CVE-2022-49441

tty: fix deadlock caused by calling printk() under tty_port->lock

MEDIUM
5.5
CVSS Score
Published: February 26, 2025 at 02:12 AM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 05:18 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: tty: fix deadlock caused by calling printk() under tty_port->lock pty_write() invokes kmalloc() which may invoke a normal printk() to print failure message. This can cause a deadlock in the scenario reported by syz-bot below: CPU0 CPU1 CPU2 ---- ---- ---- lock(console_owner); lock(&port_lock_key); lock(&port->lock); lock(&port_lock_key); lock(&port->lock); lock(console_owner); As commit dbdda842fe96 ("printk: Add console owner and waiter logic to load balance console writes") said, such deadlock can be prevented by using printk_deferred() in kmalloc() (which is invoked in the section guarded by the port->lock). But there are too many printk() on the kmalloc() path, and kmalloc() can be called from anywhere, so changing printk() to printk_deferred() is too complicated and inelegant. Therefore, this patch chooses to specify __GFP_NOWARN to kmalloc(), so that printk() will not be called, and this deadlock problem can be avoided. Syzbot reported the following lockdep error: ====================================================== WARNING: possible circular locking dependency detected 5.4.143-00237-g08ccc19a-dirty #10 Not tainted ------------------------------------------------------ syz-executor.4/29420 is trying to acquire lock: ffffffff8aedb2a0 (console_owner){....}-{0:0}, at: console_trylock_spinning kernel/printk/printk.c:1752 [inline] ffffffff8aedb2a0 (console_owner){....}-{0:0}, at: vprintk_emit+0x2ca/0x470 kernel/printk/printk.c:2023 but task is already holding lock: ffff8880119c9158 (&port->lock){-.-.}-{2:2}, at: pty_write+0xf4/0x1f0 drivers/tty/pty.c:120 which lock already depends on the new lock. the existing dependency chain (in reverse order) is: -> #2 (&port->lock){-.-.}-{2:2}: __raw_spin_lock_irqsave include/linux/spinlock_api_smp.h:110 [inline] _raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x35/0x50 kernel/locking/spinlock.c:159 tty_port_tty_get drivers/tty/tty_port.c:288 [inline] <-- lock(&port->lock); tty_port_default_wakeup+0x1d/0xb0 drivers/tty/tty_port.c:47 serial8250_tx_chars+0x530/0xa80 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c:1767 serial8250_handle_irq.part.0+0x31f/0x3d0 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c:1854 serial8250_handle_irq drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c:1827 [inline] <-- lock(&port_lock_key); serial8250_default_handle_irq+0xb2/0x220 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c:1870 serial8250_interrupt+0xfd/0x200 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_core.c:126 __handle_irq_event_percpu+0x109/0xa50 kernel/irq/handle.c:156 [...] -> #1 (&port_lock_key){-.-.}-{2:2}: __raw_spin_lock_irqsave include/linux/spinlock_api_smp.h:110 [inline] _raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x35/0x50 kernel/locking/spinlock.c:159 serial8250_console_write+0x184/0xa40 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_port.c:3198 <-- lock(&port_lock_key); call_console_drivers kernel/printk/printk.c:1819 [inline] console_unlock+0x8cb/0xd00 kernel/printk/printk.c:2504 vprintk_emit+0x1b5/0x470 kernel/printk/printk.c:2024 <-- lock(console_owner); vprintk_func+0x8d/0x250 kernel/printk/printk_safe.c:394 printk+0xba/0xed kernel/printk/printk.c:2084 register_console+0x8b3/0xc10 kernel/printk/printk.c:2829 univ8250_console_init+0x3a/0x46 drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250_core.c:681 console_init+0x49d/0x6d3 kernel/printk/printk.c:2915 start_kernel+0x5e9/0x879 init/main.c:713 secondary_startup_64+0xa4/0xb0 arch/x86/kernel/head_64.S:241 -> #0 (console_owner){....}-{0:0}: [...] lock_acquire+0x127/0x340 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:4734 console_trylock_spinning kernel/printk/printk.c:1773 ---truncated---

Affected

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

v ≥ 3.18.118v ≥ 4.17.12v ≥ 4.4.1463.18.118 ≤ v < 3.194.14.60 ≤ v < 4.14.2834.17.12 ≤ v < 4.184.17.12 ≤ v < 4.19.2474.18 ≤ v < 4.19.2474.18 ≤ v < 5.10.1214.18 ≤ v < 5.15.464.18 ≤ v < 5.17.144.18 ≤ v < 5.18.34.18 ≤ v < 5.194.18 ≤ v < 5.4.1984.20 ≤ v < 5.4.1984.4.146 ≤ v < 4.54.9.117 ≤ v < 4.9.3185.11 ≤ v < 5.15.465.16 ≤ v < 5.17.145.18 ≤ v < 5.18.35.5 ≤ v < 5.10.1213.18.1184.14.604.17.124.184.4.1464.9.11760c4e8db32815474bfaeabe888ebb14e698caea16d9cd12792270773fab9e5a129daff328d61ef9e6dbfa9b5ae65063cd61dc7fa11332e00bb794d8bb6da31b2c07c46f2dcad1d86caa835227a16d9ffd83904cb2eb2c4d937eaf15032214b0578f25099deb1feaad03a78b545c949e54582ae57b3c56982
Vendor states this is fixed in 04ee31678c128a6cc7bb057ea189a8624ba5a314 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 0bcf44903ef4df742dcada86ccaedd25374ffb50 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 18ca0d55e8639b911df8aae1b47598b13f9acded (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 3219ac364ac3d8d30771612a6010f1e0b7fa0a28 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4af21b12a60ed2d3642284f4f85b42d7dc6ac246 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4c253caf9264d2aa47ee806a87986dd8eb91a5d9 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6b9dbedbe3499fef862c4dff5217cf91f34e43b3 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 9834b13e8b962caa28fbcf1f422dd82413da4ede (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in b3c974501d0c32258ae0e04e5cc3fb92383b40f6 (fixed)
Affected range stops below 3.19, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Vendor states this is fixed in 4.14.283 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4.18 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4.19.247 (unaffected)
Affected range stops below 4.5, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Vendor states this is fixed in 4.9.318 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.10.121 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.15.46 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.17.14 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.18.3 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.19 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.4.198 (unaffected)

References (9)

Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/04ee31678c128a6cc7bb057ea189a8624ba5a314
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0bcf44903ef4df742dcada86ccaedd25374ffb50
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/18ca0d55e8639b911df8aae1b47598b13f9acded
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3219ac364ac3d8d30771612a6010f1e0b7fa0a28
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4af21b12a60ed2d3642284f4f85b42d7dc6ac246
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4c253caf9264d2aa47ee806a87986dd8eb91a5d9
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6b9dbedbe3499fef862c4dff5217cf91f34e43b3
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9834b13e8b962caa28fbcf1f422dd82413da4ede

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-667

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