CVE-2021-46939

tracing: Restructure trace_clock_global() to never block

MEDIUM
5.5
CVSS Score
Published: February 27, 2024 at 06:40 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 04:15 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
MEDIUM5.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tracing: Restructure trace_clock_global() to never block It was reported that a fix to the ring buffer recursion detection would cause a hung machine when performing suspend / resume testing. The following backtrace was extracted from debugging that case: Call Trace: trace_clock_global+0x91/0xa0 __rb_reserve_next+0x237/0x460 ring_buffer_lock_reserve+0x12a/0x3f0 trace_buffer_lock_reserve+0x10/0x50 __trace_graph_return+0x1f/0x80 trace_graph_return+0xb7/0xf0 ? trace_clock_global+0x91/0xa0 ftrace_return_to_handler+0x8b/0xf0 ? pv_hash+0xa0/0xa0 return_to_handler+0x15/0x30 ? ftrace_graph_caller+0xa0/0xa0 ? trace_clock_global+0x91/0xa0 ? __rb_reserve_next+0x237/0x460 ? ring_buffer_lock_reserve+0x12a/0x3f0 ? trace_event_buffer_lock_reserve+0x3c/0x120 ? trace_event_buffer_reserve+0x6b/0xc0 ? trace_event_raw_event_device_pm_callback_start+0x125/0x2d0 ? dpm_run_callback+0x3b/0xc0 ? pm_ops_is_empty+0x50/0x50 ? platform_get_irq_byname_optional+0x90/0x90 ? trace_device_pm_callback_start+0x82/0xd0 ? dpm_run_callback+0x49/0xc0 With the following RIP: RIP: 0010:native_queued_spin_lock_slowpath+0x69/0x200 Since the fix to the recursion detection would allow a single recursion to happen while tracing, this lead to the trace_clock_global() taking a spin lock and then trying to take it again: ring_buffer_lock_reserve() { trace_clock_global() { arch_spin_lock() { queued_spin_lock_slowpath() { /* lock taken */ (something else gets traced by function graph tracer) ring_buffer_lock_reserve() { trace_clock_global() { arch_spin_lock() { queued_spin_lock_slowpath() { /* DEAD LOCK! */ Tracing should *never* block, as it can lead to strange lockups like the above. Restructure the trace_clock_global() code to instead of simply taking a lock to update the recorded "prev_time" simply use it, as two events happening on two different CPUs that calls this at the same time, really doesn't matter which one goes first. Use a trylock to grab the lock for updating the prev_time, and if it fails, simply try again the next time. If it failed to be taken, that means something else is already updating it. Bugzilla: https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=212761

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

2.6.30 ≤ v < 4.14.2332.6.30 ≤ v < 4.19.1912.6.30 ≤ v < 4.4.2692.6.30 ≤ v < 4.9.2692.6.30 ≤ v < 5.10.362.6.30 ≤ v < 5.11.202.6.30 ≤ v < 5.12.32.6.30 ≤ v < 5.132.6.30 ≤ v < 5.4.1184.10.0 ≤ v < 4.14.2334.15.0 ≤ v < 4.19.1914.20.0 ≤ v < 5.4.1184.5.0 ≤ v < 4.9.2695.11.0 ≤ v < 5.11.205.12.0 ≤ v < 5.12.35.5.0 ≤ v < 5.10.3614131f2f98ac350ee9e73faed916d2238a8b6a0d2.6.30
Vendor states this is fixed in 1fca00920327be96f3318224f502e4d5460f9545 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 2a1bd74b8186d7938bf004f5603f25b84785f63e (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6e2418576228eeb12e7ba82edb8f9500623942ff (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 859b47a43f5a0e5b9a92b621dc6ceaad39fb5c8b (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 91ca6f6a91f679c8645d7f3307e03ce86ad518c4 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in a33614d52e97fc8077eb0b292189ca7d964cc534 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in aafe104aa9096827a429bc1358f8260ee565b7cc (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in c64da3294a7d59a4bf6874c664c13be892f15f44 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in d43d56dbf452ccecc1ec735cd4b6840118005d7c (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 2.6.30 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4.14.233 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4.19.191 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4.4.269 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4.9.269 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.10.36 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.11.20 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.12.3 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.13 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.4.118 (unaffected)

References (9)

Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1fca00920327be96f3318224f502e4d5460f9545
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2a1bd74b8186d7938bf004f5603f25b84785f63e
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6e2418576228eeb12e7ba82edb8f9500623942ff
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/859b47a43f5a0e5b9a92b621dc6ceaad39fb5c8b
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/91ca6f6a91f679c8645d7f3307e03ce86ad518c4
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a33614d52e97fc8077eb0b292189ca7d964cc534
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/aafe104aa9096827a429bc1358f8260ee565b7cc
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c64da3294a7d59a4bf6874c664c13be892f15f44

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatablePartial impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

5.5MEDIUMCISA-ADP
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
CWE-662CWE-400

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