published December 16, 2025
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
sched_ext: Fix unsafe locking in the scx_dump_state()
For built with CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT=y kernels, the dump_lock will be converted
sleepable spinlock and not disable-irq, so the following scenarios occur:
inconsistent {IN-HARDIRQ-W} -> {HARDIRQ-ON-W} usage.
irq_work/0/27 [HC0[0]:SC0[0]:HE1:SE1] takes:
(&rq->__lock){?...}-{2:2}, at: raw_spin_rq_lock_nested+0x2b/0x40
{IN-HARDIRQ-W} state was registered at:
lock_acquire+0x1e1/0x510
_raw_spin_lock_nested+0x42/0x80
raw_spin_rq_lock_nested+0x2b/0x40
sched_tick+0xae/0x7b0
update_process_times+0x14c/0x1b0
tick_periodic+0x62/0x1f0
tick_handle_periodic+0x48/0xf0
timer_interrupt+0x55/0x80
__handle_irq_event_percpu+0x20a/0x5c0
handle_irq_event_percpu+0x18/0xc0
handle_irq_event+0xb5/0x150
handle_level_irq+0x220/0x460
__common_interrupt+0xa2/0x1e0
common_interrupt+0xb0/0xd0
asm_common_interrupt+0x2b/0x40
_raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore+0x45/0x80
__setup_irq+0xc34/0x1a30
request_threaded_irq+0x214/0x2f0
hpet_time_init+0x3e/0x60
x86_late_time_init+0x5b/0xb0
start_kernel+0x308/0x410
x86_64_start_reservations+0x1c/0x30
x86_64_start_kernel+0x96/0xa0
common_startup_64+0x13e/0x148
other info that might help us debug this:
Possible unsafe locking scenario:
CPU0
----
lock(&rq->__lock);
<Interrupt>
lock(&rq->__lock);
*** DEADLOCK ***
stack backtrace:
CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 27 Comm: irq_work/0
Call Trace:
<TASK>
dump_stack_lvl+0x8c/0xd0
dump_stack+0x14/0x20
print_usage_bug+0x42e/0x690
mark_lock.part.44+0x867/0xa70
? __pfx_mark_lock.part.44+0x10/0x10
? string_nocheck+0x19c/0x310
? number+0x739/0x9f0
? __pfx_string_nocheck+0x10/0x10
? __pfx_check_pointer+0x10/0x10
? kvm_sched_clock_read+0x15/0x30
? sched_clock_noinstr+0xd/0x20
? local_clock_noinstr+0x1c/0xe0
__lock_acquire+0xc4b/0x62b0
? __pfx_format_decode+0x10/0x10
? __pfx_string+0x10/0x10
? __pfx___lock_acquire+0x10/0x10
? __pfx_vsnprintf+0x10/0x10
lock_acquire+0x1e1/0x510
? raw_spin_rq_lock_nested+0x2b/0x40
? __pfx_lock_acquire+0x10/0x10
? dump_line+0x12e/0x270
? raw_spin_rq_lock_nested+0x20/0x40
_raw_spin_lock_nested+0x42/0x80
? raw_spin_rq_lock_nested+0x2b/0x40
raw_spin_rq_lock_nested+0x2b/0x40
scx_dump_state+0x3b3/0x1270
? finish_task_switch+0x27e/0x840
scx_ops_error_irq_workfn+0x67/0x80
irq_work_single+0x113/0x260
irq_work_run_list.part.3+0x44/0x70
run_irq_workd+0x6b/0x90
? __pfx_run_irq_workd+0x10/0x10
smpboot_thread_fn+0x529/0x870
? __pfx_smpboot_thread_fn+0x10/0x10
kthread+0x305/0x3f0
? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10
ret_from_fork+0x40/0x70
? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10
ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30
</TASK>
This commit therefore use rq_lock_irqsave/irqrestore() to replace
rq_lock/unlock() in the scx_dump_state().