[PATCH 1/2] genirq: defer kfree(irqaction) until irq_thread_dtor() finishes

From: Richard Patel

Date: Fri Oct 09 2026 - 11:08:35 EST


When an IRQ thread exits abnormally via do_exit() (e.g. the IRQ
handler oopses) without returning from irq_thread(), a concurrent
call to free_irq() could free the irqaction before the
irq_thread_dtor() exit task work runs.

irq thread (oopsed) free_irq()
------------------- ----------
do_exit()
exit_mm()
complete_vfork_done() -------> kthread_stop() returns
exit_files() ... kfree(action)
exit_task_work()
irq_thread_dtor()
action->... <- use-after-free

Track the pending exit work with the IRQTF_EXIT_WORK thread flag,
and have __free_irq() wait for the bit to clear before kfree().

irq_thread_dtor() only runs on irq_thread abnormal exit. If that
dtor also faults, free_irq() will hang indefinitely, but double
IRQ thread faults require a reboot anyways.

Fixes: ed3e694d78cc ("move exit_task_work() past exit_files() et.al.")
Cc: stable@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Signed-off-by: Richard Patel <ripatel@xxxxxxx>
---
kernel/irq/internals.h | 2 ++
kernel/irq/manage.c | 25 +++++++++++++++++++------
2 files changed, 21 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)

diff --git a/kernel/irq/internals.h b/kernel/irq/internals.h
index 0ce21dd45404..2c30e7537987 100644
--- a/kernel/irq/internals.h
+++ b/kernel/irq/internals.h
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ extern struct irqaction chained_action;
* IRQTF_AFFINITY - irq thread is requested to adjust affinity
* IRQTF_FORCED_THREAD - irq action is force threaded
* IRQTF_READY - signals that irq thread is ready
+ * IRQTF_EXIT_WORK - irq thread exit task_work is pending
*/
enum {
IRQTF_RUNTHREAD,
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ enum {
IRQTF_AFFINITY,
IRQTF_FORCED_THREAD,
IRQTF_READY,
+ IRQTF_EXIT_WORK,
};

/*
diff --git a/kernel/irq/manage.c b/kernel/irq/manage.c
index 57eff26fa646..e882a0693a39 100644
--- a/kernel/irq/manage.c
+++ b/kernel/irq/manage.c
@@ -1176,17 +1176,14 @@ void wake_threads_waitq(struct irq_desc *desc)
wake_up(&desc->wait_for_threads);
}

-static void irq_thread_dtor(struct callback_head *unused)
+static void __irq_thread_dtor(struct irqaction *action)
{
struct task_struct *tsk = current;
struct irq_desc *desc;
- struct irqaction *action;

if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!(current->flags & PF_EXITING)))
return;

- action = kthread_data(tsk);
-
pr_err("exiting task \"%s\" (%d) is an active IRQ thread (irq %d)\n",
tsk->comm, tsk->pid, action->irq);

@@ -1203,6 +1200,14 @@ static void irq_thread_dtor(struct callback_head *unused)
irq_finalize_oneshot(desc, action);
}

+static void irq_thread_dtor(struct callback_head *unused)
+{
+ struct irqaction *action = kthread_data(current);
+
+ __irq_thread_dtor(action);
+ clear_and_wake_up_bit(IRQTF_EXIT_WORK, &action->thread_flags);
+}
+
static void irq_wake_secondary(struct irq_desc *desc, struct irqaction *action)
{
struct irqaction *secondary = action->secondary;
@@ -1263,6 +1268,7 @@ static int irq_thread(void *data)
else
handler_fn = irq_thread_fn;

+ set_bit(IRQTF_EXIT_WORK, &action->thread_flags);
init_task_work(&on_exit_work, irq_thread_dtor);
task_work_add(current, &on_exit_work, TWA_NONE);

@@ -1283,6 +1289,7 @@ static int irq_thread(void *data)
* oneshot mask bit can be set.
*/
task_work_cancel_func(current, irq_thread_dtor);
+ clear_and_wake_up_bit(IRQTF_EXIT_WORK, &action->thread_flags);
return 0;
}

@@ -1853,6 +1860,12 @@ __setup_irq(unsigned int irq, struct irq_desc *desc, struct irqaction *new)
return ret;
}

+static void irq_stop_thread(struct irqaction *action)
+{
+ kthread_stop_put(action->thread);
+ wait_on_bit(&action->thread_flags, IRQTF_EXIT_WORK, TASK_UNINTERRUPTIBLE);
+}
+
/*
* Internal function to unregister an irqaction - used to free
* regular and special interrupts that are part of the architecture.
@@ -1958,9 +1971,9 @@ static struct irqaction *__free_irq(struct irq_desc *desc, void *dev_id)
* the same bit to a newly requested action.
*/
if (action->thread) {
- kthread_stop_put(action->thread);
+ irq_stop_thread(action);
if (action->secondary && action->secondary->thread)
- kthread_stop_put(action->secondary->thread);
+ irq_stop_thread(action->secondary);
}

/* Last action releases resources */
--
2.52.0