CVE-2026-93252

ocfs2: fix circular locking dependency in ocfs2_init_acl()

State
Published
Severity
Not scored
Published
Sep 24, 2026
Updated
Oct 19, 2026
Reserved
Sep 17, 2026

Read the record on cve.org

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

ocfs2: fix circular locking dependency in ocfs2_init_acl()

A lockdep warning indicates a circular locking dependency between `&oi->ip_xattr_sem` and `&journal->j_trans_barrier`:

WARNING: possible circular locking dependency detected is trying to acquire lock: (&oi->ip_xattr_sem){++++}-{4:4}, at: ocfs2_init_acl+0x2fd/0x7e0 fs/ocfs2/acl.c:367

but task is already holding lock: (&journal->j_trans_barrier){.+.+}-{4:4}, at: ocfs2_start_trans+0x3ab/0x700 fs/ocfs2/journal.c:369

The deadlock involves two code paths: Path 1 (setxattr) where `ocfs2_xattr_set()` acquires `ip_xattr_sem` (write) and then starts a transaction, which acquires `j_trans_barrier` (read); and Path 2 (mkdir/mknod) where `ocfs2_mknod()` starts a transaction (`j_trans_barrier` read) and then calls `ocfs2_init_acl()`, which attempts to acquire `ip_xattr_sem` (read) on the parent directory to retrieve the default ACL.

Because rw_semaphores are subject to writer priority, a pending writer on `j_trans_barrier` (e.g., the journal commit thread) can cause Path 1 to block, while Path 2 is blocked waiting for Path 1 to release `ip_xattr_sem`.

The patch fixes the lock ordering by precomputing the ACL state before starting the OCFS2 transaction, while preserving POSIX ACL storage semantics and the existing inode/security initialization order. By reading the parent directory's default ACL and preparing the new inode's ACLs outside the transaction, `ip_xattr_sem` is always acquired before `j_trans_barrier`.

`struct ocfs2_acl_state` encapsulates the prepared ACL state, while `ocfs2_acl_init_prepare()` and `ocfs2_acl_init_release()` avoid code duplication between `ocfs2_mknod()` and `ocfs2_init_security_and_acl()`. `ocfs2_calc_xattr_init()` and `ocfs2_init_acl()` use this precomputed state, removing internal `ip_xattr_sem` acquisition and redundant disk reads.

Additionally, remove the `ip_xattr_sem` acquisition from `ocfs2_xattr_set_handle()`. This function is only used while initializing a new inode that has not yet been inserted into the inode hash or attached to a dentry, meaning there is no risk of concurrent access and the lock is unnecessary.

Scores

The record has no CVSS score.

Weaknesses

The record names no weakness.

Affected Products

ProductVersions
LinuxLinux
  • 16c8d569f5704a84164f30ff01b29879f3438065 to before 4936d4464d1ae10b5fbba64374085a0dcc060560Affected
  • 16c8d569f5704a84164f30ff01b29879f3438065 to before caf3056936fb8b5ce92e419cf8b246ce9c437343Affected
  • 16c8d569f5704a84164f30ff01b29879f3438065 to before 5b7b3c50c39ad0dc27e7418981e01c4183273f89Affected
  • 16c8d569f5704a84164f30ff01b29879f3438065 to before 8d88f52fbbbcc18adf4091a955511d0cf605bf11Affected
  • 16c8d569f5704a84164f30ff01b29879f3438065 to before 8931403ee3dcfe8a24a5267efec9d9460ab7a1b5Affected
  • 16c8d569f5704a84164f30ff01b29879f3438065 to before f8747d81aa6d3efe3ee339a9d912ff3ca6e4d758Affected
  • 16c8d569f5704a84164f30ff01b29879f3438065 to before 1222f7a3183b35c0c566899fdaead5c7c4043076Affected
  • 16c8d569f5704a84164f30ff01b29879f3438065 to before bd7c05fb4a4776dff5a87b19008d28458647d15dAffected
  • 15ac59a84750b3afc0a2b6f2636c4f7e6cbd6d5eAffected
  • b35bb8a41795caa05e09c3aacf7d78f1f20bac04Affected
  • 1d5fdc1307eeb04b334c5dc23e11dbd6068d90ebAffected
  • a66174eb4a149b7919d174d9a7ce6ad9909c5ee2Affected
  • 3.18.111 to before 3.19Affected
  • 4.4.134 to before 4.5Affected
  • 4.9.104 to before 4.10Affected
  • 4.14.37 to before 4.15Affected
LinuxLinux
  • 4.16Affected
  • before 4.16Not affected
  • 5.10.270 through 5.10.*Not affected
  • 5.15.221 through 5.15.*Not affected
  • 6.1.188 through 6.1.*Not affected
  • 6.6.157 through 6.6.*Not affected
  • 6.12.110 through 6.12.*Not affected
  • 6.18.52 through 6.18.*Not affected
  • 7.2.6 through 7.2.*Not affected
  • 7.3 and laterNot affected

References

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