In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
quota: fix livelock between quotactl and freeze_super
When a filesystem is frozen, quotactl_block() enters a retry loop
waiting for the filesystem to thaw. It acquires s_umount, checks the
freeze state, drops s_umount and uses sb_start_write() - sb_end_write()
pair to wait for the unfreeze.
However, this retry loop can trigger a livelock issue, specifically on
kernels with preemption disabled.
The mechanism is as follows:
1. freeze_super() sets SB_FREEZE_WRITE and calls sb_wait_write().
2. sb_wait_write() calls percpu_down_write(), which initiates
synchronize_rcu().
3. Simultaneously, quotactl_block() spins in its retry loop, immediately
executing the sb_start_write() - sb_end_write() pair.
4. Because the kernel is non-preemptible and the loop contains no
scheduling points, quotactl_block() never yields the CPU. This
prevents that CPU from reaching an RCU quiescent state.
5. synchronize_rcu() in the freezer thread waits indefinitely for the
quotactl_block() CPU to report a quiescent state.
6. quotactl_block() spins indefinitely waiting for the freezer to
advance, which it cannot do as it is blocked on the RCU sync.
This results in a hang of the freezer process and 100% CPU usage by the
quota process.
While this can occur intermittently on multi-core systems, it is
reliably reproducing on a node with the following script, running both
the freezer and the quota toggle on the same CPU:
# mkfs.ext4 -O quota /dev/sda 2g && mkdir a_mount
# mount /dev/sda -o quota,usrquota,grpquota a_mount
# taskset -c 3 bash -c "while true; do xfs_freeze -f a_mount; \
xfs_freeze -u a_mount; done" &
# taskset -c 3 bash -c "while true; do quotaon a_mount; \
quotaoff a_mount; done" &
Adding cond_resched() to the retry loop fixes the issue. It acts as an
RCU quiescent state, allowing synchronize_rcu() in percpu_down_write()
to complete.
quota: fix livelock between quotactl and freeze_super
When a filesystem is frozen, quotactl_block() enters a retry loop
waiting for the filesystem to thaw. It acquires s_umount, checks the
freeze state, drops s_umount and uses sb_start_write() - sb_end_write()
pair to wait for the unfreeze.
However, this retry loop can trigger a livelock issue, specifically on
kernels with preemption disabled.
The mechanism is as follows:
1. freeze_super() sets SB_FREEZE_WRITE and calls sb_wait_write().
2. sb_wait_write() calls percpu_down_write(), which initiates
synchronize_rcu().
3. Simultaneously, quotactl_block() spins in its retry loop, immediately
executing the sb_start_write() - sb_end_write() pair.
4. Because the kernel is non-preemptible and the loop contains no
scheduling points, quotactl_block() never yields the CPU. This
prevents that CPU from reaching an RCU quiescent state.
5. synchronize_rcu() in the freezer thread waits indefinitely for the
quotactl_block() CPU to report a quiescent state.
6. quotactl_block() spins indefinitely waiting for the freezer to
advance, which it cannot do as it is blocked on the RCU sync.
This results in a hang of the freezer process and 100% CPU usage by the
quota process.
While this can occur intermittently on multi-core systems, it is
reliably reproducing on a node with the following script, running both
the freezer and the quota toggle on the same CPU:
# mkfs.ext4 -O quota /dev/sda 2g && mkdir a_mount
# mount /dev/sda -o quota,usrquota,grpquota a_mount
# taskset -c 3 bash -c "while true; do xfs_freeze -f a_mount; \
xfs_freeze -u a_mount; done" &
# taskset -c 3 bash -c "while true; do quotaon a_mount; \
quotaoff a_mount; done" &
Adding cond_resched() to the retry loop fixes the issue. It acts as an
RCU quiescent state, allowing synchronize_rcu() in percpu_down_write()
to complete.
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | unaffected |
|
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| Linux | Linux | affected |
|
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Fixes
Solution
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Workaround
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References
History
Wed, 27 May 2026 16:15:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Weaknesses | CWE-754 |
Wed, 27 May 2026 14:15:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: quota: fix livelock between quotactl and freeze_super When a filesystem is frozen, quotactl_block() enters a retry loop waiting for the filesystem to thaw. It acquires s_umount, checks the freeze state, drops s_umount and uses sb_start_write() - sb_end_write() pair to wait for the unfreeze. However, this retry loop can trigger a livelock issue, specifically on kernels with preemption disabled. The mechanism is as follows: 1. freeze_super() sets SB_FREEZE_WRITE and calls sb_wait_write(). 2. sb_wait_write() calls percpu_down_write(), which initiates synchronize_rcu(). 3. Simultaneously, quotactl_block() spins in its retry loop, immediately executing the sb_start_write() - sb_end_write() pair. 4. Because the kernel is non-preemptible and the loop contains no scheduling points, quotactl_block() never yields the CPU. This prevents that CPU from reaching an RCU quiescent state. 5. synchronize_rcu() in the freezer thread waits indefinitely for the quotactl_block() CPU to report a quiescent state. 6. quotactl_block() spins indefinitely waiting for the freezer to advance, which it cannot do as it is blocked on the RCU sync. This results in a hang of the freezer process and 100% CPU usage by the quota process. While this can occur intermittently on multi-core systems, it is reliably reproducing on a node with the following script, running both the freezer and the quota toggle on the same CPU: # mkfs.ext4 -O quota /dev/sda 2g && mkdir a_mount # mount /dev/sda -o quota,usrquota,grpquota a_mount # taskset -c 3 bash -c "while true; do xfs_freeze -f a_mount; \ xfs_freeze -u a_mount; done" & # taskset -c 3 bash -c "while true; do quotaon a_mount; \ quotaoff a_mount; done" & Adding cond_resched() to the retry loop fixes the issue. It acts as an RCU quiescent state, allowing synchronize_rcu() in percpu_down_write() to complete. | |
| Title | quota: fix livelock between quotactl and freeze_super | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
|
Projects
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MITRE
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-05-27T12:17:05.666Z
Reserved: 2026-05-13T15:03:33.083Z
Link: CVE-2026-45895
Vulnrichment
No data.
NVD
Status : Awaiting Analysis
Published: 2026-05-27T14:17:03.733
Modified: 2026-05-27T14:48:31.480
Link: CVE-2026-45895
Redhat
No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
Updated: 2026-05-27T16:00:08Z
Weaknesses