[PATCH] pmdomain: core: Reset genpd->states to avoid freeing invalid data

[Dhruva Gole]

On Apr 02, 2025 at 14:06:13 +0200, Ulf Hansson wrote:
> If genpd_alloc_data() allocates data for the default power-states for the
> genpd, let's make sure to also reset the pointer in the error path. This
> makes sure a genpd provider driver doesn't end up trying to free the data
> again, but using an invalid pointer.

I maybe missing something but if kfree works similar to [1]GNU free() won't
it make the genpd->states NULL anyway? Have you actually seen scenarios
where the genpd->states is remaining non-NULL even after kfree?

[1]
https://www.gnu.org/software/libc/manual/html_node/Freeing-after-Malloc.html#:~:text=The%20free%20function%20deallocates%20the%20block%20of%20memory%20pointed%20at%20by%20ptr%20.&text=Occasionally%2C%20free%20can%20actually%20return,malloc%20to%20reuse%20the%20space.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Ulf Hansson <ulf.hansson at linaro.org>
> ---
>  drivers/pmdomain/core.c | 4 +++-
>  1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
> 
> diff --git a/drivers/pmdomain/core.c b/drivers/pmdomain/core.c
> index 9b2f28b34bb5..c179464047fe 100644
> --- a/drivers/pmdomain/core.c
> +++ b/drivers/pmdomain/core.c
> @@ -2229,8 +2229,10 @@ static int genpd_alloc_data(struct generic_pm_domain *genpd)
>  	return 0;
>  put:
>  	put_device(&genpd->dev);
> -	if (genpd->free_states == genpd_free_default_power_state)
> +	if (genpd->free_states == genpd_free_default_power_state) {
>  		kfree(genpd->states);
> +		genpd->states = NULL;

Also the coding convention for kfree in other places in pmdomains
doesn't seem to follow this practise either...

$> rg -A1 kfree drivers/pmdomain

Is this something we're planning to start following in pmdomains from
now on?

> +	}
>  free:
>  	if (genpd_is_cpu_domain(genpd))
>  		free_cpumask_var(genpd->cpus);
> -- 
> 2.43.0
> 
> 

-- 
Best regards,
Dhruva Gole
Texas Instruments Incorporated