Re: [PATCH] livepatch: Fix leak on klp_init_patch_early failure path

[Petr Mladek]

On Thu 2021-12-16 07:14:27, David Vernet wrote:
> Petr Mladek <pmladek@xxxxxxxx> wrote on Thu [2021-Dec-16 15:14:38 +0100]:
> > > Now it does.  In the past, I think we did create some memory.  I know
> > > when we hook debugobjects up to kobjects (there's an external patch for
> > > that floating around somewhere), that is one reason to keep the
> > > kobject_put() rule, and there might have been other reasons in the past
> > > 20+ years as well.
> > > 
> > > So yes, while you are correct today, the "normal" reference counted
> > > object model patern is "after the object is initialized, it MUST only be
> > > freed by handling its reference count."  So let's stick to that rule for
> > > now.
> > 
> > Good point.
> 
> Thanks for the discussion all. I think we've landed on the fact that this
> is a refcounting bug that needs to be fixed, but isn't a leak in how the
> kobject implementation exists today.
> 
> Petr - are you OK with me sending out a v3 of the patch with the following
> changes:
>   - The patch description is updated to not claim that a leak is being
>     fixed, but rather that a kobject reference counting bug is being fixed.
>   - All of the NULL checking in klp_init_patch_early() is brought into
>     klp_enable_patch(), and klp_init_patch_early() is updated to be void,
>     per Josh's suggestion. This would address the refcounting issue and IMO
>     also simplifies and improves the code. I know you were onboard with
>     moving try_module_get() into klp_enable_patch(), but I don't think we
>     ever resolved the point about moving the rest of the NULL checking out
>     as well.

Just for record. I have answered this in the other thread where it was
discussed, see https://lore.kernel.org/r/YbyV7nsLXbQ6/44S@alley

Best Regards,
Petr