linux-kernel - Re: [RFC][PATCH] n_tty : Loss of sync following a buffer overflow

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Date:	Tue, 11 Mar 2008 18:19:52 -0600
From:	Paul Fulghum <paulkf@...rogate.com>
To:	rupesh.sugathan@...il.com
CC:	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, Alan Cox <alan@...rguk.ukuu.org.uk>
Subject: Re: [RFC][PATCH] n_tty : Loss of sync following a buffer overflow

Rupesh Sugathan wrote:
> There seems to be a synchronization issue with the n_tty.c driver when
> working in canonical mode.
> The n_tty rightly discards data received following a buffer overflow and
> hence the tty->read_cnt is not updated. However, the newline characters
> received following a buffer overflow seems to increment the tty-
> canon_data index. This may result in a loss of sync between the tty-
> canon_data & tty->read_cnt while processing read in the read_chan().
> This loss of sync might be irrecoverable even when the data is later
> received at a slower rate.
> 
> ----
> I am not very sure if there is any deliberate rationale to process the
> newlines even when the buffer has overflown. Please comment and review
> the patch
> 
> diff -pu a/drivers/char/n_tty.c b/drivers/char/n_tty.c

Some more information:

This is not purely theoretical. Rupesh is actually
working a problem where he has seen the N_TTY buffer overflow
and the canonical state variables get out of sync with read_cnt, etc.

This patch seems obviously correct, if N_TTY drops a
char due to a full buffer the rest of the character
processing should not take place. Particularly in this
case where the extra processing leaves the tty structure
in an inconsistent state.

--
Paul Fulghum
Microgate Systems, Ltd



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