diff --git a/fs/exec.c b/fs/exec.c
index db17be51b112..0e46ec57fe0a 100644
--- a/fs/exec.c
+++ b/fs/exec.c
@@ -1010,16 +1010,26 @@ ssize_t read_code(struct file *file, unsigned long addr, loff_t pos, size_t len)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(read_code);
 
+/*
+ * Maps the mm_struct mm into the current task struct.
+ * On success, this function returns with the mutex
+ * exec_update_mutex locked.
+ */
 static int exec_mmap(struct mm_struct *mm)
 {
 	struct task_struct *tsk;
 	struct mm_struct *old_mm, *active_mm;
+	int ret;
 
 	/* Notify parent that we're no longer interested in the old VM */
 	tsk = current;
 	old_mm = current->mm;
 	exec_mm_release(tsk, old_mm);
 
+	ret = mutex_lock_killable(&tsk->signal->exec_update_mutex);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
 	if (old_mm) {
 		sync_mm_rss(old_mm);
 		/*
@@ -1031,9 +1041,11 @@ static int exec_mmap(struct mm_struct *mm)
 		down_read(&old_mm->mmap_sem);
 		if (unlikely(old_mm->core_state)) {
 			up_read(&old_mm->mmap_sem);
+			mutex_unlock(&tsk->signal->exec_update_mutex);
 			return -EINTR;
 		}
 	}
+
 	task_lock(tsk);
 	active_mm = tsk->active_mm;
 	membarrier_exec_mmap(mm);
@@ -1189,10 +1201,22 @@ no_thread_group:
 	/* we have changed execution domain */
 	tsk->exit_signal = SIGCHLD;
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_POSIX_TIMERS
-	exit_itimers(sig);
-	flush_itimer_signals();
-#endif
+	BUG_ON(!thread_group_leader(tsk));
+	return 0;
+
+killed:
+	/* protects against exit_notify() and __exit_signal() */
+	read_lock(&tasklist_lock);
+	sig->group_exit_task = NULL;
+	sig->notify_count = 0;
+	read_unlock(&tasklist_lock);
+	return -EAGAIN;
+}
+
+
+static int unshare_sighand(struct task_struct *me)
+{
+	struct sighand_struct *oldsighand = me->sighand;
 
 	if (refcount_read(&oldsighand->count) != 1) {
 		struct sighand_struct *newsighand;
@@ -1210,23 +1234,13 @@ no_thread_group:
 
 		write_lock_irq(&tasklist_lock);
 		spin_lock(&oldsighand->siglock);
-		rcu_assign_pointer(tsk->sighand, newsighand);
+		rcu_assign_pointer(me->sighand, newsighand);
 		spin_unlock(&oldsighand->siglock);
 		write_unlock_irq(&tasklist_lock);
 
 		__cleanup_sighand(oldsighand);
 	}
-
-	BUG_ON(!thread_group_leader(tsk));
 	return 0;
-
-killed:
-	/* protects against exit_notify() and __exit_signal() */
-	read_lock(&tasklist_lock);
-	sig->group_exit_task = NULL;
-	sig->notify_count = 0;
-	read_unlock(&tasklist_lock);
-	return -EAGAIN;
 }
 
 char *__get_task_comm(char *buf, size_t buf_size, struct task_struct *tsk)
@@ -1260,13 +1274,13 @@ void __set_task_comm(struct task_struct *tsk, const char *buf, bool exec)
  */
 int flush_old_exec(struct linux_binprm * bprm)
 {
+	struct task_struct *me = current;
 	int retval;
 
 	/*
-	 * Make sure we have a private signal table and that
-	 * we are unassociated from the previous thread group.
+	 * Make this the only thread in the thread group.
 	 */
-	retval = de_thread(current);
+	retval = de_thread(me);
 	if (retval)
 		goto out;
 
@@ -1286,18 +1300,31 @@ int flush_old_exec(struct linux_binprm * bprm)
 		goto out;
 
 	/*
-	 * After clearing bprm->mm (to mark that current is using the
-	 * prepared mm now), we have nothing left of the original
+	 * After setting bprm->called_exec_mmap (to mark that current is
+	 * using the prepared mm now), we have nothing left of the original
 	 * process. If anything from here on returns an error, the check
 	 * in search_binary_handler() will SEGV current.
 	 */
+	bprm->called_exec_mmap = 1;
 	bprm->mm = NULL;
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_POSIX_TIMERS
+	exit_itimers(me->signal);
+	flush_itimer_signals();
+#endif
+
+	/*
+	 * Make the signal table private.
+	 */
+	retval = unshare_sighand(me);
+	if (retval)
+		goto out;
+
 	set_fs(USER_DS);
-	current->flags &= ~(PF_RANDOMIZE | PF_FORKNOEXEC | PF_KTHREAD |
+	me->flags &= ~(PF_RANDOMIZE | PF_FORKNOEXEC | PF_KTHREAD |
 					PF_NOFREEZE | PF_NO_SETAFFINITY);
 	flush_thread();
-	current->personality &= ~bprm->per_clear;
+	me->personality &= ~bprm->per_clear;
 
 	/*
 	 * We have to apply CLOEXEC before we change whether the process is
@@ -1305,7 +1332,7 @@ int flush_old_exec(struct linux_binprm * bprm)
 	 * trying to access the should-be-closed file descriptors of a process
 	 * undergoing exec(2).
 	 */
-	do_close_on_exec(current->files);
+	do_close_on_exec(me->files);
 	return 0;
 
 out:
@@ -1424,6 +1451,8 @@ static void free_bprm(struct linux_binprm *bprm)
 {
 	free_arg_pages(bprm);
 	if (bprm->cred) {
+		if (bprm->called_exec_mmap)
+			mutex_unlock(&current->signal->exec_update_mutex);
 		mutex_unlock(&current->signal->cred_guard_mutex);
 		abort_creds(bprm->cred);
 	}
@@ -1473,6 +1502,7 @@ void install_exec_creds(struct linux_binprm *bprm)
 	 * credentials; any time after this it may be unlocked.
 	 */
 	security_bprm_committed_creds(bprm);
+	mutex_unlock(&current->signal->exec_update_mutex);
 	mutex_unlock(&current->signal->cred_guard_mutex);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(install_exec_creds);
@@ -1664,7 +1694,7 @@ int search_binary_handler(struct linux_binprm *bprm)
 
 		read_lock(&binfmt_lock);
 		put_binfmt(fmt);
-		if (retval < 0 && !bprm->mm) {
+		if (retval < 0 && bprm->called_exec_mmap) {
 			/* we got to flush_old_exec() and failed after it */
 			read_unlock(&binfmt_lock);
 			force_sigsegv(SIGSEGV);
diff --git a/fs/proc/base.c b/fs/proc/base.c
index e7efe9d6f3d6..74f948a6b621 100644
--- a/fs/proc/base.c
+++ b/fs/proc/base.c
@@ -405,11 +405,11 @@ print0:
 
 static int lock_trace(struct task_struct *task)
 {
-	int err = mutex_lock_killable(&task->signal->cred_guard_mutex);
+	int err = mutex_lock_killable(&task->signal->exec_update_mutex);
 	if (err)
 		return err;
 	if (!ptrace_may_access(task, PTRACE_MODE_ATTACH_FSCREDS)) {
-		mutex_unlock(&task->signal->cred_guard_mutex);
+		mutex_unlock(&task->signal->exec_update_mutex);
 		return -EPERM;
 	}
 	return 0;
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ static int lock_trace(struct task_struct *task)
 
 static void unlock_trace(struct task_struct *task)
 {
-	mutex_unlock(&task->signal->cred_guard_mutex);
+	mutex_unlock(&task->signal->exec_update_mutex);
 }
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_STACKTRACE
@@ -2883,7 +2883,7 @@ static int do_io_accounting(struct task_struct *task, struct seq_file *m, int wh
 	unsigned long flags;
 	int result;
 
-	result = mutex_lock_killable(&task->signal->cred_guard_mutex);
+	result = mutex_lock_killable(&task->signal->exec_update_mutex);
 	if (result)
 		return result;
 
@@ -2919,7 +2919,7 @@ static int do_io_accounting(struct task_struct *task, struct seq_file *m, int wh
 	result = 0;
 
 out_unlock:
-	mutex_unlock(&task->signal->cred_guard_mutex);
+	mutex_unlock(&task->signal->exec_update_mutex);
 	return result;
 }
 
diff --git a/include/linux/binfmts.h b/include/linux/binfmts.h
index b40fc633f3be..a345d9fed3d8 100644
--- a/include/linux/binfmts.h
+++ b/include/linux/binfmts.h
@@ -44,7 +44,13 @@ struct linux_binprm {
 		 * exec has happened. Used to sanitize execution environment
 		 * and to set AT_SECURE auxv for glibc.
 		 */
-		secureexec:1;
+		secureexec:1,
+		/*
+		 * Set by flush_old_exec, when exec_mmap has been called.
+		 * This is past the point of no return, when the
+		 * exec_update_mutex has been taken.
+		 */
+		called_exec_mmap:1;
 #ifdef __alpha__
 	unsigned int taso:1;
 #endif
diff --git a/include/linux/sched/signal.h b/include/linux/sched/signal.h
index 88050259c466..a29df79540ce 100644
--- a/include/linux/sched/signal.h
+++ b/include/linux/sched/signal.h
@@ -224,7 +224,14 @@ struct signal_struct {
 
 	struct mutex cred_guard_mutex;	/* guard against foreign influences on
 					 * credential calculations
-					 * (notably. ptrace) */
+					 * (notably. ptrace)
+					 * Deprecated do not use in new code.
+					 * Use exec_update_mutex instead.
+					 */
+	struct mutex exec_update_mutex;	/* Held while task_struct is being
+					 * updated during exec, and may have
+					 * inconsistent permissions.
+					 */
 } __randomize_layout;
 
 /*
diff --git a/init/init_task.c b/init/init_task.c
index 9e5cbe5eab7b..bd403ed3e418 100644
--- a/init/init_task.c
+++ b/init/init_task.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ static struct signal_struct init_signals = {
 	.multiprocess	= HLIST_HEAD_INIT,
 	.rlim		= INIT_RLIMITS,
 	.cred_guard_mutex = __MUTEX_INITIALIZER(init_signals.cred_guard_mutex),
+	.exec_update_mutex = __MUTEX_INITIALIZER(init_signals.exec_update_mutex),
 #ifdef CONFIG_POSIX_TIMERS
 	.posix_timers = LIST_HEAD_INIT(init_signals.posix_timers),
 	.cputimer	= {
diff --git a/kernel/cred.c b/kernel/cred.c
index 809a985b1793..71a792616917 100644
--- a/kernel/cred.c
+++ b/kernel/cred.c
@@ -675,8 +675,6 @@ void __init cred_init(void)
  * The caller may change these controls afterwards if desired.
  *
  * Returns the new credentials or NULL if out of memory.
- *
- * Does not take, and does not return holding current->cred_replace_mutex.
  */
 struct cred *prepare_kernel_cred(struct task_struct *daemon)
 {
diff --git a/kernel/events/core.c b/kernel/events/core.c
index e453589da97c..71cba8cfccbc 100644
--- a/kernel/events/core.c
+++ b/kernel/events/core.c
@@ -1249,7 +1249,7 @@ static void put_ctx(struct perf_event_context *ctx)
  * function.
  *
  * Lock order:
- *    cred_guard_mutex
+ *    exec_update_mutex
  *	task_struct::perf_event_mutex
  *	  perf_event_context::mutex
  *	    perf_event::child_mutex;
@@ -11263,14 +11263,14 @@ SYSCALL_DEFINE5(perf_event_open,
 	}
 
 	if (task) {
-		err = mutex_lock_interruptible(&task->signal->cred_guard_mutex);
+		err = mutex_lock_interruptible(&task->signal->exec_update_mutex);
 		if (err)
 			goto err_task;
 
 		/*
 		 * Reuse ptrace permission checks for now.
 		 *
-		 * We must hold cred_guard_mutex across this and any potential
+		 * We must hold exec_update_mutex across this and any potential
 		 * perf_install_in_context() call for this new event to
 		 * serialize against exec() altering our credentials (and the
 		 * perf_event_exit_task() that could imply).
@@ -11559,7 +11559,7 @@ SYSCALL_DEFINE5(perf_event_open,
 	mutex_unlock(&ctx->mutex);
 
 	if (task) {
-		mutex_unlock(&task->signal->cred_guard_mutex);
+		mutex_unlock(&task->signal->exec_update_mutex);
 		put_task_struct(task);
 	}
 
@@ -11595,7 +11595,7 @@ err_alloc:
 		free_event(event);
 err_cred:
 	if (task)
-		mutex_unlock(&task->signal->cred_guard_mutex);
+		mutex_unlock(&task->signal->exec_update_mutex);
 err_task:
 	if (task)
 		put_task_struct(task);
@@ -11900,7 +11900,7 @@ static void perf_event_exit_task_context(struct task_struct *child, int ctxn)
 /*
  * When a child task exits, feed back event values to parent events.
  *
- * Can be called with cred_guard_mutex held when called from
+ * Can be called with exec_update_mutex held when called from
  * install_exec_creds().
  */
 void perf_event_exit_task(struct task_struct *child)
diff --git a/kernel/fork.c b/kernel/fork.c
index 60a1295f4384..e0668a79bca1 100644
--- a/kernel/fork.c
+++ b/kernel/fork.c
@@ -1224,7 +1224,7 @@ struct mm_struct *mm_access(struct task_struct *task, unsigned int mode)
 	struct mm_struct *mm;
 	int err;
 
-	err =  mutex_lock_killable(&task->signal->cred_guard_mutex);
+	err =  mutex_lock_killable(&task->signal->exec_update_mutex);
 	if (err)
 		return ERR_PTR(err);
 
@@ -1234,7 +1234,7 @@ struct mm_struct *mm_access(struct task_struct *task, unsigned int mode)
 		mmput(mm);
 		mm = ERR_PTR(-EACCES);
 	}
-	mutex_unlock(&task->signal->cred_guard_mutex);
+	mutex_unlock(&task->signal->exec_update_mutex);
 
 	return mm;
 }
@@ -1594,6 +1594,7 @@ static int copy_signal(unsigned long clone_flags, struct task_struct *tsk)
 	sig->oom_score_adj_min = current->signal->oom_score_adj_min;
 
 	mutex_init(&sig->cred_guard_mutex);
+	mutex_init(&sig->exec_update_mutex);
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/kernel/kcmp.c b/kernel/kcmp.c
index a0e3d7a0e8b8..b3ff9288c6cc 100644
--- a/kernel/kcmp.c
+++ b/kernel/kcmp.c
@@ -173,8 +173,8 @@ SYSCALL_DEFINE5(kcmp, pid_t, pid1, pid_t, pid2, int, type,
 	/*
 	 * One should have enough rights to inspect task details.
 	 */
-	ret = kcmp_lock(&task1->signal->cred_guard_mutex,
-			&task2->signal->cred_guard_mutex);
+	ret = kcmp_lock(&task1->signal->exec_update_mutex,
+			&task2->signal->exec_update_mutex);
 	if (ret)
 		goto err;
 	if (!ptrace_may_access(task1, PTRACE_MODE_READ_REALCREDS) ||
@@ -229,8 +229,8 @@ SYSCALL_DEFINE5(kcmp, pid_t, pid1, pid_t, pid2, int, type,
 	}
 
 err_unlock:
-	kcmp_unlock(&task1->signal->cred_guard_mutex,
-		    &task2->signal->cred_guard_mutex);
+	kcmp_unlock(&task1->signal->exec_update_mutex,
+		    &task2->signal->exec_update_mutex);
 err:
 	put_task_struct(task1);
 	put_task_struct(task2);
diff --git a/kernel/pid.c b/kernel/pid.c
index 60820e72634c..efd34874b3d1 100644
--- a/kernel/pid.c
+++ b/kernel/pid.c
@@ -577,7 +577,7 @@ static struct file *__pidfd_fget(struct task_struct *task, int fd)
 	struct file *file;
 	int ret;
 
-	ret = mutex_lock_killable(&task->signal->cred_guard_mutex);
+	ret = mutex_lock_killable(&task->signal->exec_update_mutex);
 	if (ret)
 		return ERR_PTR(ret);
 
@@ -586,7 +586,7 @@ static struct file *__pidfd_fget(struct task_struct *task, int fd)
 	else
 		file = ERR_PTR(-EPERM);
 
-	mutex_unlock(&task->signal->cred_guard_mutex);
+	mutex_unlock(&task->signal->exec_update_mutex);
 
 	return file ?: ERR_PTR(-EBADF);
 }
diff --git a/mm/process_vm_access.c b/mm/process_vm_access.c
index de41e830cdac..74e957e302fe 100644
--- a/mm/process_vm_access.c
+++ b/mm/process_vm_access.c
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ static ssize_t process_vm_rw_core(pid_t pid, struct iov_iter *iter,
 	if (!mm || IS_ERR(mm)) {
 		rc = IS_ERR(mm) ? PTR_ERR(mm) : -ESRCH;
 		/*
-		 * Explicitly map EACCES to EPERM as EPERM is a more a
+		 * Explicitly map EACCES to EPERM as EPERM is a more
 		 * appropriate error code for process_vw_readv/writev
 		 */
 		if (rc == -EACCES)
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/ptrace/Makefile b/tools/testing/selftests/ptrace/Makefile
index c0b7f89f0930..2f1f532c39db 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/ptrace/Makefile
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/ptrace/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
-CFLAGS += -iquote../../../../include/uapi -Wall
+CFLAGS += -std=c99 -pthread -iquote../../../../include/uapi -Wall
 
-TEST_GEN_PROGS := get_syscall_info peeksiginfo
+TEST_GEN_PROGS := get_syscall_info peeksiginfo vmaccess
 
 include ../lib.mk
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/ptrace/vmaccess.c b/tools/testing/selftests/ptrace/vmaccess.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..4db327b44586
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/ptrace/vmaccess.c
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0+
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2020 Bernd Edlinger <bernd.edlinger@hotmail.de>
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Check whether /proc/$pid/mem can be accessed without causing deadlocks
+ * when de_thread is blocked with ->cred_guard_mutex held.
+ */
+
+#include "../kselftest_harness.h"
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <fcntl.h>
+#include <pthread.h>
+#include <signal.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <sys/ptrace.h>
+
+static void *thread(void *arg)
+{
+	ptrace(PTRACE_TRACEME, 0, 0L, 0L);
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+TEST(vmaccess)
+{
+	int f, pid = fork();
+	char mm[64];
+
+	if (!pid) {
+		pthread_t pt;
+
+		pthread_create(&pt, NULL, thread, NULL);
+		pthread_join(pt, NULL);
+		execlp("true", "true", NULL);
+	}
+
+	sleep(1);
+	sprintf(mm, "/proc/%d/mem", pid);
+	f = open(mm, O_RDONLY);
+	ASSERT_GE(f, 0);
+	close(f);
+	f = kill(pid, SIGCONT);
+	ASSERT_EQ(f, 0);
+}
+
+TEST(attach)
+{
+	int s, k, pid = fork();
+
+	if (!pid) {
+		pthread_t pt;
+
+		pthread_create(&pt, NULL, thread, NULL);
+		pthread_join(pt, NULL);
+		execlp("sleep", "sleep", "2", NULL);
+	}
+
+	sleep(1);
+	k = ptrace(PTRACE_ATTACH, pid, 0L, 0L);
+	ASSERT_EQ(errno, EAGAIN);
+	ASSERT_EQ(k, -1);
+	k = waitpid(-1, &s, WNOHANG);
+	ASSERT_NE(k, -1);
+	ASSERT_NE(k, 0);
+	ASSERT_NE(k, pid);
+	ASSERT_EQ(WIFEXITED(s), 1);
+	ASSERT_EQ(WEXITSTATUS(s), 0);
+	sleep(1);
+	k = ptrace(PTRACE_ATTACH, pid, 0L, 0L);
+	ASSERT_EQ(k, 0);
+	k = waitpid(-1, &s, 0);
+	ASSERT_EQ(k, pid);
+	ASSERT_EQ(WIFSTOPPED(s), 1);
+	ASSERT_EQ(WSTOPSIG(s), SIGSTOP);
+	k = ptrace(PTRACE_DETACH, pid, 0L, 0L);
+	ASSERT_EQ(k, 0);
+	k = waitpid(-1, &s, 0);
+	ASSERT_EQ(k, pid);
+	ASSERT_EQ(WIFEXITED(s), 1);
+	ASSERT_EQ(WEXITSTATUS(s), 0);
+	k = waitpid(-1, NULL, 0);
+	ASSERT_EQ(k, -1);
+	ASSERT_EQ(errno, ECHILD);
+}
+
+TEST_HARNESS_MAIN