In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
wifi: brcmfmac: fix use-after-free when rescheduling brcmf_btcoex_info work
The brcmf_btcoex_detach() only shuts down the btcoex timer, if the flag timer_on is false. However, the brcmf_btcoex_timerfunc(), which runs as timer handler, sets timer_on to false. This creates critical race conditions:
1.If brcmf_btcoex_detach() is called while brcmf_btcoex_timerfunc() is executing, it may observe timer_on as false and skip the call to timer_shutdown_sync().
2.The brcmf_btcoex_timerfunc() may then reschedule the brcmf_btcoex_info worker after the cancel_work_sync() has been executed, resulting in use-after-free bugs.
The use-after-free bugs occur in two distinct scenarios, depending on the timing of when the brcmf_btcoex_info struct is freed relative to the execution of its worker thread.
Scenario 1: Freed before the worker is scheduled
The brcmf_btcoex_info is deallocated before the worker is scheduled. A race condition can occur when schedule_work(&bt_local->work) is called after the target memory has been freed. The sequence of events is detailed below:
CPU0 | CPU1 brcmf_btcoex_detach | brcmf_btcoex_timerfunc | bt_local->timer_on = false; if (cfg->btcoex->timer_on) | ... | cancel_work_sync(); | ... | kfree(cfg->btcoex); // FREE | | schedule_work(&bt_local->work); // USE
Scenario 2: Freed after the worker is scheduled
The brcmf_btcoex_info is freed after the worker has been scheduled but before or during its execution. In this case, statements within the brcmf_btcoex_handler() — such as the container_of macro and subsequent dereferences of the brcmf_btcoex_info object will cause a use-after-free access. The following timeline illustrates this scenario:
CPU0 | CPU1 brcmf_btcoex_detach | brcmf_btcoex_timerfunc | bt_local->timer_on = false; if (cfg->btcoex->timer_on) | ... | cancel_work_sync(); | ... | schedule_work(); // Reschedule | kfree(cfg->btcoex); // FREE | brcmf_btcoex_handler() // Worker /* | btci = container_of(....); // USE The kfree() above could | ... also occur at any point | btci-> // USE during the worker's execution| */ |
To resolve the race conditions, drop the conditional check and call timer_shutdown_sync() directly. It can deactivate the timer reliably, regardless of its current state. Once stopped, the timer_on state is then set to false.