[lvc-project] [PATCH] f2fs: read COW data with the original inode during atomic write

Chao Yu chao at kernel.org
Mon Jun 15 10:47:36 MSK 2026


On 6/5/26 18:38, Mikhail Lobanov wrote:
> When updating an atomic-write file, f2fs_write_begin() may read the
> previously written data back from the COW inode:
> prepare_atomic_write_begin() locates the block in the COW inode and sets
> use_cow, and the read bio is then built with the COW inode:
> 
> 	f2fs_submit_page_read(use_cow ? F2FS_I(inode)->cow_inode : inode,
> 			      ...);
> 
> and f2fs_grab_read_bio() decides whether to schedule fs-layer decryption
> (STEP_DECRYPT) for the bio based on that inode via
> fscrypt_inode_uses_fs_layer_crypto().
> 
> However, the folio being filled belongs to the original inode
> (folio->mapping->host == inode), and the data stored in the COW block was
> encrypted (or left as plaintext) using the original inode's context, not
> the COW inode's -- see f2fs_encrypt_one_page(), which keys off
> fio->page->mapping->host.  fscrypt_decrypt_pagecache_blocks() likewise
> operates on folio->mapping->host.
> 
> The COW inode is created as a tmpfile in the parent directory and inherits
> its encryption policy from there.  With test_dummy_encryption the newly
> created COW inode gets the dummy policy and becomes encrypted, while a
> pre-existing regular file -- created before the policy applied, e.g.
> already present in the on-disk image -- stays unencrypted.  The read
> path then sets STEP_DECRYPT based on the encrypted COW inode and calls
> fscrypt_decrypt_pagecache_blocks() on a folio whose host (the unencrypted
> original inode) has a NULL ->i_crypt_info, dereferencing it:
> 
>   Oops: general protection fault, probably for non-canonical address ...
>   KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x0000000000000008-0x000000000000000f]
>   RIP: 0010:fscrypt_decrypt_pagecache_blocks+0xa0/0x310
>   Workqueue: f2fs_post_read_wq f2fs_post_read_work
>   Call Trace:
>    fscrypt_decrypt_bio+0x1eb/0x340
>    f2fs_post_read_work+0xba/0x140
>    process_one_work+0x91c/0x1a40
>    worker_thread+0x677/0xe90
>    kthread+0x2bc/0x3a0
> 
> The COW inode is only needed to locate the on-disk block, and that block
> address is already resolved into @blkaddr; the data's crypto state belongs
> to the original inode.  Read with the original inode so the post-read
> decryption decision matches the folio's owner.  This also makes the inline
> crypto path use the correct (original inode's) key.
> 
> Fixes: 591fc34e1f98 ("f2fs: use cow inode data when updating atomic write")
> Cc: stable at vger.kernel.org
> Signed-off-by: Mikhail Lobanov <m.lobanov at rosa.ru>

It leaves use_cow as no useful variable in f2fs_write_begin(), can we drop it in
f2fs_write_begin() and prepare_atomic_write_begin()?

Anyway, it's about cleanup, the fix itself looks good to me.

Reviewed-by: Chao Yu <chao at kernel.org>

Thanks,



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