Hi, the problem is {,un}register_netdevice_notifier() do not take pernet_ops_rwsem, and they don't see network namespaces, being initialized in setup_net() and cleanup_net(), since at this time net is not hashed to net_namespace_list. This may lead to imbalance, when a notifier is called at time of setup_net()/net is alive, but it's not called at time of cleanup_net(), for the devices, hashed to the net, and vise versa. See (3/3) for the scheme of imbalance. This patchset fixes the problem by acquiring pernet_ops_rwsem at the time of {,un}register_netdevice_notifier() (3/3). (1-2/3) are preparations in xfrm and netfilter subsystems. The problem was introduced a long ago, but backporting won't be easy, since every previous kernel version may have changes in netdevice notifiers, and they all need review and testing. Otherwise, there may be more pernet_operations, which register or unregister netdevice notifiers, and that leads to deadlock (which is was fixed in 1-2/3). This patchset is for net-next. Thanks, Kirill --- Kirill Tkhai (3): xfrm: Register xfrm_dev_notifier in appropriate place netfilter: Rework xt_TEE netdevice notifier net: Close race between {un,}register_netdevice_notifier() and setup_net()/cleanup_net() include/net/xfrm.h | 2 + net/core/dev.c | 6 ++++ net/netfilter/xt_TEE.c | 73 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++------------------ net/xfrm/xfrm_device.c | 2 + net/xfrm/xfrm_policy.c | 3 +- 5 files changed, 55 insertions(+), 31 deletions(-) -- Signed-off-by: Kirill Tkhai <ktkhai@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> -- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe netfilter-devel" in the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html