In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
bpf: Fix racing between bpf_timer_cancel_and_free and bpf_timer_cancel
The following race is possible between bpf_timer_cancel_and_free and bpf_timer_cancel. It will lead a UAF on the timer->timer.
bpf_timer_cancel(); spin_lock(); t = timer->time; spin_unlock();
bpf_timer_cancel_and_free();
spin_lock();
t = timer->timer;
timer->timer = NULL;
spin_unlock();
hrtimer_cancel(&t->timer);
kfree(t);
/* UAF on t */
hrtimer_cancel(&t->timer);
In bpf_timer_cancel_and_free, this patch frees the timer->timer after a rcu grace period. This requires a rcu_head addition to the struct bpf_hrtimer. Another kfree(t) happens in bpf_timer_init, this does not need a kfree_rcu because it is still under the spin_lock and timer->timer has not been visible by others yet.
In bpf_timer_cancel, rcu_read_lock() is added because this helper can be used in a non rcu critical section context (e.g. from a sleepable bpf prog). Other timer->timer usages in helpers.c have been audited, bpf_timer_cancel() is the only place where timer->timer is used outside of the spin_lock.
Another solution considered is to mark a t->flag in bpf_timer_cancel and clear it after hrtimer_cancel() is done. In bpf_timer_cancel_and_free, it busy waits for the flag to be cleared before kfree(t). This patch goes with a straight forward solution and frees timer->timer after a rcu grace period.