hnnode.next.

Fix is to call kmem_cache_alloc() and do the zeroing ourself.

As spotted by Patrick, we also need to make sure lookup keys are committed to
memory before setting refcount to 1, or a lockless reader could get a reference
on the old version of the object. Its key re-check could then pass the barrier.

Signed-off-by: Eric Dumazet <eric.dumazet@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Patrick McHardy <kaber@trash.net>

1 files changed, 6 insertions, 1 deletions

diff --git a/Documentation/RCU/rculist_nulls.txt b/Documentation/RCU/rculist_nulls.txt
index 93cb28d05dc..18f9651ff23 100644
--- a/Documentation/RCU/rculist_nulls.txt
+++ b/Documentation/RCU/rculist_nulls.txt
@@ -83,11 +83,12 @@ not detect it missed following items in original chain.
 obj = kmem_cache_alloc(...);
 lock_chain(); // typically a spin_lock()
 obj->key = key;
-atomic_inc(&obj->refcnt);
 /*
  * we need to make sure obj->key is updated before obj->next
+ * or obj->refcnt
  */
 smp_wmb();
+atomic_set(&obj->refcnt, 1);
 hlist_add_head_rcu(&obj->obj_node, list);
 unlock_chain(); // typically a spin_unlock()
 
@@ -159,6 +160,10 @@ out:
 obj = kmem_cache_alloc(cachep);
 lock_chain(); // typically a spin_lock()
 obj->key = key;
+/*
+ * changes to obj->key must be visible before refcnt one
+ */
+smp_wmb();
 atomic_set(&obj->refcnt, 1);
 /*
  * insert obj in RCU way (readers might be traversing chain)