Files
linux/kernel
Ihor Solodrai f9d69d5e7b module: Fix kernel panic when a symbol st_shndx is out of bounds
The module loader doesn't check for bounds of the ELF section index in
simplify_symbols():

       for (i = 1; i < symsec->sh_size / sizeof(Elf_Sym); i++) {
		const char *name = info->strtab + sym[i].st_name;

		switch (sym[i].st_shndx) {
		case SHN_COMMON:

		[...]

		default:
			/* Divert to percpu allocation if a percpu var. */
			if (sym[i].st_shndx == info->index.pcpu)
				secbase = (unsigned long)mod_percpu(mod);
			else
  /** HERE --> **/		secbase = info->sechdrs[sym[i].st_shndx].sh_addr;
			sym[i].st_value += secbase;
			break;
		}
	}

A symbol with an out-of-bounds st_shndx value, for example 0xffff
(known as SHN_XINDEX or SHN_HIRESERVE), may cause a kernel panic:

  BUG: unable to handle page fault for address: ...
  RIP: 0010:simplify_symbols+0x2b2/0x480
  ...
  Kernel panic - not syncing: Fatal exception

This can happen when module ELF is legitimately using SHN_XINDEX or
when it is corrupted.

Add a bounds check in simplify_symbols() to validate that st_shndx is
within the valid range before using it.

This issue was discovered due to a bug in llvm-objcopy, see relevant
discussion for details [1].

[1] https://lore.kernel.org/linux-modules/20251224005752.201911-1-ihor.solodrai@linux.dev/

Signed-off-by: Ihor Solodrai <ihor.solodrai@linux.dev>
Reviewed-by: Daniel Gomez <da.gomez@samsung.com>
Reviewed-by: Petr Pavlu <petr.pavlu@suse.com>
Signed-off-by: Sami Tolvanen <samitolvanen@google.com>
2026-02-23 19:37:28 +00:00
..
2026-01-05 16:43:34 +01:00
2025-11-11 10:01:31 +01:00
2025-11-04 08:30:50 +01:00
2026-01-22 11:11:20 +01:00
2025-10-29 10:29:54 +01:00
2026-01-26 19:07:13 -08:00