[PATCH net] wifi: ath9k: Fix potential spin_lock() before spin_lock_init()

Thomas Fourier <[email protected]> Tue, 4 Aug 2026 10:09:08 +0200
Newsgroups org.kernel.vger.linux-wireless,org.kernel.vger.linux-kernel
Message-ID <[email protected]>
The function ath9k_init_wmi() initializes wmi->wmi_lock. It is called in
ath9k_htc_probe_device(), and the priv->initialized flag is set.
However, the ath9k_wmi_event_tasklet takes the lock before checking the
priv->initialized flag, so the lock may not be initialized before
being taken.  This could be the case, for example, if the spin_lock_init()
is reordered with tasklet_setup() in ath9k_init_wmi() by the compiler or
CPU.

There is a write memory barrier before setting the priv->initialized,
but no corresponding read memory barrier is used after checking the
flag.

Move priv->initialized at the start of ath9k_wmi_event_tasklet() and
add a corresponding read memory barrier.

Fixes: 24355fcb0d4c ("wifi: ath9k: delay all of ath9k_wmi_event_tasklet() until init is complete")
Signed-off-by: Thomas Fourier <[email protected]>
---
 drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/wmi.c | 15 +++++++++------
 1 file changed, 9 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)

diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/wmi.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/wmi.c
index 284e8c13b043..df4a3a625536 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/wmi.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/wmi.c
@@ -146,6 +146,15 @@ void ath9k_wmi_event_tasklet(struct tasklet_struct *t)
 	unsigned long flags;
 	u16 cmd_id;
 
+	/* Check if ath9k_htc_probe_device() completed. */
+	if (!data_race(priv->initialized))
+		return;
+	/*
+	 * Make sure ath9k_htc_probe_device() initialization is
+	 * committed to memory before processing skb.
+	 */
+	smp_rmb();
+
 	do {
 		spin_lock_irqsave(&wmi->wmi_lock, flags);
 		skb = __skb_dequeue(&wmi->wmi_event_queue);
@@ -155,12 +164,6 @@ void ath9k_wmi_event_tasklet(struct tasklet_struct *t)
 		}
 		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&wmi->wmi_lock, flags);
 
-		/* Check if ath9k_htc_probe_device() completed. */
-		if (!data_race(priv->initialized)) {
-			kfree_skb(skb);
-			continue;
-		}
-
 		hdr = (struct wmi_cmd_hdr *) skb->data;
 		cmd_id = be16_to_cpu(hdr->command_id);
 		wmi_event = skb_pull(skb, sizeof(struct wmi_cmd_hdr));
-- 
2.43.0