In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

rcu: Protect rcu_print_task_exp_stall() ->exp_tasks access

For kernels built with CONFIG_PREEMPT_RCU=y, the following scenario can
result in a NULL-pointer dereference:

       CPU1                                           CPU2

rcu_preempt_deferred_qs_irqrestore rcu_print_task_exp_stall
if (special.b.blocked) READ_ONCE(rnp->exp_tasks) != NULL
raw_spin_lock_rcu_node
np = rcu_next_node_entry(t, rnp)
if (&t->rcu_node_entry == rnp->exp_tasks)
WRITE_ONCE(rnp->exp_tasks, np)
....
raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore_rcu_node
raw_spin_lock_irqsave_rcu_node
t = list_entry(rnp->exp_tasks->prev,
struct task_struct, rcu_node_entry)
(if rnp->exp_tasks is NULL, this
will dereference a NULL pointer)

The problem is that CPU2 accesses the rcu_node structure's->exp_tasks
field without holding the rcu_node structure's ->lock and CPU2 did
not observe CPU1's change to rcu_node structure's ->exp_tasks in time.
Therefore, if CPU1 sets rcu_node structure's->exp_tasks pointer to NULL,
then CPU2 might dereference that NULL pointer.

This commit therefore holds the rcu_node structure's ->lock while
accessing that structure's->exp_tasks field.

[ paulmck: Apply Frederic Weisbecker feedback. ]

References

• https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53419
• https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2bc0ae94ef1f9ed322d8ee439de3239ea3632ab2
• https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3c1566bca3f8349f12b75d0a2d5e4a20ad6262ec
• https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a7d21b8585894e6fff973f6ddae42f02b13f600f
• https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d0a8c0e31a09ec1efd53079083e2a677956b4d91
• https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e30a55e98ae6c44253d8b129efefd5da5bc6e3bc