[PATCH net] ipvs: fix races around est_mutex and est_cpulist

Julian Anastasov <[email protected]> Mon, 20 Apr 2026 20:13:08 +0300
Newsgroups org.kernel.vger.lvs-devel,org.kernel.vger.netfilter-devel
Message-ID <[email protected]>
Sashiko reports for races and possible crash around
the usage of est_cpulist_valid and sysctl_est_cpulist.
The problem is that we do not lock est_mutex in some
places which can lead to wrong write ordering and
as result problems when calling cpumask_weight()
and cpumask_empty().

Fix them by moving the est_max_threads read/write under
locked est_mutex. Do the same for one ip_vs_est_reload_start()
call to protect the cpumask_empty() usage of sysctl_est_cpulist.

Link: https://sashiko.dev/#/patchset/20260331165015.2777765-1-longman%40redhat.com
Fixes: f0be83d54217 ("ipvs: add est_cpulist and est_nice sysctl vars")
Signed-off-by: Julian Anastasov <[email protected]>
---

 Note that this patch complements v2 of patchset from 31-MAR-26
 "ipvs: Fix incorrect use of HK_TYPE_KTHREAD housekeeping cpumask"
 and can be applied before it to avoid the bad AI reviews:

 https://lore.kernel.org/all/[email protected]/

 net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_ctl.c |  5 +++++
 net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_est.c | 22 +++++++++++++++-------
 2 files changed, 20 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)

diff --git a/net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_ctl.c b/net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_ctl.c
index caec516856e9..8778e174ef56 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_ctl.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_ctl.c
@@ -1812,11 +1812,16 @@ ip_vs_add_service(struct netns_ipvs *ipvs, struct ip_vs_service_user_kern *u,
 	*svc_p = svc;
 
 	if (!READ_ONCE(ipvs->enable)) {
+		mutex_lock(&ipvs->est_mutex);
+
 		/* Now there is a service - full throttle */
 		WRITE_ONCE(ipvs->enable, 1);
 
+		ipvs->est_max_threads = ip_vs_est_max_threads(ipvs);
+
 		/* Start estimation for first time */
 		ip_vs_est_reload_start(ipvs);
+		mutex_unlock(&ipvs->est_mutex);
 	}
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_est.c b/net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_est.c
index 433ba3cab58c..6c9981d5611e 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_est.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_est.c
@@ -68,6 +68,10 @@
     and the limit of estimators per kthread
   - est_add_ktid: ktid where to add new ests, can point to empty slot where
     we should add kt data
+  - data protected by service_mutex: est_temp_list, est_add_ktid
+  - data protected by est_mutex: est_kt_count, est_kt_arr, est_max_threads,
+    sysctl_est_cpulist, est_cpulist_valid, sysctl_est_nice, est_stopped,
+    sysctl_run_estimation
  */
 
 static struct lock_class_key __ipvs_est_key;
@@ -229,6 +233,8 @@ static int ip_vs_estimation_kthread(void *data)
 /* Schedule stop/start for kthread tasks */
 void ip_vs_est_reload_start(struct netns_ipvs *ipvs)
 {
+	lockdep_assert_held(&ipvs->est_mutex);
+
 	/* Ignore reloads before first service is added */
 	if (!READ_ONCE(ipvs->enable))
 		return;
@@ -304,12 +310,17 @@ static int ip_vs_est_add_kthread(struct netns_ipvs *ipvs)
 	void *arr = NULL;
 	int i;
 
-	if ((unsigned long)ipvs->est_kt_count >= ipvs->est_max_threads &&
-	    READ_ONCE(ipvs->enable) && ipvs->est_max_threads)
-		return -EINVAL;
-
 	mutex_lock(&ipvs->est_mutex);
 
+	/* Allow kt 0 data to be created before the services are added
+	 * and limit the kthreads when services are present.
+	 */
+	if ((unsigned long)ipvs->est_kt_count >= ipvs->est_max_threads &&
+	    READ_ONCE(ipvs->enable) && ipvs->est_max_threads) {
+		ret = -EINVAL;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	for (i = 0; i < id; i++) {
 		if (!ipvs->est_kt_arr[i])
 			break;
@@ -485,9 +496,6 @@ int ip_vs_start_estimator(struct netns_ipvs *ipvs, struct ip_vs_stats *stats)
 	struct ip_vs_estimator *est = &stats->est;
 	int ret;
 
-	if (!ipvs->est_max_threads && READ_ONCE(ipvs->enable))
-		ipvs->est_max_threads = ip_vs_est_max_threads(ipvs);
-
 	est->ktid = -1;
 	est->ktrow = IPVS_EST_NTICKS - 1;	/* Initial delay */
 
-- 
2.53.0