netdev - Re: 2.6.24-rc6-mm1 - git-lblnet.patch and networking horkage

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Date:	Mon, 31 Dec 2007 17:01:24 -0500
From:	Paul Moore <paul.moore@...com>
To:	James Morris <jmorris@...ei.org>
Cc:	Valdis.Kletnieks@...edu, akpm@...ux-foundation.org,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, sds@...ho.nsa.gov,
	netdev@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: 2.6.24-rc6-mm1 - git-lblnet.patch and networking horkage

On Monday 31 December 2007 4:46:09 pm James Morris wrote:
> On Mon, 31 Dec 2007, Paul Moore wrote:
> > I'm pretty certain this is an uninitialized value problem now and not a
> > use-after-free issue.  The invalid/garbage ->iif value seems to only
> > happen on packets that are generated locally and sent back into the stack
> > for local consumption, e.g. loopback.  These local packets also need to
> > have been cloned at some point, either on the output or input path.
>
> I think we need to find out exactly what's happening, first.

The more I've looked at the code this afternoon, I'm certain this is the case.  
I've also been running a patched kernel (using option #2 from below) and all 
of the skbs coming up the stack have valid ->iif values.  Granted, I haven't 
examined the code from the avahi daemon or the tcl test cases and traced the 
entire code path through the kernel but I _am_ certain that at some point in 
that code path the packet is cloned and due to a problem in skb_clone() 
the ->iif field is not copied correctly causing the problems we have all 
seen.

How much smoke needs to be coming from the gun? :)

> > The problem appears to be a skb_clone() function which does not clear the
> > skb structure properly and fails to copy the ->iif value from the
> > original skb to the cloned skb.  From what I can tell, there are two
> > possible solutions to this problem:
> >
> >  1. Clear all of the cloned skb fields in skb_clone() via memset()
>
> Sounds like it's not going to fly for performance reasons in any case.

That was my gut feeling.  I was also a little unsure where exactly the correct 
placement should be for the memset() call.

> >  2. Copy the ->iif field in __copy_skb_header()
>
> Seems valid.

Okay, I'll stick with this approach.  I'll post a patch backed against 
net-2.6.25 tomorrow as an RFC to see if anyone on netdev has any strong 
feelings.  If no one complains, I'll add it to the lblnet git tree.

-- 
paul moore
linux security @ hp
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