# Re: \[PATCH v2 3/6\] powerpc/xive: fix use-after-free of xive\_ipis

- From: Cédric Le Goater \<clg@kaod.org\>
- Date: 2026-07-26 16:57:26 
- List: linuxppc-dev
- Page: https://ratatoskr.run/linuxppc-dev/2026/07/17320834
- Thread: https://ratatoskr.run/linuxppc-dev/2026/07/17312811/t.md

```text
On 7/24/26 04:28, Gou Hao wrote:
> When irq_domain_alloc_irqs() fails in xive_init_ipis(), the error
> path frees the global xive_ipis array via kfree().  However,
> xive_smp_probe() ignores the error return and proceeds to call
> xive_setup_cpu_ipi(), which dereferences the already-freed xive_ipis
> pointer, resulting in a use-after-free.
>
> Propagate the error from xive_init_ipis() through xive_smp_probe()
> and check it in both pnv_smp_probe() and pSeries_smp_probe() so that
> IPI setup is aborted cleanly on failure.
>
> Fixes: 7dcc37b3eff9 ("powerpc/xive: Map one IPI interrupt per node")
> Signed-off-by: Gou Hao <redacted>
> Reviewed-by: Wentao Guan <redacted>
> Reviewed-by: jiazhenyuan <redacted>
> ---
>   arch/powerpc/platforms/powernv/smp.c | 8 +++++---
>   arch/powerpc/platforms/pseries/smp.c | 8 +++++---
>   arch/powerpc/sysdev/xive/common.c    | 6 +++++-
>   3 files changed, 15 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/arch/powerpc/platforms/powernv/smp.c b/arch/powerpc/platforms/powernv/smp.c
> index 8f41ef364fc6f..b1201dbafcaf6 100644
> --- a/arch/powerpc/platforms/powernv/smp.c
> +++ b/arch/powerpc/platforms/powernv/smp.c
> @@ -332,10 +332,12 @@ static void pnv_cause_ipi(int cpu)
>   
>   static void __init pnv_smp_probe(void)
>   {
> -	if (xive_enabled())
> -		xive_smp_probe();
> -	else
> +	if (xive_enabled()) {
> +		if (xive_smp_probe() < 0)
> +			return;
> +	} else {
>   		xics_smp_probe();
> +	}
>   
>   	if (cpu_has_feature(CPU_FTR_DBELL)) {
>   		ic_cause_ipi = smp_ops->cause_ipi;
> diff --git a/arch/powerpc/platforms/pseries/smp.c b/arch/powerpc/platforms/pseries/smp.c
> index db99725e752bd..14cd0634eeca8 100644
> --- a/arch/powerpc/platforms/pseries/smp.c
> +++ b/arch/powerpc/platforms/pseries/smp.c
> @@ -194,10 +194,12 @@ static int pseries_cause_nmi_ipi(int cpu)
>   
>   static __init void pSeries_smp_probe(void)
>   {
> -	if (xive_enabled())
> -		xive_smp_probe();
> -	else
> +	if (xive_enabled()) {
> +		if (xive_smp_probe() < 0)
> +			return;
> +	} else {
>   		xics_smp_probe();
> +	}
>   
>   	/* No doorbell facility, must use the interrupt controller for IPIs */
>   	if (!cpu_has_feature(CPU_FTR_DBELL))
> diff --git a/arch/powerpc/sysdev/xive/common.c b/arch/powerpc/sysdev/xive/common.c
> index f9a1229cede73..bb6ce07c1699e 100644
> --- a/arch/powerpc/sysdev/xive/common.c
> +++ b/arch/powerpc/sysdev/xive/common.c
> @@ -1256,10 +1256,14 @@ noinstr static void xive_cleanup_cpu_ipi(unsigned int cpu, struct xive_cpu *xc)
>   
>   int __init xive_smp_probe(void)
>   {
> +	int ret;
> +
>   	smp_ops->cause_ipi = xive_cause_ipi;
>   
>   	/* Register the IPI */
> -	xive_init_ipis();
> +	ret = xive_init_ipis();
> +	if (ret < 0)
> +		return ret;

the cause_ipi handler assignment should be moved when we know
IPIs have been allocated. Here :

   smp_ops->cause_ipi = xive_cause_ipi;


>   
>   	/* Allocate and setup IPI for the boot CPU */
>   	xive_setup_cpu_ipi(smp_processor_id());


Thanks,

C.



```