Re: [PATCH] fs/proc/task_mmu.c v1: fix clear_refs_write() inputsanity check

From: Vincent Li
Date: Thu Aug 13 2009 - 00:58:42 EST


On Thu, 13 Aug 2009, Amerigo Wang wrote:

> On Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 04:29:54PM -0700, Vincent Li wrote:
> >v1 fix the compiling errors and keep the type variable name.
> >
> >Andrew Morton pointed out similar string hacking and obfuscated check for zero-length input
> >at the end of the function, David Rientjes suggested to use strict_strtol to replace
> >simple_strtol, this patch cover above suggestions, add removing of leading and trailing
> >whitespace from user input. It does not change function behavious.
> >
>
>
> Sorry, what real benefits can we get from this patch?

It removes the redundant and weird zero-length check at the end of the
function since the the function already check the returning value of
simple_strtol, if it is zero-length input, the function should already
return error -EINVAL. Also using strict_strtol would only accept ascii
numbers, not something like:

echo 1foo > /proc/pid/clear_refs

>
> With this patch, we can accept input like:
>
> echo ' 1' > /proc/<pid>/clear_refs
>
> right?

It will accept 'echo 1 > /proc/pid/clear_refs', but I think
nobody will do that on purpose, only accidently typed one or two space
before or after.

>
> If this is really necessary, why not other files similar to 'clear_refs'?
>

I did the same to other functions, but Andrew pointed out making changes
without fully understanding the patch impact would be risky and break
existing applications, So I need to fully understand what those functions
do before I make any changes.

> How about adding strstrip() for simple_strtol()?
>

simple_strtol will accept 'echo 1foo > /proc/pid/clear_refs' which is not
ideal.

>
> >This patch is rebased on mmotm-2009-08-04-14-22.
> >
> >Signed-off-by: Vincent Li <macli@xxxxxxxxxx>
> >---
> > fs/proc/task_mmu.c | 14 ++++++--------
> > 1 files changed, 6 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)
> >
> >diff --git a/fs/proc/task_mmu.c b/fs/proc/task_mmu.c
> >index 2079969..c7cf8f3 100644
> >--- a/fs/proc/task_mmu.c
> >+++ b/fs/proc/task_mmu.c
> >@@ -491,21 +491,20 @@ static ssize_t clear_refs_write(struct file *file, const char __user *buf,
> > size_t count, loff_t *ppos)
> > {
> > struct task_struct *task;
> >- char buffer[PROC_NUMBUF], *end;
> >+ char buffer[PROC_NUMBUF];
> > struct mm_struct *mm;
> > struct vm_area_struct *vma;
> >- int type;
> >+ long type;
> >
> > memset(buffer, 0, sizeof(buffer));
> > if (count > sizeof(buffer) - 1)
> > count = sizeof(buffer) - 1;
> > if (copy_from_user(buffer, buf, count))
> > return -EFAULT;
> >- type = simple_strtol(buffer, &end, 0);
> >+ if (strict_strtol(strstrip(buffer), 10, &type))
> >+ return -EINVAL;
> > if (type < CLEAR_REFS_ALL || type > CLEAR_REFS_MAPPED)
> > return -EINVAL;
> >- if (*end == '\n')
> >- end++;
> > task = get_proc_task(file->f_path.dentry->d_inode);
> > if (!task)
> > return -ESRCH;
> >@@ -541,9 +540,8 @@ static ssize_t clear_refs_write(struct file *file, const char __user *buf,
> > mmput(mm);
> > }
> > put_task_struct(task);
> >- if (end - buffer == 0)
> >- return -EIO;
> >- return end - buffer;
> >+
> >+ return count;
> > }
> >
> > const struct file_operations proc_clear_refs_operations = {
> >--
> >1.6.0.4
> >

Vincent Li
Biomedical Research Center
University of British Columbia
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