CyberRota Analysis
AI-GeneratedThe vulnerability affects the Linux kernel, specifically in the `arch_irq_work_raise()` function, where redundant preempt_disable()/enable() calls can lead to a kernel panic when handling machine check exceptions in real mode. This crash occurs due to unsafe access to the preempt_count variable, which can result in system instability. Organizations using affected Linux kernel versions, particularly those running on PowerPC architectures, should prioritize this issue to prevent potential system crashes and ensure operational reliability.
Original NVD Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: powerpc/time: Remove redundant preempt_disable|enable() calls from arch_irq_work_raise() A kernel panic is observed when handling machine check exceptions from real mode. BUG: Unable to handle kernel data access on read at 0xc00000006be21300 Oops: Kernel access of bad area, sig: 11 [#1] MSR: 8000000000001003 <SF,ME,RI,LE> CR: 88222248 XER: 00000005 CFAR: c00000000003ffc4 DAR: c00000006be21300 DSISR: 40000000 IRQMASK: 0 NIP [c000000000029e40] arch_irq_work_raise+0x10/0x70 LR [c00000000003ffc8] machine_check_queue_event+0xa8/0x150 Call Trace: [c0000000179d3c70] [c00000000003ff64] machine_check_queue_event+0x44/0x150 [c0000000179d3d30] [c0000000000084e0] machine_check_early_common+0x1f0/0x2c0 The crash occurs because arch_irq_work_raise() calls preempt_disable() from machine check exception (MCE) handlers running in real mode. In this context, accessing the preempt_count can fault, leading to the panic. The preempt_disable()/preempt_enable() pair in arch_irq_work_raise() was originally added by commit 0fe1ac48bef0 ("powerpc/perf_event: Fix oops due to perf_event_do_pending call") to avoid races while raising irq work from exception context. Later, commit 471ba0e686cb ("irq_work: Do not raise an IPI when queueing work on the local CPU") added preemption protection in irq_work_queue() path, while commit 20b876918c06 ("irq_work: Use per cpu atomics instead of regular atomics") added equivalent protection in irq_work_queue_on() before reaching arch_irq_work_raise(): irq_work_queue() / irq_work_queue_on() -> preempt_disable() -> __irq_work_queue_local() -> irq_work_raise() -> arch_irq_work_raise() As a result, callers other than mce_irq_work_raise() already execute with preemption disabled, making the additional preempt_disable()/preempt_enable() pair in arch_irq_work_raise() redundant. The arch_irq_work_raise() function executes in NMI context when called from MCE handler. Hence we will not be preempted or scheduled out since we are in NMI context with MSR[EE]=0. Therefore, it is safe to remove the preempt_disable()/preempt_enable() calls from here. Remove it to avoid accessing preempt_count from real mode context. [Maddy: Fixed the commit title]
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