net/smc: reduce rtnl pressure in smc_pnet_create_pnetids_list()

Summary

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/smc: reduce rtnl pressure in smc_pnet_create_pnetids_list() Many syzbot reports show extreme rtnl pressure, and many of them hint that smc acquires rtnl in netns creation for no good reason [1] This patch returns early from smc_pnet_net_init() if there is no netdevice yet. I am not even sure why smc_pnet_create_pnetids_list() even exists, because smc_pnet_netdev_event() is also calling smc_pnet_add_base_pnetid() when handling NETDEV_UP event. [1] extract of typical syzbot reports 2 locks held by syz-executor.3/12252: #0: ffffffff8f369610 (pernet_ops_rwsem){++++}-{3:3}, at: copy_net_ns+0x4c7/0x7b0 net/core/net_namespace.c:491 #1: ffffffff8f375b88 (rtnl_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: smc_pnet_create_pnetids_list net/smc/smc_pnet.c:809 [inline] #1: ffffffff8f375b88 (rtnl_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: smc_pnet_net_init+0x10a/0x1e0 net/smc/smc_pnet.c:878 2 locks held by syz-executor.4/12253: #0: ffffffff8f369610 (pernet_ops_rwsem){++++}-{3:3}, at: copy_net_ns+0x4c7/0x7b0 net/core/net_namespace.c:491 #1: ffffffff8f375b88 (rtnl_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: smc_pnet_create_pnetids_list net/smc/smc_pnet.c:809 [inline] #1: ffffffff8f375b88 (rtnl_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: smc_pnet_net_init+0x10a/0x1e0 net/smc/smc_pnet.c:878 2 locks held by syz-executor.1/12257: #0: ffffffff8f369610 (pernet_ops_rwsem){++++}-{3:3}, at: copy_net_ns+0x4c7/0x7b0 net/core/net_namespace.c:491 #1: ffffffff8f375b88 (rtnl_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: smc_pnet_create_pnetids_list net/smc/smc_pnet.c:809 [inline] #1: ffffffff8f375b88 (rtnl_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: smc_pnet_net_init+0x10a/0x1e0 net/smc/smc_pnet.c:878 2 locks held by syz-executor.2/12261: #0: ffffffff8f369610 (pernet_ops_rwsem){++++}-{3:3}, at: copy_net_ns+0x4c7/0x7b0 net/core/net_namespace.c:491 #1: ffffffff8f375b88 (rtnl_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: smc_pnet_create_pnetids_list net/smc/smc_pnet.c:809 [inline] #1: ffffffff8f375b88 (rtnl_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: smc_pnet_net_init+0x10a/0x1e0 net/smc/smc_pnet.c:878 2 locks held by syz-executor.0/12265: #0: ffffffff8f369610 (pernet_ops_rwsem){++++}-{3:3}, at: copy_net_ns+0x4c7/0x7b0 net/core/net_namespace.c:491 #1: ffffffff8f375b88 (rtnl_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: smc_pnet_create_pnetids_list net/smc/smc_pnet.c:809 [inline] #1: ffffffff8f375b88 (rtnl_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: smc_pnet_net_init+0x10a/0x1e0 net/smc/smc_pnet.c:878 2 locks held by syz-executor.3/12268: #0: ffffffff8f369610 (pernet_ops_rwsem){++++}-{3:3}, at: copy_net_ns+0x4c7/0x7b0 net/core/net_namespace.c:491 #1: ffffffff8f375b88 (rtnl_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: smc_pnet_create_pnetids_list net/smc/smc_pnet.c:809 [inline] #1: ffffffff8f375b88 (rtnl_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: smc_pnet_net_init+0x10a/0x1e0 net/smc/smc_pnet.c:878 2 locks held by syz-executor.4/12271: #0: ffffffff8f369610 (pernet_ops_rwsem){++++}-{3:3}, at: copy_net_ns+0x4c7/0x7b0 net/core/net_namespace.c:491 #1: ffffffff8f375b88 (rtnl_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: smc_pnet_create_pnetids_list net/smc/smc_pnet.c:809 [inline] #1: ffffffff8f375b88 (rtnl_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: smc_pnet_net_init+0x10a/0x1e0 net/smc/smc_pnet.c:878 2 locks held by syz-executor.1/12274: #0: ffffffff8f369610 (pernet_ops_rwsem){++++}-{3:3}, at: copy_net_ns+0x4c7/0x7b0 net/core/net_namespace.c:491 #1: ffffffff8f375b88 (rtnl_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: smc_pnet_create_pnetids_list net/smc/smc_pnet.c:809 [inline] #1: ffffffff8f375b88 (rtnl_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: smc_pnet_net_init+0x10a/0x1e0 net/smc/smc_pnet.c:878 2 locks held by syz-executor.2/12280: #0: ffffffff8f369610 (pernet_ops_rwsem){++++}-{3:3}, at: copy_net_ns+0x4c7/0x7b0 net/core/net_namespace.c:491 #1: ffffffff8f375b88 (rtnl_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: smc_pnet_create_pnetids_list net/smc/smc_pnet.c:809 [inline] #1: ffffffff8f375b88 (rtnl_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: smc_pnet_net_init+0x10a/0x1e0 net/smc/smc_pnet.c:878

Timeline

1. May 19, 2024, 10:10 AM UTCCVE published
2. Sep 10, 2024, 3:40 PM UTCCISA SSVC assessment

   Exploitation: none · Automatable: no · Technical impact: partial

3. Oct 15, 2026, 12:41 AM UTCRecord last updated

Affected versions

• Linux Linux

  From e888a2e8337c96dd785d204cf8ff775e79173add · fixed in bc4d1ebca11b4f194e262326bd45938e857c59d2; From e888a2e8337c96dd785d204cf8ff775e79173add · fixed in b9117dc783c0ab0a3866812f70e07bf2ea071ac4; From e888a2e8337c96dd785d204cf8ff775e79173add · fixed in d7ee3bf0caf599c14db0bf4af7aacd6206ef8a23; From e888a2e8337c96dd785d204cf8ff775e79173add · fixed in a2e6bffc0388526ed10406040279a693d62b36ec; From e888a2e8337c96dd785d204cf8ff775e79173add · fixed in 6e920422e7104928f760fc0e12b6d65ab097a2e7; From e888a2e8337c96dd785d204cf8ff775e79173add · fixed in 00af2aa93b76b1bade471ad0d0525d4d29ca5cc0

• Linux Linux

  5.10

• KernelLinux

  From 5.10.0 · fixed in 5.10.215; From 5.11.0 · fixed in 5.15.155; From 5.16.0 · fixed in 6.1.86; From 6.2.0 · fixed in 6.6.27; From 6.7.0 · fixed in 6.8.6

References 6