[PATCH] lib/string: rewrite strlcat() to use sized_strscpy()

From: Josh Law

Date: Mon Mar 16 2026 - 12:50:01 EST


Replace the hand-rolled copy logic and BUG_ON() in strlcat() with a
call to sized_strscpy(). This removes the kernel panic on caller
misuse (dsize >= count) and instead returns a truncation indicator
consistent with BSD strlcat semantics.

strlcat() is deprecated and callers should be converted to strscpy()
or similar bounded interfaces.

Signed-off-by: Josh Law <objecting@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
---
lib/string.c | 15 +++++----------
1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)

diff --git a/lib/string.c b/lib/string.c
index b632c71df1a5..414016f8a6a6 100644
--- a/lib/string.c
+++ b/lib/string.c
@@ -253,18 +253,13 @@ size_t strlcat(char *dest, const char *src, size_t count)
{
size_t dsize = strlen(dest);
size_t len = strlen(src);
- size_t res = dsize + len;

- /* This would be a bug */
- BUG_ON(dsize >= count);
+ if (dsize >= count)
+ return count + len;

- dest += dsize;
- count -= dsize;
- if (len >= count)
- len = count-1;
- __builtin_memcpy(dest, src, len);
- dest[len] = 0;
- return res;
+ sized_strscpy(dest + dsize, src, count - dsize);
+
+ return dsize + len;
}
EXPORT_SYMBOL(strlcat);
#endif
--
2.34.1