Subject: [PATCH net-next] net/rds: Fix circular locking dependency in rds_tcp_tune

From: Allison Henderson <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2026 14:34:54 -0700

syzbot reported a circular locking dependency in rds_tcp_tune() where
sk_net_refcnt_upgrade() is called while holding the socket lock:

======================================================
WARNING: possible circular locking dependency detected
------------------------------------------------------
kworker/u10:8/15040 is trying to acquire lock:
ffffffff8e9aaf80 (fs_reclaim){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: __kmalloc_cache_noprof+0x4b/0x6f0

but task is already holding lock:
ffff88805a3c1ce0 (k-sk_lock-AF_INET6){+.+.}-{0:0}, at: rds_tcp_tune+0xd7/0x930

The issue occurs because sk_net_refcnt_upgrade() performs memory allocation
(via get_net_track() -> ref_tracker_alloc()) while the socket lock is held,
creating a circular dependency with fs_reclaim.

Fix this by moving sk_net_refcnt_upgrade() outside the socket lock critical
section. Since the fresh socket is not yet exposed to other threads, no
locks are needed at this time.

Reported-by: [email-masked]
Closes: https://syzkaller.appspot.com/bug?extid=2e2cf5331207053b8106
Fixes: 5c70eb5c593d ("net: better track kernel sockets lifetime")
Signed-off-by: Allison Henderson <[email-masked]>
---
 net/rds/tcp.c | 14 ++++++++++----
 1 file changed, 10 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/net/rds/tcp.c b/net/rds/tcp.c
index 04f310255692..da22b3dfdbf0 100644
--- a/net/rds/tcp.c
+++ b/net/rds/tcp.c
@@ -490,18 +490,24 @@ bool rds_tcp_tune(struct socket *sock)
 	struct rds_tcp_net *rtn;
 
 	tcp_sock_set_nodelay(sock->sk);
-	lock_sock(sk);
 	/* TCP timer functions might access net namespace even after
 	 * a process which created this net namespace terminated.
 	 */
 	if (!sk->sk_net_refcnt) {
-		if (!maybe_get_net(net)) {
-			release_sock(sk);
+		if (!maybe_get_net(net))
 			return false;
-		}
+		/*
+		 * We call sk_net_refcnt_upgrade before the lock_sock since it is
+		 * not yet shared, no lock is needed at this time.  Further,
+		 * because sk_net_refcnt_upgrade does a GFP_KERNEL allocation,
+		 * this can trigger an fs_reclaim in other systems which creates
+		 * a circular lock dependancy.  Avoid this by upgrading the
+		 * refcnt before the locking the socket.
+		 */
 		sk_net_refcnt_upgrade(sk);
 		put_net(net);
 	}
+	lock_sock(sk);
 	rtn = net_generic(net, rds_tcp_netid);
 	if (rtn->sndbuf_size > 0) {
 		sk->sk_sndbuf = rtn->sndbuf_size;
-- 
2.43.0