gfs2: Prevent recursive memory reclaim
Function new_inode() returns a new inode with inode->i_mapping->gfp_mask
set to GFP_HIGHUSER_MOVABLE. This value includes the __GFP_FS flag, so
allocations in that address space can recurse into filesystem memory
reclaim. We don't want that to happen because it can consume a
significant amount of stack memory.
Worse than that is that it can also deadlock: for example, in several
places, gfs2_unstuff_dinode() is called inside filesystem transactions.
This calls filemap_grab_folio(), which can allocate a new folio, which
can trigger memory reclaim. If memory reclaim recurses into the
filesystem and starts another transaction, a deadlock will ensue.
To fix these kinds of problems, prevent memory reclaim from recursing
into filesystem code by making sure that the gfp_mask of inode address
spaces doesn't include __GFP_FS.
The "meta" and resource group address spaces were already using GFP_NOFS
as their gfp_mask (which doesn't include __GFP_FS). The default value
of GFP_HIGHUSER_MOVABLE is less restrictive than GFP_NOFS, though. To
avoid being overly limiting, use the default value and only knock off
the __GFP_FS flag. I'm not sure if this will actually make a
difference, but it also shouldn't hurt.
This patch is loosely based on commit ad22c7a043c2 ("xfs: prevent stack
overflows from page cache allocation").
Fixes xfstest generic/273.
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No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.
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Tracking
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| Source | ID | Title |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu USN |
USN-8094-1 | Linux kernel vulnerabilities |
Ubuntu USN |
USN-8094-2 | Linux kernel vulnerabilities |
Ubuntu USN |
USN-8094-3 | Linux kernel (Real-time) vulnerabilities |
Ubuntu USN |
USN-8094-4 | Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities |
Ubuntu USN |
USN-8094-5 | Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi) vulnerabilities |
Ubuntu USN |
USN-8152-1 | Linux kernel (OEM) vulnerabilities |
Fri, 26 Dec 2025 00:15:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| References |
| |
| Metrics |
threat_severity
|
cvssV3_1
|
Wed, 24 Dec 2025 10:45:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: gfs2: Prevent recursive memory reclaim Function new_inode() returns a new inode with inode->i_mapping->gfp_mask set to GFP_HIGHUSER_MOVABLE. This value includes the __GFP_FS flag, so allocations in that address space can recurse into filesystem memory reclaim. We don't want that to happen because it can consume a significant amount of stack memory. Worse than that is that it can also deadlock: for example, in several places, gfs2_unstuff_dinode() is called inside filesystem transactions. This calls filemap_grab_folio(), which can allocate a new folio, which can trigger memory reclaim. If memory reclaim recurses into the filesystem and starts another transaction, a deadlock will ensue. To fix these kinds of problems, prevent memory reclaim from recursing into filesystem code by making sure that the gfp_mask of inode address spaces doesn't include __GFP_FS. The "meta" and resource group address spaces were already using GFP_NOFS as their gfp_mask (which doesn't include __GFP_FS). The default value of GFP_HIGHUSER_MOVABLE is less restrictive than GFP_NOFS, though. To avoid being overly limiting, use the default value and only knock off the __GFP_FS flag. I'm not sure if this will actually make a difference, but it also shouldn't hurt. This patch is loosely based on commit ad22c7a043c2 ("xfs: prevent stack overflows from page cache allocation"). Fixes xfstest generic/273. | |
| Title | gfs2: Prevent recursive memory reclaim | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-05-11T21:51:37.159Z
Reserved: 2025-12-16T14:48:05.301Z
Link: CVE-2025-68356
No data.
Status : Deferred
Published: 2025-12-24T11:15:58.967
Modified: 2026-04-15T00:35:42.020
Link: CVE-2025-68356
OpenCVE Enrichment
No data.
No weakness.
Ubuntu USN