possible deadlock in lo_ioctl

Status: upstream: reported on 2026/08/13 05:17
Subsystems: block
Labels: prio:low
[Documentation on labels]
Reported-by: syzbot+cc0de396bac84da51919@syzkaller.appspotmail.com
First crash: 4d18h, last: 4d00h
✨ AI Jobs (2)
ID Workflow Result Correct Bug Created Started Finished Revision
caf9de0c repro-c Reproduced: ✅ possible deadlock in lo_ioctl 2026/08/13 13:47 2026/08/13 19:30 2026/08/13 21:34 0165196a
e83dfed9 assessment-security DenialOfService: ❌ Exploitable: ❌ FilesystemTrigger: ❌ NetworkTrigger: ❌ PeripheralTrigger: ❌ RemoteTrigger: ❌ Unprivileged: ❌ UserNamespace: ❌ VMGuestTrigger: ❌ VMHostTrigger: ❌ possible deadlock in lo_ioctl 2026/08/11 00:00 2026/08/11 00:00 2026/08/11 00:58 039457bd
Discussions (2)
Title Replies (including bot) Last reply
[PATCH] loop: Fix recently introduced lock inversion 2 (2) 2026/08/13 16:18
[syzbot] [block?] possible deadlock in lo_ioctl 0 (1) 2026/08/13 05:17

Sample crash report:
======================================================
WARNING: possible circular locking dependency detected
syzkaller #0 Tainted: G             L     
------------------------------------------------------
syz.4.8555/6352 is trying to acquire lock:
ffff88802688d118 (&q->limits_lock){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: queue_limits_start_update include/linux/blkdev.h:1101 [inline]
ffff88802688d118 (&q->limits_lock){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: loop_set_dio drivers/block/loop.c:1460 [inline]
ffff88802688d118 (&q->limits_lock){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: lo_simple_ioctl drivers/block/loop.c:1528 [inline]
ffff88802688d118 (&q->limits_lock){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: lo_ioctl+0x16ca/0x2150 drivers/block/loop.c:1594

but task is already holding lock:
ffff88802688cae0 (&q->q_usage_counter(io)#26){++++}-{0:0}, at: blk_mq_freeze_queue include/linux/blk-mq.h:956 [inline]
ffff88802688cae0 (&q->q_usage_counter(io)#26){++++}-{0:0}, at: loop_set_dio drivers/block/loop.c:1455 [inline]
ffff88802688cae0 (&q->q_usage_counter(io)#26){++++}-{0:0}, at: lo_simple_ioctl drivers/block/loop.c:1528 [inline]
ffff88802688cae0 (&q->q_usage_counter(io)#26){++++}-{0:0}, at: lo_ioctl+0x1688/0x2150 drivers/block/loop.c:1594

which lock already depends on the new lock.


the existing dependency chain (in reverse order) is:

-> #2 (&q->q_usage_counter(io)#26){++++}-{0:0}:
       bio_queue_enter block/blk.h:95 [inline]
       blk_mq_submit_bio+0x7fa/0x2a40 block/blk-mq.c:3127
       __submit_bio_noacct_mq block/blk-core.c:756 [inline]
       submit_bio_noacct_nocheck+0x2f4/0xa40 block/blk-core.c:790
       bh_submit fs/buffer.c:1146 [inline]
       __bread_slow fs/buffer.c:1157 [inline]
       __bread_gfp+0x1e9/0x380 fs/buffer.c:1403
       sb_bread include/linux/buffer_head.h:344 [inline]
       fat12_ent_bread+0x156/0x570 fs/fat/fatent.c:77
       fat_ent_read_block+0x391/0x4b0 fs/fat/fatent.c:450
       fat_alloc_clusters+0x434/0xe30 fs/fat/fatent.c:498
       fat_alloc_new_dir+0x160/0xb90 fs/fat/dir.c:1184
       vfat_mkdir+0x13a/0x300 fs/fat/namei_vfat.c:861
       vfs_mkdir+0x40c/0x620 fs/namei.c:5410
       filename_mkdirat+0x285/0x510 fs/namei.c:5443
       __do_sys_mkdirat fs/namei.c:5464 [inline]
       __se_sys_mkdirat+0x35/0x150 fs/namei.c:5461
       do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:61 [inline]
       do_syscall_64+0x166/0x510 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:84
       entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f

-> #1 (&sbi->fat_lock){+.+.}-{4:4}:
       __mutex_lock_common kernel/locking/mutex.c:646 [inline]
       __mutex_lock+0x19d/0x1550 kernel/locking/mutex.c:821
       lock_fat fs/fat/fatent.c:285 [inline]
       fat_count_free_clusters+0x157/0xb40 fs/fat/fatent.c:729
       fat_statfs+0x135/0x400 fs/fat/inode.c:874
       statfs_by_dentry fs/statfs.c:66 [inline]
       vfs_statfs+0x147/0x2d0 fs/statfs.c:90
       loop_get_discard_config drivers/block/loop.c:774 [inline]
       loop_update_limits+0x375/0x920 drivers/block/loop.c:984
       loop_configure+0x7d2/0xdc0 drivers/block/loop.c:1084
       lo_ioctl+0xad5/0x2150 drivers/block/loop.c:1564
       blkdev_ioctl+0x5e3/0x740 block/ioctl.c:798
       vfs_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:51 [inline]
       __do_sys_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:597 [inline]
       __se_sys_ioctl+0xfc/0x170 fs/ioctl.c:583
       do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:61 [inline]
       do_syscall_64+0x166/0x510 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:84
       entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f

-> #0 (&q->limits_lock){+.+.}-{4:4}:
       check_prev_add kernel/locking/lockdep.c:3181 [inline]
       check_prevs_add kernel/locking/lockdep.c:3300 [inline]
       validate_chain kernel/locking/lockdep.c:3924 [inline]
       __lock_acquire+0x15ff/0x2e50 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:5254
       lock_acquire+0x115/0x350 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:5908
       __mutex_lock_common kernel/locking/mutex.c:646 [inline]
       __mutex_lock+0x19d/0x1550 kernel/locking/mutex.c:821
       queue_limits_start_update include/linux/blkdev.h:1101 [inline]
       loop_set_dio drivers/block/loop.c:1460 [inline]
       lo_simple_ioctl drivers/block/loop.c:1528 [inline]
       lo_ioctl+0x16ca/0x2150 drivers/block/loop.c:1594
       blkdev_ioctl+0x5e3/0x740 block/ioctl.c:798
       vfs_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:51 [inline]
       __do_sys_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:597 [inline]
       __se_sys_ioctl+0xfc/0x170 fs/ioctl.c:583
       do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:61 [inline]
       do_syscall_64+0x166/0x510 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:84
       entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f

other info that might help us debug this:

Chain exists of:
  &q->limits_lock --> &sbi->fat_lock --> &q->q_usage_counter(io)#26

 Possible unsafe locking scenario:

       CPU0                    CPU1
       ----                    ----
  lock(&q->q_usage_counter(io)#26);
                               lock(&sbi->fat_lock);
                               lock(&q->q_usage_counter(io)#26);
  lock(&q->limits_lock);

 *** DEADLOCK ***

locks held by syz.4.8555/6352: 3, last CPU#1:
 #0: ffff8880267e7430 (&lo->lo_mutex){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: lo_simple_ioctl drivers/block/loop.c:1520 [inline]
 #0: ffff8880267e7430 (&lo->lo_mutex){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: lo_ioctl+0x7c4/0x2150 drivers/block/loop.c:1594
 #1: ffff88802688cae0 (&q->q_usage_counter(io)#26){++++}-{0:0}, at: blk_mq_freeze_queue include/linux/blk-mq.h:956 [inline]
 #1: ffff88802688cae0 (&q->q_usage_counter(io)#26){++++}-{0:0}, at: loop_set_dio drivers/block/loop.c:1455 [inline]
 #1: ffff88802688cae0 (&q->q_usage_counter(io)#26){++++}-{0:0}, at: lo_simple_ioctl drivers/block/loop.c:1528 [inline]
 #1: ffff88802688cae0 (&q->q_usage_counter(io)#26){++++}-{0:0}, at: lo_ioctl+0x1688/0x2150 drivers/block/loop.c:1594
 #2: ffff88802688cb18 (&q->q_usage_counter(queue)#10){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: blk_mq_freeze_queue include/linux/blk-mq.h:956 [inline]
 #2: ffff88802688cb18 (&q->q_usage_counter(queue)#10){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: loop_set_dio drivers/block/loop.c:1455 [inline]
 #2: ffff88802688cb18 (&q->q_usage_counter(queue)#10){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: lo_simple_ioctl drivers/block/loop.c:1528 [inline]
 #2: ffff88802688cb18 (&q->q_usage_counter(queue)#10){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: lo_ioctl+0x1688/0x2150 drivers/block/loop.c:1594

stack backtrace:
CPU: 1 UID: 0 PID: 6352 Comm: syz.4.8555 Tainted: G             L      syzkaller #0 PREEMPT(full) 
Tainted: [L]=SOFTLOCKUP
Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 07/24/2026
Call Trace:
 <TASK>
 dump_stack_lvl+0xe8/0x150 lib/dump_stack.c:120
 print_circular_bug+0x2e2/0x300 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:2059
 check_noncircular+0x12f/0x150 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:2191
 check_prev_add kernel/locking/lockdep.c:3181 [inline]
 check_prevs_add kernel/locking/lockdep.c:3300 [inline]
 validate_chain kernel/locking/lockdep.c:3924 [inline]
 __lock_acquire+0x15ff/0x2e50 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:5254
 lock_acquire+0x115/0x350 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:5908
 __mutex_lock_common kernel/locking/mutex.c:646 [inline]
 __mutex_lock+0x19d/0x1550 kernel/locking/mutex.c:821
 queue_limits_start_update include/linux/blkdev.h:1101 [inline]
 loop_set_dio drivers/block/loop.c:1460 [inline]
 lo_simple_ioctl drivers/block/loop.c:1528 [inline]
 lo_ioctl+0x16ca/0x2150 drivers/block/loop.c:1594
 blkdev_ioctl+0x5e3/0x740 block/ioctl.c:798
 vfs_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:51 [inline]
 __do_sys_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:597 [inline]
 __se_sys_ioctl+0xfc/0x170 fs/ioctl.c:583
 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:61 [inline]
 do_syscall_64+0x166/0x510 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:84
 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f
RIP: 0033:0x7f450119e0d9
Code: ff c3 66 2e 0f 1f 84 00 00 00 00 00 0f 1f 44 00 00 48 89 f8 48 89 f7 48 89 d6 48 89 ca 4d 89 c2 4d 89 c8 4c 8b 4c 24 08 0f 05 <48> 3d 01 f0 ff ff 73 01 c3 48 c7 c1 e8 ff ff ff f7 d8 64 89 01 48
RSP: 002b:00007f45020e0028 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 0000000000000010
RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 00007f4501426090 RCX: 00007f450119e0d9
RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 0000000000004c08 RDI: 0000000000000008
RBP: 00007f4501235024 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000
R10: 0000000000000000 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 0000000000000000
R13: 00007f4501426128 R14: 00007f4501426090 R15: 00007ffee924f4a8
 </TASK>

Crashes (2):
Time Kernel Commit Syzkaller Config Log Report Syz repro C repro VM info Assets (help?) Manager Title
2026/08/09 23:25 linux-next 6b8c8af514d7 5d63f80b .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci-upstream-linux-next-kasan-gce-root possible deadlock in lo_ioctl
2026/08/09 05:05 linux-next 6b8c8af514d7 5d63f80b .config console log report info [disk image] [vmlinux] [kernel image] ci-upstream-linux-next-kasan-gce-root possible deadlock in lo_ioctl
* Struck through repros no longer work on HEAD.