Bug 2439941 (CVE-2026-23168)

Summary: CVE-2026-23168 kernel: flex_proportions: make fprop_new_period() hardirq safe
Product: [Other] Security Response Reporter: OSIDB Bzimport <bzimport>
Component: vulnerabilityAssignee: Product Security DevOps Team <prodsec-dev>
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Priority: medium    
Version: unspecifiedKeywords: Security
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OS: Linux   
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A deadlock vulnerability was found in the Linux kernel's flexible proportions (fprop) code used for I/O writeback accounting. When a hardirq interrupts the seqcount write section in fprop_new_period() during softirq context, a reader in the hardirq handler can spin indefinitely waiting for the odd sequence number to become even, causing a system hang.
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Description OSIDB Bzimport 2026-02-14 17:04:08 UTC
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

flex_proportions: make fprop_new_period() hardirq safe

Bernd has reported a lockdep splat from flexible proportions code that is
essentially complaining about the following race:

<timer fires>
run_timer_softirq - we are in softirq context
  call_timer_fn
    writeout_period
      fprop_new_period
        write_seqcount_begin(&p->sequence);

        <hardirq is raised>
        ...
        blk_mq_end_request()
	  blk_update_request()
	    ext4_end_bio()
	      folio_end_writeback()
		__wb_writeout_add()
		  __fprop_add_percpu_max()
		    if (unlikely(max_frac < FPROP_FRAC_BASE)) {
		      fprop_fraction_percpu()
			seq = read_seqcount_begin(&p->sequence);
			  - sees odd sequence so loops indefinitely

Note that a deadlock like this is only possible if the bdi has configured
maximum fraction of writeout throughput which is very rare in general but
frequent for example for FUSE bdis.  To fix this problem we have to make
sure write section of the sequence counter is irqsafe.