A flaw was discovered in the Linux kernel’s MD (multiple device) subsystem during iteration over the all_mddevs list in functions such as md_notify_reboot() and md_exit(). The code used list_for_each_entry_safe, but released locks before completing reference counting, allowing concurrent deletion and freeing of an mddev entry. This led to a use-after-free when the kernel continued to reference freed mddev structures. A local user with low privileges could trigger this to corrupt memory and cause a denial of service. The issue has been resolved by reworking the iteration logic, introducing proper locking and reference handling (mddev_put_locked()), and switching to list_for_each_entry to avoid unsafe continuation across deletions
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
md: fix mddev uaf while iterating all_mddevs list
While iterating all_mddevs list from md_notify_reboot() and md_exit(),
list_for_each_entry_safe is used, and this can race with deletint the
next mddev, causing UAF:
t1:
spin_lock
//list_for_each_entry_safe(mddev, n, ...)
mddev_get(mddev1)
// assume mddev2 is the next entry
spin_unlock
t2:
//remove mddev2
...
mddev_free
spin_lock
list_del
spin_unlock
kfree(mddev2)
mddev_put(mddev1)
spin_lock
//continue dereference mddev2->all_mddevs
The old helper for_each_mddev() actually grab the reference of mddev2
while holding the lock, to prevent from being freed. This problem can be
fixed the same way, however, the code will be complex.
Hence switch to use list_for_each_entry, in this case mddev_put() can free
the mddev1 and it's not safe as well. Refer to md_seq_show(), also factor
out a helper mddev_put_locked() to fix this problem.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: md: fix mddev uaf while iterating all_mddevs list While iterating all_mddevs list from md_notify_reboot() and md_exit(), list_for_each_entry_safe is used, and this can race with deletint the next mddev, causing UAF: t1: spin_lock //list_for_each_entry_safe(mddev, n, ...) mddev_get(mddev1) // assume mddev2 is the next entry spin_unlock t2: //remove mddev2 ... mddev_free spin_lock list_del spin_unlock kfree(mddev2) mddev_put(mddev1) spin_lock //continue dereference mddev2->all_mddevs The old helper for_each_mddev() actually grab the reference of mddev2 while holding the lock, to prevent from being freed. This problem can be fixed the same way, however, the code will be complex. Hence switch to use list_for_each_entry, in this case mddev_put() can free the mddev1 and it's not safe as well. Refer to md_seq_show(), also factor out a helper mddev_put_locked() to fix this problem.