kernel/linux.git/include/linux/namei.h, branch v6.18.21

Merge tag 'pull-f_path' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/viro/vfs

2025-10-03T23:32:36+00:00

Pull file->f_path constification from Al Viro: "Only one thing was modifying ->f_path of an opened file - acct(2). Massaging that away and constifying a bunch of struct path * arguments in functions that might be given &file->f_path ends up with the situation where we can turn ->f_path into an anon union of const struct path f_path and struct path __f_path, the latter modified only in a few places in fs/{file_table,open,namei}.c, all for struct file instances that are yet to be opened" * tag 'pull-f_path' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/viro/vfs: (23 commits) Have cc(1) catch attempts to modify ->f_path kernel/acct.c: saner struct file treatment configfs:get_target() - release path as soon as we grab configfs_item reference apparmor/af_unix: constify struct path * arguments ovl_is_real_file: constify realpath argument ovl_sync_file(): constify path argument ovl_lower_dir(): constify path argument ovl_get_verity_digest(): constify path argument ovl_validate_verity(): constify {meta,data}path arguments ovl_ensure_verity_loaded(): constify datapath argument ksmbd_vfs_set_init_posix_acl(): constify path argument ksmbd_vfs_inherit_posix_acl(): constify path argument ksmbd_vfs_kern_path_unlock(): constify path argument ksmbd_vfs_path_lookup_locked(): root_share_path can be const struct path * check_export(): constify path argument export_operations->open(): constify path argument rqst_exp_get_by_name(): constify path argument nfs: constify path argument of __vfs_getattr() bpf...d_path(): constify path argument done_path_create(): constify path argument ...

VFS: rename kern_path_locked() and related functions.

2025-09-23T10:37:36+00:00

kern_path_locked() is now only used to prepare for removing an object from the filesystem (and that is the only credible reason for wanting a positive locked dentry). Thus it corresponds to kern_path_create() and so should have a corresponding name. Unfortunately the name "kern_path_create" is somewhat misleading as it doesn't actually create anything. The recently added simple_start_creating() provides a better pattern I believe. The "start" can be matched with "end" to bracket the creating or removing. So this patch changes names: kern_path_locked -> start_removing_path kern_path_create -> start_creating_path user_path_create -> start_creating_user_path user_path_locked_at -> start_removing_user_path_at done_path_create -> end_creating_path and also introduces end_removing_path() which is identical to end_creating_path(). __start_removing_path (which was __kern_path_locked) is enhanced to call mnt_want_write() for consistency with the start_creating_path(). Reviewed-by: Amir Goldstein Signed-off-by: NeilBrown Signed-off-by: Christian Brauner

VFS/audit: introduce kern_path_parent() for audit

2025-09-23T10:37:35+00:00

audit_alloc_mark() and audit_get_nd() both need to perform a path lookup getting the parent dentry (which must exist) and the final target (following a LAST_NORM name) which sometimes doesn't need to exist. They don't need the parent to be locked, but use kern_path_locked() or kern_path_locked_negative() anyway. This is somewhat misleading to the casual reader. This patch introduces a more targeted function, kern_path_parent(), which returns not holding locks. On success the "path" will be set to the parent, which must be found, and the return value is the dentry of the target, which might be negative. This will clear the way to rename kern_path_locked() which is otherwise only used to prepare for removing something. It also allows us to remove kern_path_locked_negative(), which is transformed into the new kern_path_parent(). Signed-off-by: NeilBrown Signed-off-by: Christian Brauner

VFS/ovl: add lookup_one_positive_killable()

2025-09-23T10:37:35+00:00

ovl wants a lookup which won't block on a fatal signal. It currently uses down_write_killable() and then repeatedly calls to lookup_one() The lock may not be needed if the name is already in the dcache and it aids proposed future changes if the locking is kept internal to namei.c So this patch adds lookup_one_positive_killable() which is like lookup_one_positive() but will abort in the face of a fatal signal. overlayfs is changed to use this. Note that instead of always getting an exclusive lock, ovl now only gets a shared lock, and only sometimes. The exclusive lock was never needed. However down_read_killable() was only added in v4.15 but overlayfs started using down_write_killable() here in v4.7. Note that the linked list ->first_maybe_whiteout ->next_maybe_white is local to the thread so there is no concurrency in that list which could be threatened by removing the locking. Reviewed-by: Amir Goldstein Signed-off-by: NeilBrown Signed-off-by: Christian Brauner

done_path_create(): constify path argument

2025-09-16T01:17:08+00:00

Reviewed-by: Jan Kara Reviewed-by: Christian Brauner Signed-off-by: Al Viro

Merge tag 'vfs-6.16-rc1.async.dir' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/vfs/vfs

2025-05-26T15:02:43+00:00

Pull vfs directory lookup updates from Christian Brauner: "This contains cleanups for the lookup_one*() family of helpers. We expose a set of functions with names containing "lookup_one_len" and others without the "_len". This difference has nothing to do with "len". It's rater a historical accident that can be confusing. The functions without "_len" take a "mnt_idmap" pointer. This is found in the "vfsmount" and that is an important question when choosing which to use: do you have a vfsmount, or are you "inside" the filesystem. A related question is "is permission checking relevant here?". nfsd and cachefiles *do* have a vfsmount but *don't* use the non-_len functions. They pass nop_mnt_idmap and refuse to work on filesystems which have any other idmap. This work changes nfsd and cachefile to use the lookup_one family of functions and to explictily pass &nop_mnt_idmap which is consistent with all other vfs interfaces used where &nop_mnt_idmap is explicitly passed. The remaining uses of the "_one" functions do not require permission checks so these are renamed to be "_noperm" and the permission checking is removed. This series also changes these lookup function to take a qstr instead of separate name and len. In many cases this simplifies the call" * tag 'vfs-6.16-rc1.async.dir' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/vfs/vfs: VFS: change lookup_one_common and lookup_noperm_common to take a qstr Use try_lookup_noperm() instead of d_hash_and_lookup() outside of VFS VFS: rename lookup_one_len family to lookup_noperm and remove permission check cachefiles: Use lookup_one() rather than lookup_one_len() nfsd: Use lookup_one() rather than lookup_one_len() VFS: improve interface for lookup_one functions

fs: add kern_path_locked_negative()

2025-04-15T09:32:34+00:00

The audit code relies on the fact that kern_path_locked() returned a path even for a negative dentry. If it doesn't find a valid dentry it immediately calls: audit_find_parent(d_backing_inode(parent_path.dentry)); which assumes that parent_path.dentry is still valid. But it isn't since kern_path_locked() has been changed to path_put() also for a negative dentry. Fix this by adding a helper that implements the required audit semantics and allows us to fix the immediate bleeding. We can find a unified solution for this afterwards. Link: https://lore.kernel.org/20250414-rennt-wimmeln-f186c3a780f1@brauner Fixes: 1c3cb50b58c3 ("VFS: change kern_path_locked() and user_path_locked_at() to never return negative dentry") Reported-and-tested-by: Vlastimil Babka Signed-off-by: Christian Brauner

VFS: rename lookup_one_len family to lookup_noperm and remove permission check

2025-04-08T09:24:36+00:00

The lookup_one_len family of functions is (now) only used internally by a filesystem on itself either - in a context where permission checking is irrelevant such as by a virtual filesystem populating itself, or xfs accessing its ORPHANAGE or dquota accessing the quota file; or - in a context where a permission check (MAY_EXEC on the parent) has just been performed such as a network filesystem finding in "silly-rename" file in the same directory. This is also the context after the _parentat() functions where currently lookup_one_qstr_excl() is used. So the permission check is pointless. The name "one_len" is unhelpful in understanding the purpose of these functions and should be changed. Most of the callers pass the len as "strlen()" so using a qstr and QSTR() can simplify the code. This patch renames these functions (include lookup_positive_unlocked() which is part of the family despite the name) to have a name based on "lookup_noperm". They are changed to receive a 'struct qstr' instead of separate name and len. In a few cases the use of QSTR() results in a new call to strlen(). try_lookup_noperm() takes a pointer to a qstr instead of the whole qstr. This is consistent with d_hash_and_lookup() (which is nearly identical) and useful for lookup_noperm_unlocked(). The new lookup_noperm_common() doesn't take a qstr yet. That will be tidied up in a subsequent patch. Signed-off-by: NeilBrown Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/20250319031545.2999807-5-neil@brown.name Signed-off-by: Christian Brauner

VFS: improve interface for lookup_one functions

2025-04-07T07:25:32+00:00

The family of functions: lookup_one() lookup_one_unlocked() lookup_one_positive_unlocked() appear designed to be used by external clients of the filesystem rather than by filesystems acting on themselves as the lookup_one_len family are used. They are used by: btrfs/ioctl - which is a user-space interface rather than an internal activity exportfs - i.e. from nfsd or the open_by_handle_at interface overlayfs - at access the underlying filesystems smb/server - for file service They should be used by nfsd (more than just the exportfs path) and cachefs but aren't. It would help if the documentation didn't claim they should "not be called by generic code". Also the path component name is passed as "name" and "len" which are (confusingly?) separate by the "base". In some cases the len in simply "strlen" and so passing a qstr using QSTR() would make the calling clearer. Other callers do pass separate name and len which are stored in a struct. Sometimes these are already stored in a qstr, other times it easily could be. So this patch changes these three functions to receive a 'struct qstr *', and improves the documentation. QSTR_LEN() is added to make it easy to pass a QSTR containing a known len. [brauner@kernel.org: take a struct qstr pointer] Signed-off-by: NeilBrown Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/20250319031545.2999807-2-neil@brown.name Signed-off-by: Christian Brauner

VFS: repack LOOKUP_ bit flags.

2025-02-10T09:41:00+00:00

The LOOKUP_ bits are not in order, which can make it awkward when adding new bits. Two bits have recently been added to the end which makes them look like "scoping flags", but in fact they aren't. Also LOOKUP_PARENT is described as "internal use only" but is used in fs/nfs/ This patch: - Moves these three flags into the "pathwalk mode" section - changes all bits to use the BIT(n) macro - Allocates bits in order leaving gaps between the sections, and documents those gaps. Signed-off-by: NeilBrown Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/20250206054504.2950516-8-neilb@suse.de Signed-off-by: Christian Brauner