Re: [PATCH] nvdimm-btt: fix a potential memleak in btt_freelist_init

[dinghao . liu]

> dinghao.liu@ wrote:
> > > Dave Jiang wrote:
> 
> [snip]
> 
> > > That said, this patch does not completely fix freelist from leaking in the
> > > following error path.
> > > 
> > > 	discover_arenas()
> > > 		btt_freelist_init() -> ok (memory allocated)
> > > 		btt_rtt_init() -> fail
> > > 			goto out;
> > > 			(leak because arena is not yet on btt->arena_list)
> > > 		OR
> > > 		btt_maplocks_init() -> fail
> > > 			goto out;
> > > 			(leak because arena is not yet on btt->arena_list)
> > > 
> > 
> > Thanks for pointing out this issue! I rechecked discover_arenas() and found
> > that btt_rtt_init() may also trigger a memleak for the same reason as
> > btt_freelist_init(). Also, I checked another call trace:
> > 
> >     btt_init() -> btt_meta_init() -> btt_maplocks_init()
> > 
> > I think there is a memleak if btt_maplocks_init() succeeds but an error
> > happens in btt_init() after btt_meta_init() (e.g., when btt_blk_init()
> > returns an error). Therefore, we may need to fix three functions.
> 
> Yea I think we need to trace this code better.  This is why devm_ is nice for
> memory allocated for the life of the device.
> 
> > 
> > > This error could be fixed by adding to arena_list earlier but devm_*()
> > > also takes care of this without having to worry about that logic.
> > > 
> > > On normal operation all of this memory can be free'ed with the
> > > corresponding devm_kfree() and/or devm_add_action_*() calls if arenas come
> > > and go.  I'm not sure off the top of my head.
> > > 
> > > In addition, looking at this code.  discover_arenas() could make use of
> > > the scoped based management for struct btt_sb *super!
> > > 
> > > Dinghao would you be willing to submit a series of 2 or 3 patches to fix
> > > the above issues?
> > > 
> > 
> > Sure. Currently I plan to send 2 patches as follows:
> > 1. Using devm_kcalloc() to replace kcalloc() in btt_freelist_init(), 
> >    btt_rtt_init(), and btt_maplocks_init(), and removing the corresponding
> >    kfree in free_arenas(). I checked some uses of devm_kcalloc() and it
> >    seems that we need not to call devm_kfree(). The memory is automatically
> >    freed on driver detach, right?
> 
> On device put yes.  So if these allocations are scoped to the life of the
> device there would be no reason to call devm_kfree() on them at all.  I was not
> sure if they got reallocated at some point or not.
> 
> > 2. Using the scoped based management for struct btt_sb *super (not a bug,
> >    but it could improve the code).
> 
> Good!
> 
> > 
> > I'm not quite sure whether my understanding or bug fixing plan is correct.
> > If there are any issues, please correct me, thanks!
> 
> The above sounds right.
> Ira

Thanks for the review! I will send the patches soon.

Regards,
Dinghao