CVE-2022-49441: tty: fix deadlock caused by calling printk() under tty_port->lock

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2022-49441 is a medium (CVSS 5.5) Improper Locking vulnerability in linux. EPSS estimates a 0.24% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 14.7% of scored vulnerabilities.

Timeline

1. 26-02-2025
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 23-05-2026
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tty: fix deadlock caused by calling printk() under tty_port->lock pty_write() invokes kmalloc() which may invoke a normal printk() to print failure message. This can cause a deadlock in the scenario reported by syz-bot below: CPU0 CPU1 CPU2 ---- ---- ---- lock(console_owner); lock(&port_lock_key); lock(&port->lock); lock(&port_lock_key); lock(&port->lock); lock(console_owner); As commit dbdda842fe96 ("printk: Add console owner and waiter logic to load balance console writes") said, such deadlock can be prevented by using printk_deferred() in kmalloc() (which is invoked in the section guarded by the port->lock). But there are too many printk() on the kmalloc() path, and kmalloc() can be called from anywhere, so changing printk() to printk_deferred() is too complicated and inelegant. Therefore, this patch chooses to specify __GFP_NOWARN to kmalloc(), so that printk() will not be called, and this deadlock problem can be avoided. Syzbot reported the following lockdep error: ====================================================== WARNING: possible circular locking dependency detected 5.4.143-00237-g08ccc19a-dirty #10 Not tainted ------------------------------------------------------ syz-executor.4/29420 is trying to acquire lock: ffffffff8aedb2a0 (console_owner){....}-{0:0}, at: console_trylock_spinning kernel/printk/printk.c:1752 [inline] ffffffff8aedb2a0 (console_owner){....}-{0:0}, at: vprintk_emit+0x2ca/0x470 kernel/printk/printk.c:2023 but task is already holding lock: ffff8880119c9158 (&port->lock){-.-.}-{2:2}, at: pty_write+0xf4/0x1f0 drivers/tty/pty.c:120 which lock already depends on the new lock. the existing dependency chain (in reverse order) is: -> #2 (&port->lock){-.-.}-{2:2}: __raw_spin_lock_irqsave include/linux/spinlock_api_smp.h:110 [inline] _raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x35/0x50 kernel/locking/spinlock.c:159 tty_port_tty_get drivers/tty/tty_port.c:288 [inline] <-- lock(&port->lock); tty_port_default_wakeup+0x1d/0xb0 drivers/tty/tty_port.c:47 serial8250_tx_chars+0x530/0xa80 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c:1767 serial8250_handle_irq.part.0+0x31f/0x3d0 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c:1854 serial8250_handle_irq drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c:1827 [inline] <-- lock(&port_lock_key); serial8250_default_handle_irq+0xb2/0x220 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c:1870 serial8250_interrupt+0xfd/0x200 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_core.c:126 __handle_irq_event_percpu+0x109/0xa50 kernel/irq/handle.c:156 [...] -> #1 (&port_lock_key){-.-.}-{2:2}: __raw_spin_lock_irqsave include/linux/spinlock_api_smp.h:110 [inline] _raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x35/0x50 kernel/locking/spinlock.c:159 serial8250_console_write+0x184/0xa40 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c:3198 <-- lock(&port_lock_key); call_console_drivers kernel/printk/printk.c:1819 [inline] console_unlock+0x8cb/0xd00 kernel/printk/printk.c:2504 vprintk_emit+0x1b5/0x470 kernel/printk/printk.c:2024 <-- lock(console_owner); vprintk_func+0x8d/0x250 kernel/printk/printk_safe.c:394 printk+0xba/0xed kernel/printk/printk.c:2084 register_console+0x8b3/0xc10 kernel/printk/printk.c:2829 univ8250_console_init+0x3a/0x46 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_core.c:681 console_init+0x49d/0x6d3 kernel/printk/printk.c:2915 start_kernel+0x5e9/0x879 init/main.c:713 secondary_startup_64+0xa4/0xb0 arch/x86/kernel/head_64.S:241 -> #0 (console_owner){....}-{0:0}: [...] lock_acquire+0x127/0x340 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:4734 console_trylock_spinning kernel/printk/printk.c:1773 ---truncated---

• CWE-667Improper LockingThe product does not properly acquire or release a lock on a resource, leading to unexpected resource state changes and behaviors.