Double-free error in bpf_linker__free() was reported by James Hilliard. The error is caused by miss-use of realloc() in extend_sec(). The error occurs when two files with empty sections of the same name are linked: - when first file is processed: - extend_sec() calls realloc(dst->raw_data, dst_align_sz) with dst->raw_data == NULL and dst_align_sz == 0; - dst->raw_data is set to a special pointer to a memory block of size zero; - when second file is processed: - extend_sec() calls realloc(dst->raw_data, dst_align_sz) with dst->raw_data == <special pointer> and dst_align_sz == 0; - realloc() "frees" dst->raw_data special pointer and returns NULL; - extend_sec() exits with -ENOMEM, and the old dst->raw_data value is preserved (it is now invalid); - eventually, bpf_linker__free() attempts to free dst->raw_data again. This patch fixes the bug by avoiding -ENOMEM exit for dst_align_sz == 0. The fix was suggested by Andrii Nakryiko <andrii.nakryiko@xxxxxxxxx>. Reported-by: James Hilliard <james.hilliard1@xxxxxxxxx> Link: https://lore.kernel.org/bpf/CADvTj4o7ZWUikKwNTwFq0O_AaX+46t_+Ca9gvWMYdWdRtTGeHQ@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx/ Signed-off-by: Eduard Zingerman <eddyz87@xxxxxxxxx> --- tools/lib/bpf/linker.c | 14 +++++++++++++- 1 file changed, 13 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/linker.c b/tools/lib/bpf/linker.c index d7069780984a..5ced96d99f8c 100644 --- a/tools/lib/bpf/linker.c +++ b/tools/lib/bpf/linker.c @@ -1115,7 +1115,19 @@ static int extend_sec(struct bpf_linker *linker, struct dst_sec *dst, struct src if (src->shdr->sh_type != SHT_NOBITS) { tmp = realloc(dst->raw_data, dst_final_sz); - if (!tmp) + /* If dst_align_sz == 0, realloc() behaves in a special way: + * 1. When dst->raw_data is NULL it returns: + * "either NULL or a pointer suitable to be passed to free()" [1]. + * 2. When dst->raw_data is not-NULL it frees dst->raw_data and returns NULL, + * thus invalidating any "pointer suitable to be passed to free()" obtained + * at step (1). + * + * The dst_align_sz > 0 check avoids error exit after (2), otherwise + * dst->raw_data would be freed again in bpf_linker__free(). + * + * [1] man 3 realloc + */ + if (!tmp && dst_align_sz > 0) return -ENOMEM; dst->raw_data = tmp; -- 2.40.0