[PATCH v2] libio: validate the wide vtable via a bounds-checked index

Alessandro Schino <[email protected]>
Newsgroups gmane.comp.lib.glibc.alpha
Message-ID <[email protected]>
Calls dispatched through _IO_wide_data._wide_vtable (the WJUMP* macros)
were not validated, unlike the narrow vtable which goes through
IO_validate_vtable.  This asymmetry is the primitive used by the FSOP
family known publicly as "House of Apple 2" / angry-FSROP: point the
checked narrow vtable at _IO_wfile_jumps to pass the existing check,
then hide a forged function pointer in the unchecked wide vtable,
reached via _IO_wfile_overflow -> _IO_wdoallocbuf -> _IO_WDOALLOCATE.

Following Florian Weimer's suggestion, store the index of the wide jump
table into __io_vtables rather than a raw pointer, and bounds-check the
index on use.  The field is internal, so there is no ABI compatibility
concern.  An attacker who overwrites _wide_vtable_index can only select
a value that is either in range (a legitimate table) or out of range
(rejected by WIO_validate_index).  This is simpler than pointer
mangling: no pointer guard dependency, and the standard streams can be
statically initialized with the constant index IO_WFILE_JUMPS, so no
startup fix-up is needed.

The two spots that copy the wide vtable into the narrow vtable slot
resolve and bounds-check the index first.

Add tst-wide-vtable-check to verify that an out-of-range wide vtable
index aborts the process and that legitimate wide I/O is unaffected.

Signed-off-by: Alessandro Schino <[email protected]>
---
Changes in v2 (following Florian Weimer's review):
 - Store the __io_vtables index instead of a mangled pointer, and
   bounds-check it on dispatch (WIO_validate_index).
 - Rename the _IO_wide_data field to _wide_vtable_index (unsigned int).
   It is internal, so there is no ABI concern.
 - Drop pointer mangling entirely: no pointer-guard dependency and no
   startup fix-up.  The standard streams are statically initialized
   with the constant index IO_WFILE_JUMPS.
 - elf/libc_early_init.c no longer needs any change.

 libio/Makefile                |   2 +-
 libio/fileops.c               |  12 ++--
 libio/freopen.c               |   2 +-
 libio/freopen64.c             |   2 +-
 libio/genops.c                |   2 +-
 libio/iofopen.c               |   2 +-
 libio/iofwide.c               |   2 +-
 libio/libio.h                 |   9 ++-
 libio/libioP.h                |  48 +++++++++++++-
 libio/stdfiles.c              |   4 +-
 libio/tst-wide-vtable-check.c | 117 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 11 files changed, 184 insertions(+), 18 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 libio/tst-wide-vtable-check.c

diff --git a/libio/Makefile b/libio/Makefile
index 616107ee10..c2ed504586 100644
--- a/libio/Makefile
+++ b/libio/Makefile
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ $(objpfx)tst-popen-fork: $(shared-thread-library)
 
 $(objpfx)tst-file-init-race: $(shared-thread-library)
 
-tests-internal = tst-vtables tst-vtables-interposed
+tests-internal = tst-vtables tst-vtables-interposed tst-wide-vtable-check
 
 ifeq (yes,$(build-shared))
 # Add test-fopenloc only if shared library is enabled since it depends on
diff --git a/libio/fileops.c b/libio/fileops.c
index 9348d7c3a1..7387449381 100644
--- a/libio/fileops.c
+++ b/libio/fileops.c
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ _IO_new_file_fopen (FILE *fp, const char *filename, const char *mode,
 	  cc->__cd_out.step_data.__statep = &result->_wide_data->_IO_state;
 
 	  /* From now on use the wide character callback functions.  */
-	  _IO_JUMPS_FILE_plus (fp) = fp->_wide_data->_wide_vtable;
+	  _IO_JUMPS_FILE_plus (fp) = WIO_validate_index (fp->_wide_data->_wide_vtable_index);
 
 	  /* Set the mode now.  */
 	  result->_mode = 1;
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ _IO_file_setbuf_mmap (FILE *fp, char *p, ssize_t len)
 
   /* Change the function table.  */
   _IO_JUMPS_FILE_plus (fp) = &_IO_file_jumps;
-  fp->_wide_data->_wide_vtable = &_IO_wfile_jumps;
+  _IO_WIDE_JUMPS_FUNC_UPDATE (fp, &_IO_wfile_jumps);
 
   /* And perform the normal operation.  */
   result = _IO_new_file_setbuf (fp, p, len);
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ _IO_file_setbuf_mmap (FILE *fp, char *p, ssize_t len)
   if (result == NULL)
     {
       _IO_JUMPS_FILE_plus (fp) = &_IO_file_jumps_mmap;
-      fp->_wide_data->_wide_vtable = &_IO_wfile_jumps_mmap;
+      _IO_WIDE_JUMPS_FUNC_UPDATE (fp, &_IO_wfile_jumps_mmap);
     }
 
   return result;
@@ -681,7 +681,7 @@ mmap_remap_check (FILE *fp)
 	_IO_JUMPS_FILE_plus (fp) = &_IO_file_jumps;
       else
 	_IO_JUMPS_FILE_plus (fp) = &_IO_wfile_jumps;
-      fp->_wide_data->_wide_vtable = &_IO_wfile_jumps;
+      _IO_WIDE_JUMPS_FUNC_UPDATE (fp, &_IO_wfile_jumps);
 
       return 1;
     }
@@ -751,7 +751,7 @@ decide_maybe_mmap (FILE *fp)
 		_IO_JUMPS_FILE_plus (fp) = &_IO_file_jumps_mmap;
 	      else
 		_IO_JUMPS_FILE_plus (fp) = &_IO_wfile_jumps_mmap;
-	      fp->_wide_data->_wide_vtable = &_IO_wfile_jumps_mmap;
+	      _IO_WIDE_JUMPS_FUNC_UPDATE (fp, &_IO_wfile_jumps_mmap);
 
 	      return;
 	    }
@@ -764,7 +764,7 @@ decide_maybe_mmap (FILE *fp)
     _IO_JUMPS_FILE_plus (fp) = &_IO_file_jumps;
   else
     _IO_JUMPS_FILE_plus (fp) = &_IO_wfile_jumps;
-  fp->_wide_data->_wide_vtable = &_IO_wfile_jumps;
+  _IO_WIDE_JUMPS_FUNC_UPDATE (fp, &_IO_wfile_jumps);
 }
 
 int
diff --git a/libio/freopen.c b/libio/freopen.c
index c3047facd4..c851dc430b 100644
--- a/libio/freopen.c
+++ b/libio/freopen.c
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ freopen (const char *filename, const char *mode, FILE *fp)
       _IO_file_close_maybe_unlink (fp, false);
       _IO_JUMPS_FILE_plus (fp) = &_IO_file_jumps;
       if (_IO_vtable_offset (fp) == 0 && fp->_wide_data != NULL)
-	fp->_wide_data->_wide_vtable = &_IO_wfile_jumps;
+	_IO_WIDE_JUMPS_FUNC_UPDATE (fp, &_IO_wfile_jumps);
       fp->_flags2 &= ~(_IO_FLAGS2_MMAP
 		       | _IO_FLAGS2_NOTCANCEL
 		       | _IO_FLAGS2_CLOEXEC);
diff --git a/libio/freopen64.c b/libio/freopen64.c
index c499a8375c..8613dc0f05 100644
--- a/libio/freopen64.c
+++ b/libio/freopen64.c
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ freopen64 (const char *filename, const char *mode, FILE *fp)
   _IO_file_close_maybe_unlink (fp, false);
   _IO_JUMPS_FILE_plus (fp) = &_IO_file_jumps;
   if (_IO_vtable_offset (fp) == 0 && fp->_wide_data != NULL)
-    fp->_wide_data->_wide_vtable = &_IO_wfile_jumps;
+    _IO_WIDE_JUMPS_FUNC_UPDATE (fp, &_IO_wfile_jumps);
   fp->_flags2 &= ~(_IO_FLAGS2_MMAP
 		   | _IO_FLAGS2_NOTCANCEL
 		   | _IO_FLAGS2_CLOEXEC);
diff --git a/libio/genops.c b/libio/genops.c
index 90e08e6571..1021032d44 100644
--- a/libio/genops.c
+++ b/libio/genops.c
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ _IO_no_init (FILE *fp, int flags, int orientation,
       fp->_wide_data->_IO_backup_base = NULL;
       fp->_wide_data->_IO_save_end = NULL;
 
-      fp->_wide_data->_wide_vtable = jmp;
+      _IO_WIDE_JUMPS_FUNC_UPDATE (fp, jmp);
     }
   else
     /* Cause predictable crash when a wide function is called on a byte
diff --git a/libio/iofopen.c b/libio/iofopen.c
index 516aee70bd..7ac65872b1 100644
--- a/libio/iofopen.c
+++ b/libio/iofopen.c
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ __fopen_maybe_mmap (FILE *fp)
 	_IO_JUMPS_FILE_plus (fp) = &_IO_file_jumps_maybe_mmap;
       else
 	_IO_JUMPS_FILE_plus (fp) = &_IO_wfile_jumps_maybe_mmap;
-      fp->_wide_data->_wide_vtable = &_IO_wfile_jumps_maybe_mmap;
+      _IO_WIDE_JUMPS_FUNC_UPDATE (fp, &_IO_wfile_jumps_maybe_mmap);
     }
 #endif
   return fp;
diff --git a/libio/iofwide.c b/libio/iofwide.c
index d016aa33ea..759fe94ac3 100644
--- a/libio/iofwide.c
+++ b/libio/iofwide.c
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ _IO_fwide (FILE *fp, int mode)
       }
 
       /* From now on use the wide character callback functions.  */
-      _IO_JUMPS_FILE_plus (fp) = fp->_wide_data->_wide_vtable;
+      _IO_JUMPS_FILE_plus (fp) = WIO_validate_index (fp->_wide_data->_wide_vtable_index);
     }
 
   /* Set the mode now.  */
diff --git a/libio/libio.h b/libio/libio.h
index 6cbaf29f19..87d0b6cc1c 100644
--- a/libio/libio.h
+++ b/libio/libio.h
@@ -145,7 +145,14 @@ struct _IO_wide_data
 
   wchar_t _shortbuf[1];
 
-  const struct _IO_jump_t *_wide_vtable;
+  /* Index into __io_vtables identifying the wide jump table, instead of
+     a raw pointer.  Storing an index and bounds-checking it on use (see
+     _IO_WIDE_JUMPS_FUNC in libioP.h) prevents an attacker who can
+     overwrite this field from redirecting wide I/O to an arbitrary
+     address (the "House of Apple 2" / FSROP primitive), since the wide
+     vtable dispatch was previously unchecked.  This field is internal
+     and not part of the ABI.  */
+  unsigned int _wide_vtable_index;
 };
 
 struct _IO_FILE_plus;
diff --git a/libio/libioP.h b/libio/libioP.h
index 78e8ee6835..a189fef270 100644
--- a/libio/libioP.h
+++ b/libio/libioP.h
@@ -100,8 +100,9 @@
 #define _IO_JUMPS(THIS) (THIS)->vtable
 #define _IO_JUMPS_FILE_plus(THIS) \
   _IO_CAST_FIELD_ACCESS ((THIS), struct _IO_FILE_plus, vtable)
-#define _IO_WIDE_JUMPS(THIS) \
-  _IO_CAST_FIELD_ACCESS ((THIS), struct _IO_FILE, _wide_data)->_wide_vtable
+/* Raw accessor for the stored wide vtable index.  */
+#define _IO_WIDE_JUMPS_INDEX(THIS) \
+  (_IO_CAST_FIELD_ACCESS ((THIS), struct _IO_FILE, _wide_data)->_wide_vtable_index)
 #define _IO_CHECK_WIDE(THIS) \
   (_IO_CAST_FIELD_ACCESS ((THIS), struct _IO_FILE, _wide_data) != NULL)
 
@@ -120,7 +121,13 @@
   (_IO_JUMPS_FILE_plus (THIS) = (VTABLE))
 # define _IO_vtable_offset(THIS) 0
 #endif
-#define _IO_WIDE_JUMPS_FUNC(THIS) _IO_WIDE_JUMPS(THIS)
+/* Look up the wide vtable by its stored index, bounds-checked.  */
+#define _IO_WIDE_JUMPS_FUNC(THIS) \
+  (WIO_validate_index (_IO_WIDE_JUMPS_INDEX (THIS)))
+/* Store the index of VTABLE (a pointer into __io_vtables) into the wide
+   vtable slot.  Replaces every direct "_wide_vtable = ..." assignment.  */
+#define _IO_WIDE_JUMPS_FUNC_UPDATE(THIS, VTABLE) \
+  (_IO_WIDE_JUMPS_INDEX (THIS) = WIO_vtable_to_index (VTABLE))
 #define JUMP_FIELD(TYPE, NAME) TYPE NAME
 #define JUMP0(FUNC, THIS) (_IO_JUMPS_FUNC(THIS)->FUNC) (THIS)
 #define JUMP1(FUNC, THIS, X1) (_IO_JUMPS_FUNC(THIS)->FUNC) (THIS, X1)
@@ -1050,6 +1057,41 @@ IO_validate_vtable (const struct _IO_jump_t *vtable)
   return vtable;
 }
 
+#if IS_IN (libc)
+/* Wide vtable hardening.
+
+   The wide jump table reached through the WJUMP* macros is identified by
+   an index into __io_vtables (stored in _IO_wide_data._wide_vtable_index)
+   rather than by a raw pointer.  On use the index is bounds-checked and
+   resolved to &__io_vtables[index].  An attacker who overwrites the field
+   can only select a value that is either in range (a legitimate table) or
+   out of range (rejected).  This closes the House of Apple 2 / FSROP
+   primitive, where the wide vtable dispatch was previously unchecked.  */
+
+/* Resolve a stored wide vtable index to its jump table, bounds-checked.  */
+static inline const struct _IO_jump_t *
+WIO_validate_index (unsigned int index)
+{
+  if (__glibc_unlikely (index >= IO_VTABLES_NUM))
+    _IO_vtable_check ();
+  return &__io_vtables[index];
+}
+
+/* Convert a wide vtable pointer (which must point at the start of a table
+   inside __io_vtables) to its index for storage.  */
+static inline unsigned int
+WIO_vtable_to_index (const struct _IO_jump_t *vtable)
+{
+  uintptr_t offset = (uintptr_t) vtable - (uintptr_t) &__io_vtables;
+  /* The pointer must be aligned to the start of a jump table and lie
+     within the section; otherwise the stored index would be bogus.  */
+  if (__glibc_unlikely (offset >= IO_VTABLES_LEN
+			|| offset % sizeof (struct _IO_jump_t) != 0))
+    _IO_vtable_check ();
+  return offset / sizeof (struct _IO_jump_t);
+}
+#endif /* IS_IN (libc) */
+
 /* In case of an allocation failure, we resort to using the fixed buffer
    _SHORT_BACKUPBUF.  Free PTR unless it points to that buffer.  */
 static __always_inline void
diff --git a/libio/stdfiles.c b/libio/stdfiles.c
index 734865dd71..272efb187e 100644
--- a/libio/stdfiles.c
+++ b/libio/stdfiles.c
@@ -36,14 +36,14 @@
 # define DEF_STDFILE(NAME, FD, CHAIN, FLAGS) \
   static _IO_lock_t _IO_stdfile_##FD##_lock = _IO_lock_initializer; \
   static struct _IO_wide_data _IO_wide_data_##FD \
-    = { ._wide_vtable = &_IO_wfile_jumps }; \
+    = { ._wide_vtable_index = IO_WFILE_JUMPS }; \
   struct _IO_FILE_plus NAME \
     = {FILEBUF_LITERAL(CHAIN, FLAGS, FD, &_IO_wide_data_##FD), \
        &_IO_file_jumps};
 #else
 # define DEF_STDFILE(NAME, FD, CHAIN, FLAGS) \
   static struct _IO_wide_data _IO_wide_data_##FD \
-    = { ._wide_vtable = &_IO_wfile_jumps }; \
+    = { ._wide_vtable_index = IO_WFILE_JUMPS }; \
   struct _IO_FILE_plus NAME \
     = {FILEBUF_LITERAL(CHAIN, FLAGS, FD, &_IO_wide_data_##FD), \
        &_IO_file_jumps};
diff --git a/libio/tst-wide-vtable-check.c b/libio/tst-wide-vtable-check.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ebee302a96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libio/tst-wide-vtable-check.c
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+/* Test that a corrupted wide vtable index (_IO_wide_data._wide_vtable_index)
+   is detected and the process is terminated.  This exercises the hardening
+   that closes the House of Apple 2 / FSROP primitive, where the wide vtable
+   dispatch was previously unchecked.
+   Copyright (C) 2026 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+   This file is part of the GNU C Library.
+
+   The GNU C Library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+   modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+   License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+   version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+   The GNU C Library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+   Lesser General Public License for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+   License along with the GNU C Library; if not, see
+   <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.  */
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <wchar.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <signal.h>
+
+#include <libioP.h>
+#include <support/capture_subprocess.h>
+#include <support/check.h>
+#include <support/support.h>
+
+/* The fatal message printed by _IO_vtable_check on detection.  */
+static const char expected_message[]
+  = "Fatal error: glibc detected an invalid stdio handle\n";
+
+/* Open a wide-oriented stream backed by a temporary file and return it.
+   The stream is oriented wide so that subsequent wide operations follow
+   the wide vtable dispatch path.  */
+static FILE *
+open_wide_stream (void)
+{
+  FILE *fp = tmpfile ();
+  TEST_VERIFY_EXIT (fp != NULL);
+  /* Orient the stream towards wide characters.  */
+  TEST_VERIFY_EXIT (fwide (fp, 1) > 0);
+  return fp;
+}
+
+/* Callback: overwrite the wide vtable index with an out-of-range value
+   (as an attacker who can write the field would) and trigger a wide
+   operation.  The bounds check in WIO_validate_index rejects it and the
+   dispatch aborts.  */
+static void
+corrupt_out_of_range (void *closure)
+{
+  FILE *fp = open_wide_stream ();
+  fp->_wide_data->_wide_vtable_index = IO_VTABLES_NUM + 100;
+  /* Force buffer allocation, which dispatches through the wide vtable
+     (_IO_WDOALLOCATE and friends).  */
+  fputwc (L'x', fp);
+  /* Should not be reached.  */
+  fclose (fp);
+}
+
+/* Callback: a large index, as would result from an attacker overwriting
+   the field with a pointer-sized garbage value truncated into the
+   index.  Also out of range, so rejected.  */
+static void
+corrupt_huge_index (void *closure)
+{
+  FILE *fp = open_wide_stream ();
+  fp->_wide_data->_wide_vtable_index = 0x41414141;
+  fputwc (L'y', fp);
+  fclose (fp);
+}
+
+/* Run CALLBACK in a subprocess and require that it terminates with
+   SIGABRT and prints the fatal stdio message.  */
+static void
+expect_termination (const char *name, void (*callback) (void *))
+{
+  struct support_capture_subprocess proc
+    = support_capture_subprocess (callback, NULL);
+  support_capture_subprocess_check (&proc, name, -SIGABRT, sc_allow_stderr);
+  TEST_COMPARE_BLOB (proc.err.buffer, proc.err.length,
+                     expected_message, strlen (expected_message));
+  support_capture_subprocess_free (&proc);
+}
+
+/* Sanity check: an untampered wide stream works and does not abort.  */
+static void
+legitimate_stream (void *closure)
+{
+  FILE *fp = open_wide_stream ();
+  TEST_VERIFY (fputwc (L'z', fp) == L'z');
+  TEST_VERIFY (fclose (fp) == 0);
+}
+
+static int
+do_test (void)
+{
+  /* The legitimate case must run to completion (exit status 0).  */
+  {
+    struct support_capture_subprocess proc
+      = support_capture_subprocess (legitimate_stream, NULL);
+    support_capture_subprocess_check (&proc, "legitimate", 0, sc_allow_stderr);
+    support_capture_subprocess_free (&proc);
+  }
+
+  /* Corruptions must be detected and abort the process.  */
+  expect_termination ("out-of-range", corrupt_out_of_range);
+  expect_termination ("huge-index", corrupt_huge_index);
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+#include <support/test-driver.c>
-- 
2.55.0
lmpx.com only provides a reader for public news (NNTP) servers. It is not affiliated with the servers or forums shown here and is not responsible for the content of articles, which is written by their respective authors.