Vulnerabilities > CVE-2024-53054 - Improper Locking vulnerability in Linux Kernel
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cgroup/bpf: use a dedicated workqueue for cgroup bpf destruction A hung_task problem shown below was found: INFO: task kworker/0:0:8 blocked for more than 327 seconds. "echo 0 > /proc/sys/kernel/hung_task_timeout_secs" disables this message. Workqueue: events cgroup_bpf_release Call Trace: <TASK> __schedule+0x5a2/0x2050 ? find_held_lock+0x33/0x100 ? wq_worker_sleeping+0x9e/0xe0 schedule+0x9f/0x180 schedule_preempt_disabled+0x25/0x50 __mutex_lock+0x512/0x740 ? cgroup_bpf_release+0x1e/0x4d0 ? cgroup_bpf_release+0xcf/0x4d0 ? process_scheduled_works+0x161/0x8a0 ? cgroup_bpf_release+0x1e/0x4d0 ? mutex_lock_nested+0x2b/0x40 ? __pfx_delay_tsc+0x10/0x10 mutex_lock_nested+0x2b/0x40 cgroup_bpf_release+0xcf/0x4d0 ? process_scheduled_works+0x161/0x8a0 ? trace_event_raw_event_workqueue_execute_start+0x64/0xd0 ? process_scheduled_works+0x161/0x8a0 process_scheduled_works+0x23a/0x8a0 worker_thread+0x231/0x5b0 ? __pfx_worker_thread+0x10/0x10 kthread+0x14d/0x1c0 ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10 ret_from_fork+0x59/0x70 ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10 ret_from_fork_asm+0x1b/0x30 </TASK> This issue can be reproduced by the following pressuse test: 1. A large number of cpuset cgroups are deleted. 2. Set cpu on and off repeatly. 3. Set watchdog_thresh repeatly. The scripts can be obtained at LINK mentioned above the signature. The reason for this issue is cgroup_mutex and cpu_hotplug_lock are acquired in different tasks, which may lead to deadlock. It can lead to a deadlock through the following steps: 1. A large number of cpusets are deleted asynchronously, which puts a large number of cgroup_bpf_release works into system_wq. The max_active of system_wq is WQ_DFL_ACTIVE(256). Consequently, all active works are cgroup_bpf_release works, and many cgroup_bpf_release works will be put into inactive queue. As illustrated in the diagram, there are 256 (in the acvtive queue) + n (in the inactive queue) works. 2. Setting watchdog_thresh will hold cpu_hotplug_lock.read and put smp_call_on_cpu work into system_wq. However step 1 has already filled system_wq, 'sscs.work' is put into inactive queue. 'sscs.work' has to wait until the works that were put into the inacvtive queue earlier have executed (n cgroup_bpf_release), so it will be blocked for a while. 3. Cpu offline requires cpu_hotplug_lock.write, which is blocked by step 2. 4. Cpusets that were deleted at step 1 put cgroup_release works into cgroup_destroy_wq. They are competing to get cgroup_mutex all the time. When cgroup_metux is acqured by work at css_killed_work_fn, it will call cpuset_css_offline, which needs to acqure cpu_hotplug_lock.read. However, cpuset_css_offline will be blocked for step 3. 5. At this moment, there are 256 works in active queue that are cgroup_bpf_release, they are attempting to acquire cgroup_mutex, and as a result, all of them are blocked. Consequently, sscs.work can not be executed. Ultimately, this situation leads to four processes being blocked, forming a deadlock. system_wq(step1) WatchDog(step2) cpu offline(step3) cgroup_destroy_wq(step4) ... 2000+ cgroups deleted asyn 256 actives + n inactives __lockup_detector_reconfigure P(cpu_hotplug_lock.read) put sscs.work into system_wq 256 + n + 1(sscs.work) sscs.work wait to be executed warting sscs.work finish percpu_down_write P(cpu_hotplug_lock.write) ...blocking... css_killed_work_fn P(cgroup_mutex) cpuset_css_offline P(cpu_hotplug_lock.read) ...blocking... 256 cgroup_bpf_release mutex_lock(&cgroup_mutex); ..blocking... To fix the problem, place cgroup_bpf_release works on a dedicated workqueue which can break the loop and solve the problem. System wqs are for misc things which shouldn't create a large number of concurrent work items. If something is going to generate > ---truncated---
Vulnerable Configurations
Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
- Leveraging Race Conditions This attack targets a race condition occurring when multiple processes access and manipulate the same resource concurrently and the outcome of the execution depends on the particular order in which the access takes place. The attacker can leverage a race condition by "running the race", modifying the resource and modifying the normal execution flow. For instance a race condition can occur while accessing a file, the attacker can trick the system by replacing the original file with his version and cause the system to read the malicious file.
- Leveraging Race Conditions via Symbolic Links This attack leverages the use of symbolic links (Symlinks) in order to write to sensitive files. An attacker can create a Symlink link to a target file not otherwise accessible to her. When the privileged program tries to create a temporary file with the same name as the Symlink link, it will actually write to the target file pointed to by the attackers' Symlink link. If the attacker can insert malicious content in the temporary file she will be writing to the sensitive file by using the Symlink. The race occurs because the system checks if the temporary file exists, then creates the file. The attacker would typically create the Symlink during the interval between the check and the creation of the temporary file.