Bug 2492763 (CVE-2026-53197)

Summary: CVE-2026-53197 kernel: xfrm: iptfs: fix ABBA deadlock in iptfs_destroy_state()
Product: [Other] Security Response Reporter: OSIDB Bzimport <bzimport>
Component: vulnerabilityAssignee: Product Security <prodsec-ir-bot>
Status: NEW --- QA Contact:
Severity: medium Docs Contact:
Priority: medium    
Version: unspecifiedCC: rhel-process-autobot, watson-tool-maintainers
Target Milestone: ---Keywords: Security
Target Release: ---   
Hardware: All   
OS: Linux   
Whiteboard:
Fixed In Version: Doc Type: ---
Doc Text:
A flaw was found in the `iptfs` module of the Linux kernel. This issue, an ABBA deadlock, occurs when `iptfs_destroy_state()` attempts to cancel a timer while holding a spinlock that the timer's callback also tries to acquire. This circular dependency can cause the system to become unresponsive, leading to a denial of service (DoS).
Story Points: ---
Clone Of: Environment:
Last Closed: Type: ---
Regression: --- Mount Type: ---
Documentation: --- CRM:
Verified Versions: Category: ---
oVirt Team: --- RHEL 7.3 requirements from Atomic Host:
Cloudforms Team: --- Target Upstream Version:
Embargoed:

Description OSIDB Bzimport 2026-06-25 10:04:27 UTC
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

xfrm: iptfs: fix ABBA deadlock in iptfs_destroy_state()

iptfs_destroy_state() calls hrtimer_cancel() while holding a spinlock
that the timer callback also acquires, leading to an ABBA deadlock on
SMP systems.

For the output timer (iptfs_timer):
  - iptfs_destroy_state() holds x->lock, calls hrtimer_cancel()
  - iptfs_delay_timer() callback takes x->lock

For the drop timer (drop_timer):
  - iptfs_destroy_state() holds drop_lock, calls hrtimer_cancel()
  - iptfs_drop_timer() callback takes drop_lock

Both timers use HRTIMER_MODE_REL_SOFT, so their callbacks run in softirq
context.  When hrtimer_cancel() is called for a soft timer that is
currently executing on another CPU, hrtimer_cancel_wait_running() spins
on softirq_expiry_lock -- the same lock held by the softirq running the
callback.  If the callback is blocked waiting for the spinlock held by
the caller of hrtimer_cancel(), a circular dependency forms:

  CPU 0: holds lock_A -> waits for softirq_expiry_lock
  CPU 1: holds softirq_expiry_lock -> waits for lock_A

Fix by calling hrtimer_cancel() before acquiring the respective locks.
hrtimer_cancel() is safe to call without holding any lock and will wait
for any in-progress callback to complete.  For the output timer, the
lock is still acquired afterwards to drain the packet queue.  For the
drop timer, the lock/unlock pair is removed entirely since it only
existed to serialize with the timer callback, which hrtimer_cancel()
already guarantees.

Found by source code audit.