CVE-2022-49655

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

fscache: Fix invalidation/lookup race

If an NFS file is opened for writing and closed, fscache_invalidate() will be asked to invalidate the file - however, if the cookie is in the LOOKING_UP state (or the CREATING state), then request to invalidate doesnt get recorded for fscache_cookie_state_machine() to do something with.

Fix this by making __fscache_invalidate() set a flag if it sees the cookie is in the LOOKING_UP state to indicate that we need to go to invalidation. Note that this requires a count on the n_accesses counter for the state machine, which that will release when its done.

fscache_cookie_state_machine() then shifts to the INVALIDATING state if it sees the flag.

Without this, an nfs file can get corrupted if it gets modified locally and then read locally as the cache contents may not get updated.

Weakness

The product contains a concurrent code sequence that requires temporary, exclusive access to a shared resource, but a timing window exists in which the shared resource can be modified by another code sequence operating concurrently.

Affected Software

Extended Description

A race condition occurs within concurrent environments, and it is effectively a property of a code sequence. Depending on the context, a code sequence may be in the form of a function call, a small number of instructions, a series of program invocations, etc. A race condition violates these properties, which are closely related:

A race condition exists when an “interfering code sequence” can still access the shared resource, violating exclusivity. The interfering code sequence could be “trusted” or “untrusted.” A trusted interfering code sequence occurs within the product; it cannot be modified by the attacker, and it can only be invoked indirectly. An untrusted interfering code sequence can be authored directly by the attacker, and typically it is external to the vulnerable product.

Potential Mitigations

• Minimize the usage of shared resources in order to remove as much complexity as possible from the control flow and to reduce the likelihood of unexpected conditions occurring.
• Additionally, this will minimize the amount of synchronization necessary and may even help to reduce the likelihood of a denial of service where an attacker may be able to repeatedly trigger a critical section (CWE-400).

Related Attack Patterns

• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/26.html
• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/29.html

References

• https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/85e4ea1049c70fb99de5c6057e835d151fb647da
• https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b1ae9f617f8a5c848d9205b8e228c6f0d1af754b