From: "Vlastimil Babka (SUSE)" <vbabka@kernel.org>
To: "Harry Yoo (Meta)" <harry@kernel.org>,
Johannes Weiner <hannes@cmpxchg.org>,
Michal Hocko <mhocko@kernel.org>,
Roman Gushchin <roman.gushchin@linux.dev>,
Shakeel Butt <shakeel.butt@linux.dev>,
Muchun Song <muchun.song@linux.dev>,
Andrew Morton <akpm@linux-foundation.org>,
Alexei Starovoitov <ast@kernel.org>, Hao Li <hao.li@linux.dev>,
Christoph Lameter <cl@gentwo.org>,
David Rientjes <rientjes@google.com>,
Sebastian Andrzej Siewior <bigeasy@linutronix.de>,
Clark Williams <clrkwllms@kernel.org>,
Steven Rostedt <rostedt@goodmis.org>
Cc: kernel-team@meta.com, cgroups@vger.kernel.org,
linux-mm@kvack.org, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org,
linux-rt-devel@lists.linux.dev
Subject: Re: [PATCH for-next-fixes v2 2/5] mm/slab: handle allow_spin in slab_free_hook() instead of open coding
Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2026 14:54:13 +0100 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <f31885cd-57c2-428d-9760-a76a0137f989@kernel.org> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <20261103-kmalloc-nolock-fixes-v2-2-19167cfe4779@kernel.org>
On 11/3/26 15:47, Harry Yoo (Meta) wrote:
> kfree_nolock() deliberately skips slab free hooks that should not be
> called in unknown context. However, there is one more place that
> needs the same thing: memcg_alloc_abort_single().
>
> Instead of open coding slab_free_hook(), let it handle the allow_spin
> parameter. This is required to correctly handle allocation failures due
> to memcg charging.
>
> There are two functional changes from this.
>
> First, memcg_alloc_abort_single() -> slab_free_hook() path no longer
> calls free hooks that acquire spinlocks if !allow_spin.
Hm, since this is only changed by patch 4, I don't think it needs mentioning
here, as it's not any functional change yet.
> Second, kfree_nolock() now follows init_on_free which has been ignored.
>
> Besides that, no functional change intended.
>
> Closes: https://lore.kernel.org/asiSUpAYYU8Od4HM@gmail.com
> Fixes: af92793e52c3 ("slab: Introduce kmalloc_nolock() and kfree_nolock().")
> Signed-off-by: Harry Yoo (Meta) <harry@kernel.org>
> ---
> mm/slub.c | 104 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-----------------------------
> 1 file changed, 56 insertions(+), 48 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/mm/slub.c b/mm/slub.c
> index 45e077c7526c..36e7bb93418a 100644
> --- a/mm/slub.c
> +++ b/mm/slub.c
> @@ -2686,41 +2686,54 @@ struct rcu_delayed_free {
> * - memcg_slab_post_alloc_hook()
> * - alloc_tagging_slab_alloc_hook()
> *
> + * slab_free_hook() assumes that memcg_slab_free_hook() and
> + * alloc_tagging_slab_free_hook() are already invoked.
> + *
> * Free hooks that must handle missing corresponding alloc hooks:
> * - kmemleak_free_recursive()
> * - kfence_free()
> *
> - * Free hooks that have no alloc hook counterpart, and thus safe to call:
> + * Free hooks that have no alloc hook counterpart:
> * - debug_check_no_locks_freed()
> * - debug_check_no_obj_freed()
> * - __kcsan_check_access()
> */
> static __always_inline
> bool slab_free_hook(struct kmem_cache *s, void *x, bool init,
> - bool after_rcu_delay)
> + bool after_rcu_delay, bool allow_spin)
Hm 3 bools. Could we bite the bullet and try doing free_flags (extended to
cover init and after_rcu_delay) here already? :) Given it's not intended for
a stable backport.
> {
> /* Are the object contents still accessible? */
> bool still_accessible = (s->flags & SLAB_TYPESAFE_BY_RCU) && !after_rcu_delay;
>
> - kmemleak_free_recursive(x, s->flags);
> kmsan_slab_free(s, x);
>
> - debug_check_no_locks_freed(x, s->object_size);
> + /* Hooks that acquire locks or kmalloc_nolock() skips alloc hook counterpart */
> + if (likely(allow_spin)) {
> + kmemleak_free_recursive(x, s->flags);
> + debug_check_no_locks_freed(x, s->object_size);
>
> - if (!(s->flags & SLAB_DEBUG_OBJECTS))
> - debug_check_no_obj_freed(x, s->object_size);
> + if (!(s->flags & SLAB_DEBUG_OBJECTS))
> + debug_check_no_obj_freed(x, s->object_size);
>
> - /* Use KCSAN to help debug racy use-after-free. */
> - if (!still_accessible)
> - __kcsan_check_access(x, s->object_size,
> - KCSAN_ACCESS_WRITE | KCSAN_ACCESS_ASSERT);
> + /* Use KCSAN to help debug racy use-after-free. */
> + if (!still_accessible)
> + __kcsan_check_access(x, s->object_size,
> + KCSAN_ACCESS_WRITE | KCSAN_ACCESS_ASSERT);
>
> - if (kfence_free(x))
> - return false;
> + if (kfence_free(x))
> + return false;
> + }
>
> /*
> * Give KASAN a chance to notice an invalid free operation before we
> * modify the object.
> + *
> + * If KASAN finds a bug it will do kasan_report_invalid_free() which
> + * will call raw_spin_lock_irqsave() which is technically unsafe from
> + * NMI, but take chance and report kernel bug. The sequence of
> + * kasan_report_invalid_free() -> raw_spin_lock_irqsave() -> NMI
> + * -> kfree_nolock() -> kasan_report_invalid_free() on the same CPU
> + * is double buggy and deserves to deadlock.
> */
> if (kasan_slab_pre_free(s, x))
> return false;
> @@ -2729,6 +2742,7 @@ bool slab_free_hook(struct kmem_cache *s, void *x, bool init,
> if (still_accessible) {
> struct rcu_delayed_free *delayed_free;
>
> + VM_WARN_ON_ONCE(!allow_spin);
> delayed_free = kmalloc_obj(*delayed_free, GFP_NOWAIT);
> if (delayed_free) {
> /*
> @@ -2776,8 +2790,11 @@ bool slab_free_hook(struct kmem_cache *s, void *x, bool init,
> set_orig_size(s, x, orig_size);
>
> }
> - /* KASAN might put x into memory quarantine, delaying its reuse. */
> - return !kasan_slab_free(s, x, init, still_accessible, false);
> + /*
> + * KASAN might put x into memory quarantine, delaying its reuse.
> + * Skip quarantine when spinning is not allowed as it uses a spinlock.
> + */
> + return !kasan_slab_free(s, x, init, still_accessible, !allow_spin);
> }
>
> static __fastpath_inline
> @@ -2789,9 +2806,10 @@ bool slab_free_freelist_hook(struct kmem_cache *s, void **head, void **tail,
> void *next = *head;
> void *old_tail = *tail;
> bool init;
> + bool allow_spin = true;
Then we wouldn't need tricks like this I guess?
>
> if (is_kfence_address(next)) {
> - slab_free_hook(s, next, false, false);
> + slab_free_hook(s, next, false, false, allow_spin);
> return false;
> }
>
> @@ -2806,7 +2824,7 @@ bool slab_free_freelist_hook(struct kmem_cache *s, void **head, void **tail,
> next = get_freepointer(s, object);
>
> /* If object's reuse doesn't have to be delayed */
> - if (likely(slab_free_hook(s, object, init, false))) {
> + if (likely(slab_free_hook(s, object, init, false, allow_spin))) {
> /* Move object to the new freelist */
> set_freepointer(s, object, *head);
> *head = object;
> @@ -3031,6 +3049,7 @@ static bool __rcu_free_sheaf_prepare(struct kmem_cache *s,
> void **p = &sheaf->objects[0];
> unsigned int i = 0;
> bool pfmemalloc = false;
> + bool allow_spin = true;
>
> while (i < sheaf->size) {
> struct slab *slab = virt_to_slab(p[i]);
> @@ -3038,7 +3057,7 @@ static bool __rcu_free_sheaf_prepare(struct kmem_cache *s,
> memcg_slab_free_hook(s, slab, p + i, 1);
> alloc_tagging_slab_free_hook(s, slab, p + i, 1);
>
> - if (unlikely(!slab_free_hook(s, p[i], init, true))) {
> + if (unlikely(!slab_free_hook(s, p[i], init, true, allow_spin))) {
> p[i] = p[--sheaf->size];
> continue;
> }
> @@ -6479,6 +6498,7 @@ static void free_to_pcs_bulk(struct kmem_cache *s, size_t size, void **p)
> bool init = slab_want_init_on_free(s);
> void **remote_objects = p;
> unsigned int remote_nr = 0;
> + bool allow_spin = true;
>
> /*
> * Process the free hooks and separate out remote objects by
> @@ -6494,7 +6514,7 @@ static void free_to_pcs_bulk(struct kmem_cache *s, size_t size, void **p)
> memcg_slab_free_hook(s, slab, p + i, 1);
> alloc_tagging_slab_free_hook(s, slab, p + i, 1);
>
> - if (unlikely(!slab_free_hook(s, p[i], init, false))) {
> + if (unlikely(!slab_free_hook(s, p[i], init, false, allow_spin))) {
> p[i] = p[--size];
> continue;
> }
> @@ -6624,13 +6644,17 @@ static __fastpath_inline
> void slab_free(struct kmem_cache *s, struct slab *slab, void *object,
> unsigned long addr)
> {
> + bool allow_spin = true;
> + bool init = slab_want_init_on_free(s);
> +
> memcg_slab_free_hook(s, slab, &object, 1);
> alloc_tagging_slab_free_hook(s, slab, &object, 1);
>
> - if (unlikely(!slab_free_hook(s, object, slab_want_init_on_free(s), false)))
> + if (unlikely(!slab_free_hook(s, object, init, false, allow_spin)))
> return;
>
> - if (likely(can_free_to_pcs(slab)) && likely(free_to_pcs(s, object, true)))
> + if (likely(can_free_to_pcs(slab)) &&
> + likely(free_to_pcs(s, object, allow_spin)))
> return;
>
> __slab_free(s, slab, object, object, 1, addr);
> @@ -6643,10 +6667,12 @@ static noinline
> void memcg_alloc_abort_single(struct kmem_cache *s, void *object)
> {
> struct slab *slab = virt_to_slab(object);
> + bool init = slab_want_init_on_free(s);
> + bool allow_spin = true;
>
> alloc_tagging_slab_free_hook(s, slab, &object, 1);
>
> - if (likely(slab_free_hook(s, object, slab_want_init_on_free(s), false)))
> + if (likely(slab_free_hook(s, object, init, false, allow_spin)))
> __slab_free(s, slab, object, object, 1, _RET_IP_);
> }
> #endif
> @@ -6675,6 +6701,8 @@ static void slab_free_after_rcu_debug(struct rcu_head *rcu_head)
> void *object = delayed_free->object;
> struct slab *slab = virt_to_slab(object);
> struct kmem_cache *s;
> + bool allow_spin = true;
> + bool init;
>
> kfree(delayed_free);
>
> @@ -6688,8 +6716,9 @@ static void slab_free_after_rcu_debug(struct rcu_head *rcu_head)
> if (WARN_ON(!(s->flags & SLAB_TYPESAFE_BY_RCU)))
> return;
>
> + init = slab_want_init_on_free(s);
> /* resume freeing */
> - if (slab_free_hook(s, object, slab_want_init_on_free(s), true)) {
> + if (slab_free_hook(s, object, init, true, allow_spin)) {
> __slab_free(s, slab, object, object, 1, _THIS_IP_);
> stat(s, FREE_SLOWPATH);
> }
> @@ -6938,6 +6967,8 @@ void kfree_nolock(const void *object)
> struct slab *slab;
> struct kmem_cache *s;
> void *x = (void *)object;
> + bool allow_spin = false;
> + bool init;
>
> if (unlikely(ZERO_OR_NULL_PTR(object)))
> return;
> @@ -6952,33 +6983,10 @@ void kfree_nolock(const void *object)
>
> memcg_slab_free_hook(s, slab, &x, 1);
> alloc_tagging_slab_free_hook(s, slab, &x, 1);
> - /*
> - * Unlike slab_free() do NOT call the following:
> - * kmemleak_free_recursive(x, s->flags);
> - * debug_check_no_locks_freed(x, s->object_size);
> - * debug_check_no_obj_freed(x, s->object_size);
> - * __kcsan_check_access(x, s->object_size, ..);
> - * kfence_free(x);
> - * since they take spinlocks or not safe from any context.
> - */
> - kmsan_slab_free(s, x);
> - /*
> - * If KASAN finds a kernel bug it will do kasan_report_invalid_free()
> - * which will call raw_spin_lock_irqsave() which is technically
> - * unsafe from NMI, but take chance and report kernel bug.
> - * The sequence of
> - * kasan_report_invalid_free() -> raw_spin_lock_irqsave() -> NMI
> - * -> kfree_nolock() -> kasan_report_invalid_free() on the same CPU
> - * is double buggy and deserves to deadlock.
> - */
> - if (kasan_slab_pre_free(s, x))
> +
> + init = slab_want_init_on_free(s);
> + if (unlikely(!slab_free_hook(s, x, init, false, allow_spin)))
> return;
> - /*
> - * memcg, kasan_slab_pre_free are done for 'x'.
> - * The only thing left is kasan_poison without quarantine,
> - * since kasan quarantine takes locks and not supported from NMI.
> - */
> - kasan_slab_free(s, x, false, false, /* skip quarantine */true);
>
> if (likely(can_free_to_pcs(slab)) && likely(free_to_pcs(s, x, false)))
> return;
>
next prev parent reply other threads:[~2026-11-04 13:54 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 16+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2026-11-03 14:47 [PATCH for-next-fixes v2 0/5] memcg,slab: kmalloc_nolock() fixes Harry Yoo (Meta)
2026-11-03 14:47 ` [PATCH for-next-fixes v2 1/5] mm/memcontrol: defer obj_cgroup_release() to irq_work Harry Yoo (Meta)
2026-11-04 11:02 ` Vlastimil Babka (SUSE)
2026-11-04 12:00 ` Harry Yoo
2026-11-03 14:47 ` [PATCH for-next-fixes v2 2/5] mm/slab: handle allow_spin in slab_free_hook() instead of open coding Harry Yoo (Meta)
2026-11-04 13:54 ` Vlastimil Babka (SUSE) [this message]
2026-11-05 12:09 ` Harry Yoo
2026-11-03 14:47 ` [PATCH for-next-fixes v2 3/5] mm/slab: call debug_locks and KCSAN checks in kfree_nolock() Harry Yoo (Meta)
2026-11-03 14:47 ` [PATCH for-next-fixes v2 4/5] mm/slab: fix a deadlock in memcg_alloc_abort_single() Harry Yoo (Meta)
2026-11-03 18:40 ` Alexei Starovoitov
2026-11-03 20:21 ` Harry Yoo
2026-11-03 21:11 ` Alexei Starovoitov
2026-11-04 15:35 ` Vlastimil Babka (SUSE)
2026-11-04 16:46 ` Alexei Starovoitov
2026-11-03 14:47 ` [PATCH for-next-fixes v2 5/5] mm/slab: serialize deferred_work_barrier() Harry Yoo (Meta)
2026-11-04 16:24 ` Vlastimil Babka (SUSE)
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