published February 4, 2026
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
btrfs: fix deadlock in wait_current_trans() due to ignored transaction type
When wait_current_trans() is called during start_transaction(), it
currently waits for a blocked transaction without considering whether
the given transaction type actually needs to wait for that particular
transaction state. The btrfs_blocked_trans_types[] array already defines
which transaction types should wait for which transaction states, but
this check was missing in wait_current_trans().
This can lead to a deadlock scenario involving two transactions and
pending ordered extents:
1. Transaction A is in TRANS_STATE_COMMIT_DOING state
2. A worker processing an ordered extent calls start_transaction()
with TRANS_JOIN
3. join_transaction() returns -EBUSY because Transaction A is in
TRANS_STATE_COMMIT_DOING
4. Transaction A moves to TRANS_STATE_UNBLOCKED and completes
5. A new Transaction B is created (TRANS_STATE_RUNNING)
6. The ordered extent from step 2 is added to Transaction B's
pending ordered extents
7. Transaction B immediately starts commit by another task and
enters TRANS_STATE_COMMIT_START
8. The worker finally reaches wait_current_trans(), sees Transaction B
in TRANS_STATE_COMMIT_START (a blocked state), and waits
unconditionally
9. However, TRANS_JOIN should NOT wait for TRANS_STATE_COMMIT_START
according to btrfs_blocked_trans_types[]
10. Transaction B is waiting for pending ordered extents to complete
11. Deadlock: Transaction B waits for ordered extent, ordered extent
waits for Transaction B
This can be illustrated by the following call stacks:
CPU0 CPU1
btrfs_finish_ordered_io()
start_transaction(TRANS_JOIN)
join_transaction()
# -EBUSY (Transaction A is
# TRANS_STATE_COMMIT_DOING)
# Transaction A completes
# Transaction B created
# ordered extent added to
# Transaction B's pending list
btrfs_commit_transaction()
# Transaction B enters
# TRANS_STATE_COMMIT_START
# waiting for pending ordered
# extents
wait_current_trans()
# waits for Transaction B
# (should not wait!)
Task bstore_kv_sync in btrfs_commit_transaction waiting for ordered
extents:
__schedule+0x2e7/0x8a0
schedule+0x64/0xe0
btrfs_commit_transaction+0xbf7/0xda0 [btrfs]
btrfs_sync_file+0x342/0x4d0 [btrfs]
__x64_sys_fdatasync+0x4b/0x80
do_syscall_64+0x33/0x40
entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xa9
Task kworker in wait_current_trans waiting for transaction commit:
Workqueue: btrfs-syno_nocow btrfs_work_helper [btrfs]
__schedule+0x2e7/0x8a0
schedule+0x64/0xe0
wait_current_trans+0xb0/0x110 [btrfs]
start_transaction+0x346/0x5b0 [btrfs]
btrfs_finish_ordered_io.isra.0+0x49b/0x9c0 [btrfs]
btrfs_work_helper+0xe8/0x350 [btrfs]
process_one_work+0x1d3/0x3c0
worker_thread+0x4d/0x3e0
kthread+0x12d/0x150
ret_from_fork+0x1f/0x30
Fix this by passing the transaction type to wait_current_trans() and
checking btrfs_blocked_trans_types[cur_trans->state] against the given
type before deciding to wait. This ensures that transaction types which
are allowed to join during certain blocked states will not unnecessarily
wait and cause deadlocks.