When gadgetfs_fill_super() fails, it's error path calls
put_dev() which drops refcount inside the_device to 0
and frees the objet. But the_device pointer is not
cleared, leading to point at freed memory.

VFS will then call gadgetfs_kill_sb() after mount
failure leading to put_dev() to be called on the
already freed pointer.

Fix by setting the_device = NULL during error path
before calling put_dev() inside gadgetfs_fill_super()
so that gadgetfs_kill_sb() skips put_dev().

Reported-by: syzbot+4a5c87a01894ca37f25c@syzkaller.appspotmail.com
Link: https://syzkaller.appspot.com/bug?extid=4a5c87a01894ca37f25c
Fixes: 1da177e4c3f4 ("Linux-2.6.12-rc2")
Signed-off-by: Rafael Alejandro Diaz Cruz <rafad900@gmail.com>
---
 drivers/usb/gadget/legacy/inode.c | 2 ++
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)

diff --git a/drivers/usb/gadget/legacy/inode.c b/drivers/usb/gadget/legacy/inode.c
index d87a8ab51510..77efa984ce84 100644
--- a/drivers/usb/gadget/legacy/inode.c
+++ b/drivers/usb/gadget/legacy/inode.c
@@ -2059,6 +2059,7 @@ gadgetfs_fill_super (struct super_block *sb, struct fs_context *fc)
 	rc = gadgetfs_create_file(sb, CHIP, dev, &ep0_operations);
 	if (rc) {
 		put_dev(dev);
+		the_device = NULL;
 		goto Enomem;
 	}
 
@@ -2066,6 +2067,7 @@ gadgetfs_fill_super (struct super_block *sb, struct fs_context *fc)
 	 * from binding to a controller.
 	 */
 	the_device = dev;
+	get_dev(dev);
 	rc = 0;
 	goto Done;
 
-- 
2.43.0

On Thu, Aug 27, 2026 at 11:18:29PM -0700, Rafael Alejandro Diaz Cruz wrote:
> When gadgetfs_fill_super() fails, it's error path calls
> put_dev() which drops refcount inside the_device to 0
> and frees the objet. But the_device pointer is not
> cleared, leading to point at freed memory.
> 
> VFS will then call gadgetfs_kill_sb() after mount
> failure leading to put_dev() to be called on the
> already freed pointer.
> 
> Fix by setting the_device = NULL during error path
> before calling put_dev() inside gadgetfs_fill_super()
> so that gadgetfs_kill_sb() skips put_dev().
> 
> Reported-by: syzbot+4a5c87a01894ca37f25c@syzkaller.appspotmail.com
> Link: https://syzkaller.appspot.com/bug?extid=4a5c87a01894ca37f25c
> Fixes: 1da177e4c3f4 ("Linux-2.6.12-rc2")
> Signed-off-by: Rafael Alejandro Diaz Cruz <rafad900@gmail.com>
> ---
>  drivers/usb/gadget/legacy/inode.c | 2 ++
>  1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)
> 
> diff --git a/drivers/usb/gadget/legacy/inode.c b/drivers/usb/gadget/legacy/inode.c
> index d87a8ab51510..77efa984ce84 100644
> --- a/drivers/usb/gadget/legacy/inode.c
> +++ b/drivers/usb/gadget/legacy/inode.c
> @@ -2059,6 +2059,7 @@ gadgetfs_fill_super (struct super_block *sb, struct fs_context *fc)
>  	rc = gadgetfs_create_file(sb, CHIP, dev, &ep0_operations);
>  	if (rc) {
>  		put_dev(dev);
> +		the_device = NULL;

This is what the description says the patch will do.

>  		goto Enomem;
>  	}
>  
> @@ -2066,6 +2067,7 @@ gadgetfs_fill_super (struct super_block *sb, struct fs_context *fc)
>  	 * from binding to a controller.
>  	 */
>  	the_device = dev;
> +	get_dev(dev);

So why is this here?

Alan Stern

>  	rc = 0;
>  	goto Done;
>  
> -- 
> 2.43.0
> 
>