[PATCH] ocfs2: Publish the filecheck owner before adding sysfs attributes

[PATCH] ocfs2: Publish the filecheck owner before adding sysfs attributes

[Cen Zhang]

ocfs2_filecheck_create_sysfs() initializes the filecheck allocation
before calling kobject_init_and_add(), but assigns entry->fs_fcheck
only after that call returns. The default attribute group can already
be visible while registration is in progress. A concurrent read can
therefore enter ocfs2_filecheck_attr_show() with a NULL fs_fcheck and
try to lock its fc_lock.

Assign the initialized owner before adding the kobject, so every
activated attribute has valid state. Clear the pointer when addition
fails, preserving the existing teardown guard and error cleanup.

A controlled probe-instrumented test kernel with the original OCFS2
registration ordering produced this Oops during a concurrent sysfs read:

  KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x0000000000000028-0x000000000000002f]
  RIP: 0010:kasan_byte_accessible+0x15/0x30
  Call Trace:
   <TASK>
   __kasan_check_byte+0x13/0x50
   lock_acquire+0x113/0x300
   _raw_spin_lock+0x31/0x40
   ocfs2_filecheck_attr_show+0x138/0x5f0
   ocfs2_filecheck_show+0x5d/0x90
   sysfs_kf_seq_show+0x1d3/0x360
   seq_read_iter+0x480/0x1110
   kernfs_fop_read_iter+0x419/0x5a0
   vfs_read+0x7d2/0xc20
   ksys_read+0x111/0x200
   do_syscall_64+0x114/0x620
   entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f
   </TASK>
  Modules linked in:

Fixes: a860f6eb4c6a ("ocfs2: sysfile interfaces for online file check")
Assisted-by: LLM
Signed-off-by: Cen Zhang <zzzccc427@gmail.com>
---
 fs/ocfs2/filecheck.c | 4 +++-
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/fs/ocfs2/filecheck.c b/fs/ocfs2/filecheck.c
index be713d7d24a76b9aa8fcded3d83b3d91d124eb6e..862c1ee7099c943b2e3e57e31f887380c6dc8a88 100644
--- a/fs/ocfs2/filecheck.c
+++ b/fs/ocfs2/filecheck.c
@@ -181,2 +181,4 @@ int ocfs2_filecheck_create_sysfs(struct ocfs2_super *osb)
 
+	/* Publish the initialized owner before activating its sysfs callbacks. */
+	entry->fs_fcheck = fcheck;
 	entry->fs_kobj.kset = osb->osb_dev_kset;
@@ -186,2 +188,3 @@ int ocfs2_filecheck_create_sysfs(struct ocfs2_super *osb)
 	if (ret) {
+		entry->fs_fcheck = NULL;
 		kobject_put(&entry->fs_kobj);
@@ -191,3 +194,2 @@ int ocfs2_filecheck_create_sysfs(struct ocfs2_super *osb)
 
-	entry->fs_fcheck = fcheck;
 	return 0;

Re: [PATCH] ocfs2: Publish the filecheck owner before adding sysfs attributes

[Heming Zhao]

On Fri, Oct 09, 2026 at 06:04:49PM +0800, Cen Zhang wrote:
> ocfs2_filecheck_create_sysfs() initializes the filecheck allocation
> before calling kobject_init_and_add(), but assigns entry->fs_fcheck
> only after that call returns. The default attribute group can already
> be visible while registration is in progress. A concurrent read can
> therefore enter ocfs2_filecheck_attr_show() with a NULL fs_fcheck and
> try to lock its fc_lock.
> 
> Assign the initialized owner before adding the kobject, so every
> activated attribute has valid state. Clear the pointer when addition
> fails, preserving the existing teardown guard and error cleanup.
> 
> A controlled probe-instrumented test kernel with the original OCFS2
> registration ordering produced this Oops during a concurrent sysfs read:
> 
>   KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x0000000000000028-0x000000000000002f]
>   RIP: 0010:kasan_byte_accessible+0x15/0x30
>   Call Trace:
>    <TASK>
>    __kasan_check_byte+0x13/0x50
>    lock_acquire+0x113/0x300
>    _raw_spin_lock+0x31/0x40
>    ocfs2_filecheck_attr_show+0x138/0x5f0
>    ocfs2_filecheck_show+0x5d/0x90
>    sysfs_kf_seq_show+0x1d3/0x360
>    seq_read_iter+0x480/0x1110
>    kernfs_fop_read_iter+0x419/0x5a0
>    vfs_read+0x7d2/0xc20
>    ksys_read+0x111/0x200
>    do_syscall_64+0x114/0x620
>    entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f
>    </TASK>
>   Modules linked in:
> 
> Fixes: a860f6eb4c6a ("ocfs2: sysfile interfaces for online file check")
> Assisted-by: LLM
> Signed-off-by: Cen Zhang <zzzccc427@gmail.com>
> ---
>  fs/ocfs2/filecheck.c | 4 +++-
>  1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
> 
> diff --git a/fs/ocfs2/filecheck.c b/fs/ocfs2/filecheck.c
> index be713d7d24a76b9aa8fcded3d83b3d91d124eb6e..862c1ee7099c943b2e3e57e31f887380c6dc8a88 100644
> --- a/fs/ocfs2/filecheck.c
> +++ b/fs/ocfs2/filecheck.c
> @@ -181,2 +181,4 @@ int ocfs2_filecheck_create_sysfs(struct ocfs2_super *osb)
>  
> +	/* Publish the initialized owner before activating its sysfs callbacks. */
> +	entry->fs_fcheck = fcheck;
>  	entry->fs_kobj.kset = osb->osb_dev_kset;
> @@ -186,2 +188,3 @@ int ocfs2_filecheck_create_sysfs(struct ocfs2_super *osb)
>  	if (ret) {
> +		entry->fs_fcheck = NULL;

setting to NULL is unnecessary, it becomes a harmless dangling pointer here.
Other code looks good to me.

Thanks,
Heming
>  		kobject_put(&entry->fs_kobj);
> @@ -191,3 +194,2 @@ int ocfs2_filecheck_create_sysfs(struct ocfs2_super *osb)
>  
> -	entry->fs_fcheck = fcheck;
>  	return 0;
> 

Re: [PATCH] ocfs2: Publish the filecheck owner before adding sysfs attributes

[Cen Zhang]

Hi Heming,

Heming Zhao <heming.zhao@suse.com> 于2026年10月10日周六 15:38写道：
>
> setting to NULL is unnecessary, it becomes a harmless dangling pointer here.
> Other code looks good to me.
>
> Thanks,
> Heming

Thanks for reviewing this.

I checked the failure path again with the help of LLM, and I think clearing
fs_fcheck is still needed on this baseline. If kobject_init_and_add()
fails, the
function puts the kobject and frees fcheck. Its caller in
ocfs2_fill_super() then
jumps to out_dismount, which calls ocfs2_dismount_volume() and, in turn,
ocfs2_filecheck_remove_sysfs().

That last function returns early only when fs_fcheck is NULL. Leaving
the dangling pointer would make it operate on the already-put kobject
and access the freed fcheck in ocfs2_filecheck_sysfs_free().

I may still be missing something, but based on this path it seems the NULL
assignment is still needed. Would you agree, or did I overlook a case where
it is safe to leave it?

Thanks again for taking a look.

Best regards,
Cen Zhang

Re: [PATCH] ocfs2: Publish the filecheck owner before adding sysfs attributes

[Heming Zhao]

On 10/11/26 23:40, Cen Zhang wrote:
> Hi Heming,
> 
> Heming Zhao <heming.zhao@suse.com> 于2026年10月10日周六 15:38写道：
>>
>> setting to NULL is unnecessary, it becomes a harmless dangling pointer here.
>> Other code looks good to me.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Heming
> 
> Thanks for reviewing this.
> 
> I checked the failure path again with the help of LLM, and I think clearing
> fs_fcheck is still needed on this baseline. If kobject_init_and_add()
> fails, the
> function puts the kobject and frees fcheck. Its caller in
> ocfs2_fill_super() then
> jumps to out_dismount, which calls ocfs2_dismount_volume() and, in turn,
> ocfs2_filecheck_remove_sysfs().
> 
> That last function returns early only when fs_fcheck is NULL. Leaving
> the dangling pointer would make it operate on the already-put kobject
> and access the freed fcheck in ocfs2_filecheck_sysfs_free().
> 
> I may still be missing something, but based on this path it seems the NULL
> assignment is still needed. Would you agree, or did I overlook a case where
> it is safe to leave it?
> 
> Thanks again for taking a look.
> 
> Best regards,
> Cen Zhang


Thanks for the info, I will add my reviewed-by tag.

- Heming

Re: [PATCH] ocfs2: Publish the filecheck owner before adding sysfs attributes

[Heming Zhao]

On Fri, Oct 09, 2026 at 06:04:49PM +0800, Cen Zhang wrote:
> ocfs2_filecheck_create_sysfs() initializes the filecheck allocation
> before calling kobject_init_and_add(), but assigns entry->fs_fcheck
> only after that call returns. The default attribute group can already
> be visible while registration is in progress. A concurrent read can
> therefore enter ocfs2_filecheck_attr_show() with a NULL fs_fcheck and
> try to lock its fc_lock.
> 
> Assign the initialized owner before adding the kobject, so every
> activated attribute has valid state. Clear the pointer when addition
> fails, preserving the existing teardown guard and error cleanup.
> 
> A controlled probe-instrumented test kernel with the original OCFS2
> registration ordering produced this Oops during a concurrent sysfs read:
> 
>   KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x0000000000000028-0x000000000000002f]
>   RIP: 0010:kasan_byte_accessible+0x15/0x30
>   Call Trace:
>    <TASK>
>    __kasan_check_byte+0x13/0x50
>    lock_acquire+0x113/0x300
>    _raw_spin_lock+0x31/0x40
>    ocfs2_filecheck_attr_show+0x138/0x5f0
>    ocfs2_filecheck_show+0x5d/0x90
>    sysfs_kf_seq_show+0x1d3/0x360
>    seq_read_iter+0x480/0x1110
>    kernfs_fop_read_iter+0x419/0x5a0
>    vfs_read+0x7d2/0xc20
>    ksys_read+0x111/0x200
>    do_syscall_64+0x114/0x620
>    entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f
>    </TASK>
>   Modules linked in:
> 
> Fixes: a860f6eb4c6a ("ocfs2: sysfile interfaces for online file check")
> Assisted-by: LLM
> Signed-off-by: Cen Zhang <zzzccc427@gmail.com>

LGTM.
Reviewed-by: Heming Zhao <heming.zhao@suse.com>
> ---
>  fs/ocfs2/filecheck.c | 4 +++-
>  1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
> 
> diff --git a/fs/ocfs2/filecheck.c b/fs/ocfs2/filecheck.c
> index be713d7d24a76b9aa8fcded3d83b3d91d124eb6e..862c1ee7099c943b2e3e57e31f887380c6dc8a88 100644
> --- a/fs/ocfs2/filecheck.c
> +++ b/fs/ocfs2/filecheck.c
> @@ -181,2 +181,4 @@ int ocfs2_filecheck_create_sysfs(struct ocfs2_super *osb)
>  
> +	/* Publish the initialized owner before activating its sysfs callbacks. */
> +	entry->fs_fcheck = fcheck;
>  	entry->fs_kobj.kset = osb->osb_dev_kset;
> @@ -186,2 +188,3 @@ int ocfs2_filecheck_create_sysfs(struct ocfs2_super *osb)
>  	if (ret) {
> +		entry->fs_fcheck = NULL;
>  		kobject_put(&entry->fs_kobj);
> @@ -191,3 +194,2 @@ int ocfs2_filecheck_create_sysfs(struct ocfs2_super *osb)
>  
> -	entry->fs_fcheck = fcheck;
>  	return 0;
> 

Re: [PATCH] ocfs2: Publish the filecheck owner before adding sysfs attributes

[Joseph Qi]

On 10/9/26 6:04 PM, Cen Zhang wrote:
> ocfs2_filecheck_create_sysfs() initializes the filecheck allocation
> before calling kobject_init_and_add(), but assigns entry->fs_fcheck
> only after that call returns. The default attribute group can already
> be visible while registration is in progress. A concurrent read can
> therefore enter ocfs2_filecheck_attr_show() with a NULL fs_fcheck and
> try to lock its fc_lock.
> 
> Assign the initialized owner before adding the kobject, so every
> activated attribute has valid state. Clear the pointer when addition
> fails, preserving the existing teardown guard and error cleanup.
> 
> A controlled probe-instrumented test kernel with the original OCFS2
> registration ordering produced this Oops during a concurrent sysfs read:
> 
>   KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x0000000000000028-0x000000000000002f]
>   RIP: 0010:kasan_byte_accessible+0x15/0x30
>   Call Trace:
>    <TASK>
>    __kasan_check_byte+0x13/0x50
>    lock_acquire+0x113/0x300
>    _raw_spin_lock+0x31/0x40
>    ocfs2_filecheck_attr_show+0x138/0x5f0
>    ocfs2_filecheck_show+0x5d/0x90
>    sysfs_kf_seq_show+0x1d3/0x360
>    seq_read_iter+0x480/0x1110
>    kernfs_fop_read_iter+0x419/0x5a0
>    vfs_read+0x7d2/0xc20
>    ksys_read+0x111/0x200
>    do_syscall_64+0x114/0x620
>    entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f
>    </TASK>
>   Modules linked in:
> 
> Fixes: a860f6eb4c6a ("ocfs2: sysfile interfaces for online file check")

It seems the right Fixes tag is:
5f483c4abb50 ("ocfs2: add kobject for online file check")

Also Cc: <stable@vger.kernel.org> tag is wanted here as well.

The code change looks fine to me. So with the above addressed,
Reviewed-by: Joseph Qi <joseph.qi@linux.alibaba.com>

> Assisted-by: LLM
> Signed-off-by: Cen Zhang <zzzccc427@gmail.com>
> ---
>  fs/ocfs2/filecheck.c | 4 +++-
>  1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
> 
> diff --git a/fs/ocfs2/filecheck.c b/fs/ocfs2/filecheck.c
> index be713d7d24a76b9aa8fcded3d83b3d91d124eb6e..862c1ee7099c943b2e3e57e31f887380c6dc8a88 100644
> --- a/fs/ocfs2/filecheck.c
> +++ b/fs/ocfs2/filecheck.c
> @@ -181,2 +181,4 @@ int ocfs2_filecheck_create_sysfs(struct ocfs2_super *osb)
>  
> +	/* Publish the initialized owner before activating its sysfs callbacks. */
> +	entry->fs_fcheck = fcheck;
>  	entry->fs_kobj.kset = osb->osb_dev_kset;
> @@ -186,2 +188,3 @@ int ocfs2_filecheck_create_sysfs(struct ocfs2_super *osb)
>  	if (ret) {
> +		entry->fs_fcheck = NULL;
>  		kobject_put(&entry->fs_kobj);
> @@ -191,3 +194,2 @@ int ocfs2_filecheck_create_sysfs(struct ocfs2_super *osb)
>  
> -	entry->fs_fcheck = fcheck;
>  	return 0;