[RFC PATCH] net: track raw dev_put()/dev_hold() usage under CONFIG_NET_DEV_REFCNT_TRACKER=y
From: Tetsuo Handa <penguin-kernel@I-love.SAKURA.ne.jp>
Date: 2026-07-25 12:56:43
Subsystem:
networking drivers, networking [general], networking [sockets], the rest, workqueue · Maintainers:
Andrew Lunn, "David S. Miller", Eric Dumazet, Jakub Kicinski, Paolo Abeni, Kuniyuki Iwashima, Willem de Bruijn, Linus Torvalds, Tejun Heo
syzbot is still reporting
unregister_netdevice: waiting for DEV to become free
problems. There is netdevice_tracker which helps identifying culprit
module, but one of barriers is that not all existing callers are using
netdevice_tracker and nobody is willing to convert existing callers to use
netdevice_tracker. Recently, AI system is acquiring ability to analyze
imbalance of raw dev_put()/dev_hold() usage (i.e. without converting to
netdevice_tracker), as long as we succeed to dump all dev_put()/dev_hold()
usage [1].
This patch introduces buffer for tracking raw dev_put()/dev_hold() usage.
This mechanism helped fixing 10 bugs using linux-next tree [2]. However,
since remaining bugs are no longer easily reproducible in linux-next tree,
I want to make this mechanism available in networking trees.
This patch also introduces NETDEV_DEBUG_UNREGISTER event which is fired
when "unregister_netdevice: waiting for DEV to become free" is emitted.
This event offers ability to execute custom debug code only when
NETDEV_UNREGISTER event is failing to drop refcount. The "#syz test"
command cannot be used without a reliable reproducer (and remaining bugs
are difficult to reproduce), but the ability to execute custom debug code
conpensates for lack of a reliable reproducer because it allows us to test
whether doing something after the kernel concluded that unregistration got
stuck makes differences. For example, commit 4efa91a28576 ("xfrm: always
flush state and policy upon NETDEV_UNREGISTER event") was made because
I succeeded to confirm that executing xfrm_dev_unregister() upon
NETDEV_DEBUG_UNREGISTER event made difference [3]. NETDEV_DEBUG_UNREGISTER
event has been also used for emitting debug messages and doing some actions
when debugging this problem in e.g. net/can/j1939 and drivers/infiniband
modules.
Since dumping all dev_put()/dev_hold() usage of a netdev which is stuck
at NETDEV_UNREGISTER event might emit 100+ call traces, it is important
to reduce amount of printk() messages in order to increase likeliness of
syzbot successfully capturing all dev_put()/dev_hold() usage. To reduce
amount of printk() messages, several functions are explicitly marked as
"noinline", and a filter function tries to reduce common part of traces.
Link: https://lkml.kernel.org/r/73ed3aa5-f6e1-47b6-9e5d-428ac1f4cbf3@I-love.SAKURA.ne.jp [1]
Link: https://syzkaller.appspot.com/bug?extid=881d65229ca4f9ae8c84 [2]
Link: https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/next/linux-next.git/commit?id=fc0f090e41e652d158f946c616cdd82baed3c8f4 [3]
Signed-off-by: Tetsuo Handa <penguin-kernel@I-love.SAKURA.ne.jp>
---
When I queried about this patch at
https://lkml.kernel.org/r/e0c7030b-261c-4ed1-b6b0-bf3b83a41d60@I-love.SAKURA.ne.jp ,
I received little interest/response and the conversation died immediately.
I hope we can continue conversation this time...
include/linux/netdevice.h | 15 +++
kernel/softirq.c | 4 +
kernel/workqueue.c | 4 +
net/core/dev.c | 187 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
net/core/lock_debug.c | 1 +
net/socket.c | 32 +++++--
6 files changed, 236 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)
diff --git a/include/linux/netdevice.h b/include/linux/netdevice.h
index 9981d637f8b5..987c3c87f14f 100644
--- a/include/linux/netdevice.h
+++ b/include/linux/netdevice.h@@ -2142,6 +2142,8 @@ enum netdev_reg_state { * * FIXME: cleanup struct net_device such that network protocol info * moves out. + * + * @netdev_trace_buffer_list: Linked list for debugging refcount leak. */ struct net_device {
@@ -2298,6 +2300,9 @@ struct net_device { #if IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_TLS_DEVICE) const struct tlsdev_ops *tlsdev_ops; #endif +#ifdef CONFIG_NET_DEV_REFCNT_TRACKER + struct list_head netdev_trace_buffer_list; +#endif unsigned int operstate; unsigned char link_mode;
@@ -3248,6 +3253,7 @@ enum netdev_cmd { NETDEV_OFFLOAD_XSTATS_REPORT_USED, NETDEV_OFFLOAD_XSTATS_REPORT_DELTA, NETDEV_XDP_FEAT_CHANGE, + NETDEV_DEBUG_UNREGISTER, }; const char *netdev_cmd_to_name(enum netdev_cmd cmd);
@@ -4469,9 +4475,15 @@ static inline bool dev_nit_active(const struct net_device *dev) void dev_queue_xmit_nit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev); +void save_netdev_trace_buffer(struct net_device *dev, int delta); +int trim_netdev_trace(unsigned long *entries, int nr_entries); + static inline void __dev_put(struct net_device *dev) { if (dev) { +#ifdef CONFIG_NET_DEV_REFCNT_TRACKER + save_netdev_trace_buffer(dev, -1); +#endif #ifdef CONFIG_PCPU_DEV_REFCNT this_cpu_dec(*dev->pcpu_refcnt); #else
@@ -4483,6 +4495,9 @@ static inline void __dev_put(struct net_device *dev) static inline void __dev_hold(struct net_device *dev) { if (dev) { +#ifdef CONFIG_NET_DEV_REFCNT_TRACKER + save_netdev_trace_buffer(dev, 1); +#endif #ifdef CONFIG_PCPU_DEV_REFCNT this_cpu_inc(*dev->pcpu_refcnt); #else
diff --git a/kernel/softirq.c b/kernel/softirq.c
index 4425d8dce44b..a3bd54de8259 100644
--- a/kernel/softirq.c
+++ b/kernel/softirq.c@@ -576,6 +576,10 @@ static inline bool lockdep_softirq_start(void) { return false; } static inline void lockdep_softirq_end(bool in_hardirq) { } #endif +#ifdef CONFIG_NET_DEV_REFCNT_TRACKER +static noinline void handle_softirqs(bool ksirqd); +#endif + static void handle_softirqs(bool ksirqd) { unsigned long end = jiffies + MAX_SOFTIRQ_TIME;
diff --git a/kernel/workqueue.c b/kernel/workqueue.c
index 78068ae8f28a..78f25afb4a9d 100644
--- a/kernel/workqueue.c
+++ b/kernel/workqueue.c@@ -3203,6 +3203,10 @@ static bool manage_workers(struct worker *worker) return true; } +#ifdef CONFIG_NET_DEV_REFCNT_TRACKER +static noinline void process_one_work(struct worker *worker, struct work_struct *work); +#endif + /** * process_one_work - process single work * @worker: self
diff --git a/net/core/dev.c b/net/core/dev.c
index 5933c5dab09e..d7e8cb7a3ef4 100644
--- a/net/core/dev.c
+++ b/net/core/dev.c@@ -1875,6 +1875,7 @@ const char *netdev_cmd_to_name(enum netdev_cmd cmd) N(PRE_CHANGEADDR) N(OFFLOAD_XSTATS_ENABLE) N(OFFLOAD_XSTATS_DISABLE) N(OFFLOAD_XSTATS_REPORT_USED) N(OFFLOAD_XSTATS_REPORT_DELTA) N(XDP_FEAT_CHANGE) + N(DEBUG_UNREGISTER) } #undef N return "UNKNOWN_NETDEV_EVENT";
@@ -11581,6 +11582,14 @@ int netdev_refcnt_read(const struct net_device *dev) } EXPORT_SYMBOL(netdev_refcnt_read); +#ifdef CONFIG_NET_DEV_REFCNT_TRACKER +static void dump_netdev_trace_buffer(const struct net_device *dev); +static void erase_netdev_trace_buffer(const struct net_device *dev); +#else +static inline void dump_netdev_trace_buffer(const struct net_device *dev) { } +static inline void erase_netdev_trace_buffer(const struct net_device *dev) { } +#endif + int netdev_unregister_timeout_secs __read_mostly = 10; #define WAIT_REFS_MIN_MSECS 1
@@ -11654,11 +11663,16 @@ static struct net_device *netdev_wait_allrefs_any(struct list_head *list) if (time_after(jiffies, warning_time + READ_ONCE(netdev_unregister_timeout_secs) * HZ)) { + rtnl_lock(); list_for_each_entry(dev, list, todo_list) { pr_emerg("unregister_netdevice: waiting for %s to become free. Usage count = %d\n", dev->name, netdev_refcnt_read(dev)); ref_tracker_dir_print(&dev->refcnt_tracker, 10); + call_netdevice_notifiers(NETDEV_DEBUG_UNREGISTER, dev); + dump_netdev_trace_buffer(dev); } + __rtnl_unlock(); + rcu_barrier(); warning_time = jiffies; }
@@ -12058,6 +12072,9 @@ struct net_device *alloc_netdev_mqs(int sizeof_priv, const char *name, dev->priv_len = sizeof_priv; +#ifdef CONFIG_NET_DEV_REFCNT_TRACKER + INIT_LIST_HEAD(&dev->netdev_trace_buffer_list); +#endif ref_tracker_dir_init(&dev->refcnt_tracker, 128, "netdev"); #ifdef CONFIG_PCPU_DEV_REFCNT dev->pcpu_refcnt = alloc_percpu(int);
@@ -12234,6 +12251,8 @@ void free_netdev(struct net_device *dev) mutex_destroy(&dev->lock); + erase_netdev_trace_buffer(dev); + /* Compatibility with error handling in drivers */ if (dev->reg_state == NETREG_UNINITIALIZED || dev->reg_state == NETREG_DUMMY) {
@@ -13338,3 +13357,171 @@ static int __init net_dev_init(void) } subsys_initcall(net_dev_init); + +#ifdef CONFIG_NET_DEV_REFCNT_TRACKER + +#define NETDEV_TRACE_BUFFER_SIZE 32768 +static struct netdev_trace_buffer { + struct list_head list; + int prev_count; + atomic_t count; + int nr_entries; + unsigned long entries[20]; +} netdev_trace_buffer[NETDEV_TRACE_BUFFER_SIZE]; +static LIST_HEAD(netdev_trace_buffer_list); +static DEFINE_SPINLOCK(netdev_trace_buffer_lock); +static bool netdev_trace_buffer_exhausted; + +static int netdev_trace_buffer_init(void) +{ + int i; + + for (i = 0; i < NETDEV_TRACE_BUFFER_SIZE; i++) + list_add_tail(&netdev_trace_buffer[i].list, &netdev_trace_buffer_list); + return 0; +} +pure_initcall(netdev_trace_buffer_init); + +static void dump_netdev_trace_buffer(const struct net_device *dev) +{ + struct netdev_trace_buffer *ptr; + int count, balance = 0, pos = 0; + + list_for_each_entry_rcu(ptr, &dev->netdev_trace_buffer_list, list, + /* list elements can't go away. */ 1) { + pos++; + count = atomic_read(&ptr->count); + balance += count; + if (ptr->prev_count == count) + continue; + ptr->prev_count = count; + pr_info("Call trace for %s[%d] %+d at\n", dev->name, pos, count); + stack_trace_print(ptr->entries, ptr->nr_entries, 4); + cond_resched(); + } + if (!netdev_trace_buffer_exhausted) + pr_info("balance as of %s[%d] is %d\n", dev->name, pos, balance); +} + +static void erase_netdev_trace_buffer(const struct net_device *dev) +{ + struct netdev_trace_buffer *ptr; + unsigned long flags; + + spin_lock_irqsave(&netdev_trace_buffer_lock, flags); + while (!list_empty(&dev->netdev_trace_buffer_list)) { + ptr = list_first_entry(&dev->netdev_trace_buffer_list, typeof(*ptr), list); + list_del(&ptr->list); + list_add_tail(&ptr->list, &netdev_trace_buffer_list); + } + spin_unlock_irqrestore(&netdev_trace_buffer_lock, flags); +} + +int trim_netdev_trace(unsigned long *entries, int nr_entries) +{ +#ifdef CONFIG_KALLSYMS + char buffer[32] = { }; + char *cp; + int i; + + if (in_softirq()) { + static unsigned long __data_racy caller; + + if (!caller) { + for (i = 0; i < nr_entries; i++) { + snprintf(buffer, sizeof(buffer) - 1, "%ps", (void *)entries[i]); + cp = strchr(buffer, ' '); + if (cp) + *cp = '\0'; + if (!strcmp(buffer, "handle_softirqs")) { + caller = entries[i]; + break; + } + } + } + for (i = 0; i < nr_entries; i++) + if (entries[i] == caller) + return i + 1; + } else if (current->flags & PF_WQ_WORKER) { + static unsigned long __data_racy caller; + + if (!caller) { + for (i = 0; i < nr_entries; i++) { + snprintf(buffer, sizeof(buffer) - 1, "%ps", (void *)entries[i]); + cp = strchr(buffer, ' '); + if (cp) + *cp = '\0'; + if (!strcmp(buffer, "process_one_work")) { + caller = entries[i]; + break; + } + } + } + for (i = 0; i < nr_entries; i++) + if (entries[i] == caller) + return i + 1; + } else { + for (i = 0; i < nr_entries; i++) { + snprintf(buffer, sizeof(buffer) - 1, "%ps", (void *)entries[i]); + cp = strchr(buffer, ' '); + if (cp) + *cp = '\0'; + if (buffer[0] == 'k') { + if (!strcmp(buffer, "ksys_unshare")) + return i + 1; + } else if (buffer[0] == 's') { + if (!strcmp(buffer, "sock_sendmsg_nosec") || + !strcmp(buffer, "sock_recvmsg_nosec")) + return i + 1; + } else if (buffer[0] == '_') { + if (!strcmp(buffer, "__sys_bind") || + !strcmp(buffer, "__sock_release") || + !strcmp(buffer, "__sys_bpf")) + return i + 1; + } else { + if (!strcmp(buffer, "do_sock_setsockopt")) + return i + 1; + } + } + } +#endif + return nr_entries; +} +EXPORT_SYMBOL(trim_netdev_trace); + +void save_netdev_trace_buffer(struct net_device *dev, int delta) +{ + struct netdev_trace_buffer *ptr; + unsigned long entries[ARRAY_SIZE(ptr->entries)]; + unsigned long nr_entries; + unsigned long flags; + + if (in_nmi()) + return; + nr_entries = stack_trace_save(entries, ARRAY_SIZE(ptr->entries), 1); + nr_entries = trim_netdev_trace(entries, nr_entries); + list_for_each_entry_rcu(ptr, &dev->netdev_trace_buffer_list, list, + /* list elements can't go away. */ 1) { + if (ptr->nr_entries == nr_entries && + !memcmp(ptr->entries, entries, nr_entries * sizeof(unsigned long))) { + atomic_add(delta, &ptr->count); + return; + } + } + spin_lock_irqsave(&netdev_trace_buffer_lock, flags); + if (!list_empty(&netdev_trace_buffer_list)) { + ptr = list_first_entry(&netdev_trace_buffer_list, typeof(*ptr), list); + list_del(&ptr->list); + ptr->prev_count = 0; + atomic_set(&ptr->count, delta); + ptr->nr_entries = nr_entries; + memmove(ptr->entries, entries, nr_entries * sizeof(unsigned long)); + list_add_tail_rcu(&ptr->list, &dev->netdev_trace_buffer_list); + } else { + netdev_trace_buffer_exhausted = true; + } + spin_unlock_irqrestore(&netdev_trace_buffer_lock, flags); +} +EXPORT_SYMBOL(save_netdev_trace_buffer); + +#endif
diff --git a/net/core/lock_debug.c b/net/core/lock_debug.c
index 8a81c5430705..c1a44594c492 100644
--- a/net/core/lock_debug.c
+++ b/net/core/lock_debug.c@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ int netdev_debug_event(struct notifier_block *nb, unsigned long event, case NETDEV_DOWN: case NETDEV_REBOOT: case NETDEV_UNREGISTER: + case NETDEV_DEBUG_UNREGISTER: case NETDEV_CHANGEMTU: case NETDEV_CHANGEADDR: case NETDEV_PRE_CHANGEADDR:
diff --git a/net/socket.c b/net/socket.c
index 63c69a0fa74e..1d10fa2d91e2 100644
--- a/net/socket.c
+++ b/net/socket.c@@ -698,7 +698,11 @@ struct socket *sock_alloc(void) } EXPORT_SYMBOL(sock_alloc); -static void __sock_release(struct socket *sock, struct inode *inode) +static +#ifdef CONFIG_NET_DEV_REFCNT_TRACKER +noinline +#endif +void __sock_release(struct socket *sock, struct inode *inode) { const struct proto_ops *ops = READ_ONCE(sock->ops);
@@ -770,7 +774,13 @@ static noinline void call_trace_sock_send_length(struct sock *sk, int ret, trace_sock_send_length(sk, ret, 0); } -static inline int sock_sendmsg_nosec(struct socket *sock, struct msghdr *msg) +static +#ifdef CONFIG_NET_DEV_REFCNT_TRACKER +noinline +#else +inline +#endif +int sock_sendmsg_nosec(struct socket *sock, struct msghdr *msg) { int ret = INDIRECT_CALL_INET(READ_ONCE(sock->ops)->sendmsg, inet6_sendmsg, inet_sendmsg, sock, msg,
@@ -1120,8 +1130,13 @@ static noinline void call_trace_sock_recv_length(struct sock *sk, int ret, int f trace_sock_recv_length(sk, ret, flags); } -static inline int sock_recvmsg_nosec(struct socket *sock, struct msghdr *msg, - int flags) +static +#ifdef CONFIG_NET_DEV_REFCNT_TRACKER +noinline +#else +inline +#endif +int sock_recvmsg_nosec(struct socket *sock, struct msghdr *msg, int flags) { int ret = INDIRECT_CALL_INET(READ_ONCE(sock->ops)->recvmsg, inet6_recvmsg,
@@ -2624,9 +2639,12 @@ static int copy_msghdr_from_user(struct msghdr *kmsg, return err < 0 ? err : 0; } -static int ____sys_sendmsg(struct socket *sock, struct msghdr *msg_sys, - unsigned int flags, struct used_address *used_address, - unsigned int allowed_msghdr_flags) +static +#ifdef CONFIG_NET_DEV_REFCNT_TRACKER +noinline +#endif +int ____sys_sendmsg(struct socket *sock, struct msghdr *msg_sys, unsigned int flags, + struct used_address *used_address, unsigned int allowed_msghdr_flags) { unsigned char ctl[sizeof(struct cmsghdr) + 20] __aligned(sizeof(__kernel_size_t));
--
2.52.0