If device_add() is called with a device which does not have dev->p set up, then device_private_init() is called. If that succeeds, then the error variable is set to 0. Now if the dev_name(dev) check further down fails, then device_add() correctly terminates, but returns 0. That of course lets the driver progress. If later another driver uses this half set up device as parent then device_add() of the child device explodes and renders sysfs completely unusable. Set the error to -EINVAL if dev_name() check fails. Signed-off-by: Thomas Gleixner Cc: Greg Kroah-Hartman Cc: Kay Sievers --- drivers/base/core.c | 4 +++- 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) Index: linux-2.6-tip/drivers/base/core.c =================================================================== --- linux-2.6-tip.orig/drivers/base/core.c +++ linux-2.6-tip/drivers/base/core.c @@ -898,8 +898,10 @@ int device_add(struct device *dev) dev->init_name = NULL; } - if (!dev_name(dev)) + if (!dev_name(dev)) { + error = -EINVAL; goto name_error; + } pr_debug("device: '%s': %s\n", dev_name(dev), __func__); -- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/