Commit 6d07b68ce1 ("ipc/sem.c: optimize sem_lock()") introduced a
race:
sem_lock has a fast path that allows parallel simple operations.
There are two reasons why a simple operation cannot run in parallel:
- a non-simple operations is ongoing (sma->sem_perm.lock held)
- a complex operation is sleeping (sma->complex_count != 0)
As both facts are stored independently, a thread can bypass the current
checks by sleeping in the right positions. See below for more details
(or kernel bugzilla 105651).
The patch fixes that by creating one variable (complex_mode)
that tracks both reasons why parallel operations are not possible.
The patch also updates stale documentation regarding the locking.
With regards to stable kernels:
The patch is required for all kernels that include the
commit 6d07b68ce1 ("ipc/sem.c: optimize sem_lock()") (3.10?)
The alternative is to revert the patch that introduced the race.
The patch is safe for backporting, i.e. it makes no assumptions
about memory barriers in spin_unlock_wait().
Background:
Here is the race of the current implementation:
Thread A: (simple op)
- does the first "sma->complex_count == 0" test
Thread B: (complex op)
- does sem_lock(): This includes an array scan. But the scan can't
find Thread A, because Thread A does not own sem->lock yet.
- the thread does the operation, increases complex_count,
drops sem_lock, sleeps
Thread A:
- spin_lock(&sem->lock), spin_is_locked(sma->sem_perm.lock)
- sleeps before the complex_count test
Thread C: (complex op)
- does sem_lock (no array scan, complex_count==1)
- wakes up Thread B.
- decrements complex_count
Thread A:
- does the complex_count test
Bug:
Now both thread A and thread C operate on the same array, without
any synchronization.
Fixes: 6d07b68ce1 ("ipc/sem.c: optimize sem_lock()")
Link: http://lkml.kernel.org/r/1469123695-5661-1-git-send-email-manfred@colorfullife.com
Reported-by: <felixh@informatik.uni-bremen.de>
Cc: "H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@zytor.com>
Cc: Peter Zijlstra <peterz@infradead.org>
Cc: Davidlohr Bueso <dave@stgolabs.net>
Cc: Thomas Gleixner <tglx@linutronix.de>
Cc: Ingo Molnar <mingo@elte.hu>
Cc: <1vier1@web.de>
Cc: <stable@vger.kernel.org> [3.10+]
Signed-off-by: Andrew Morton <akpm@linux-foundation.org>
Signed-off-by: Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org>
5864a2fd30