The original code relies on cancel_delayed_work() in tb_dp_dprx_stop(), which does not ensure that the delayed work item tunnel->dprx_work has fully completed if it was already running. This leads to use-after-free scenarios where tb_tunnel is deallocated by tb_tunnel_put(), while tunnel->dprx_work remains active and attempts to dereference tb_tunnel in tb_dp_dprx_work(). A typical race condition is illustrated below: CPU 0 | CPU 1 tb_dp_tunnel_active() | tb_deactivate_and_free_tunnel()| tb_dp_dprx_start() tb_tunnel_deactivate() | queue_delayed_work() tb_dp_activate() | tb_dp_dprx_stop() | tb_dp_dprx_work() //delayed worker cancel_delayed_work() | tb_tunnel_put(tunnel); | | tunnel = container_of(...); //UAF | tunnel-> //UAF Replacing cancel_delayed_work() with cancel_delayed_work_sync() is not feasible as it would introduce a deadlock: both tb_dp_dprx_work() and the cleanup path acquire tb->lock, and cancel_delayed_work_sync() would wait indefinitely for the work item that cannot proceed. Instead, implement proper reference counting: - If cancel_delayed_work() returns true (work is pending), we release the reference in the stop function. - If it returns false (work is executing or already completed), the reference is released in delayed work function itself. This ensures the tb_tunnel remains valid during work item execution while preventing memory leaks. This bug was found by static analysis. Fixes: d6d458d42e1e ("thunderbolt: Handle DisplayPort tunnel activation asynchronously") Signed-off-by: Duoming Zhou <duoming@xxxxxxxxxx> --- drivers/thunderbolt/tunnel.c | 8 ++++++-- 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) diff --git a/drivers/thunderbolt/tunnel.c b/drivers/thunderbolt/tunnel.c index d52efe3f658c..89fa0c626d3e 100644 --- a/drivers/thunderbolt/tunnel.c +++ b/drivers/thunderbolt/tunnel.c @@ -1073,6 +1073,7 @@ static void tb_dp_dprx_work(struct work_struct *work) if (tunnel->callback) tunnel->callback(tunnel, tunnel->callback_data); + tb_tunnel_put(tunnel); } static int tb_dp_dprx_start(struct tb_tunnel *tunnel) @@ -1097,11 +1098,14 @@ static int tb_dp_dprx_start(struct tb_tunnel *tunnel) static void tb_dp_dprx_stop(struct tb_tunnel *tunnel) { + bool ret; + if (tunnel->dprx_started) { tunnel->dprx_started = false; tunnel->dprx_canceled = true; - cancel_delayed_work(&tunnel->dprx_work); - tb_tunnel_put(tunnel); + ret = cancel_delayed_work(&tunnel->dprx_work); + if (ret) + tb_tunnel_put(tunnel); } } -- 2.34.1