In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

gfs2: Prevent recursive memory reclaim

Function new_inode() returns a new inode with inode->i_mapping->gfp_mask
set to GFP_HIGHUSER_MOVABLE. This value includes the __GFP_FS flag, so
allocations in that address space can recurse into filesystem memory
reclaim. We don't want that to happen because it can consume a
significant amount of stack memory.

Worse than that is that it can also deadlock: for example, in several
places, gfs2_unstuff_dinode() is called inside filesystem transactions.
This calls filemap_grab_folio(), which can allocate a new folio, which
can trigger memory reclaim. If memory reclaim recurses into the
filesystem and starts another transaction, a deadlock will ensue.

To fix these kinds of problems, prevent memory reclaim from recursing
into filesystem code by making sure that the gfp_mask of inode address
spaces doesn't include __GFP_FS.

The "meta" and resource group address spaces were already using GFP_NOFS
as their gfp_mask (which doesn't include __GFP_FS). The default value
of GFP_HIGHUSER_MOVABLE is less restrictive than GFP_NOFS, though. To
avoid being overly limiting, use the default value and only knock off
the __GFP_FS flag. I'm not sure if this will actually make a
difference, but it also shouldn't hurt.

This patch is loosely based on commit ad22c7a043c2 ("xfs: prevent stack
overflows from page cache allocation").

Fixes xfstest generic/273.
Advisories

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Fixes

Solution

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Workaround

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History

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 10:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: gfs2: Prevent recursive memory reclaim Function new_inode() returns a new inode with inode->i_mapping->gfp_mask set to GFP_HIGHUSER_MOVABLE. This value includes the __GFP_FS flag, so allocations in that address space can recurse into filesystem memory reclaim. We don't want that to happen because it can consume a significant amount of stack memory. Worse than that is that it can also deadlock: for example, in several places, gfs2_unstuff_dinode() is called inside filesystem transactions. This calls filemap_grab_folio(), which can allocate a new folio, which can trigger memory reclaim. If memory reclaim recurses into the filesystem and starts another transaction, a deadlock will ensue. To fix these kinds of problems, prevent memory reclaim from recursing into filesystem code by making sure that the gfp_mask of inode address spaces doesn't include __GFP_FS. The "meta" and resource group address spaces were already using GFP_NOFS as their gfp_mask (which doesn't include __GFP_FS). The default value of GFP_HIGHUSER_MOVABLE is less restrictive than GFP_NOFS, though. To avoid being overly limiting, use the default value and only knock off the __GFP_FS flag. I'm not sure if this will actually make a difference, but it also shouldn't hurt. This patch is loosely based on commit ad22c7a043c2 ("xfs: prevent stack overflows from page cache allocation"). Fixes xfstest generic/273.
Title gfs2: Prevent recursive memory reclaim
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2025-12-24T10:32:46.275Z

Reserved: 2025-12-16T14:48:05.301Z

Link: CVE-2025-68356

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2025-12-24T11:15:58.967

Modified: 2025-12-24T11:15:58.967

Link: CVE-2025-68356

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses

No weakness.