Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
KVM: x86/mmu: Consume the locked rmap value in the lockless rmap walk
__kvm_rmap_lock() deliberately elides the rmap lock when it observes an
empty rmap. In that case kvm_rmap_lock_readonly() also re-enables
preemption and returns zero, so the caller holds neither the rmap lock
nor a preemption reference. The elision documents the invariant it
relies on:
* Elide the lock if the rmap is empty, as lockless walkers (read-only
* mode) don't need to (and can't) walk an empty rmap, nor can they add
* entries to the rmap. I.e. the only paths that process empty rmaps
* do so while holding mmu_lock for write, and are mutually exclusive.
kvm_rmap_age_gfn_range() ignores the returned value and unconditionally
enters for_each_rmap_spte_lockless(). The iterator started with
rmap_get_first(), which re-reads rmap_head->val rather than using the
value returned by the lock. If a writer populates the rmap between the
lock's read and the iterator's re-read, the aging path walks the newly
installed rmap without holding its lock.
For a KVM_RMAP_MANY rmap this leaves the walker following a
pte_list_desc chain that it never locked. A writer holding mmu_lock for
write may free that chain (e.g. kvm_zap_all_rmap_sptes() on the recycle
path, or any rmap zap) via kmem_cache_free() while the walk is in
progress, giving a slab use-after-free. Nothing serialises the two: the
aging path runs without mmu_lock when CONFIG_KVM_MMU_LOCKLESS_AGING=y,
and the rmap lock that would otherwise exclude the writer was elided.
Because the empty path re-enables preemption, the interval between the
two reads can span an arbitrary scheduling delay.
Fix the class of bug by having the lockless walk consume the value
returned by the lock instead of re-reading the rmap. Split
rmap_get_first() into __rmap_get_first(), which starts an iterator from
an already-read rmap value, and make for_each_rmap_spte_lockless() take
that value and call __rmap_get_first() directly.
kvm_rmap_age_gfn_range() passes the value returned by
kvm_rmap_lock_readonly(): when the lock was elided the value is zero,
__rmap_get_first() returns NULL, and the walk is skipped. No lockless
walker re-reads the rmap, so the lock-elision invariant cannot be
violated, and no lock()-without-paired-unlock() path is added to the
aging code.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 6.15 | 6.18.51 |
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | linux | 7.2.6-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux | 7.0.0-42.42 | USN-8959-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-aws | 7.0.0-1016.17 | USN-8959-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-azure | 7.0.0-1020.21 | USN-9019-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-azure-fde | 7.0.0-1019.19 | USN-9020-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-gcp | 7.0.0-1016.18 | USN-8959-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-gke | 7.0.0-1010.11 | USN-9020-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-ibm +1 | 7.0.0-1017.17 | USN-8960-1, USN-8959-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-nvidia +1 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-oracle | 7.0.0-1015.16 | USN-8959-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-raspi | 7.0.0-1023.23 | USN-9021-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-realtime | 7.0.0-43.43.1 | USN-9020-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-riscv | 7.0.0-42.42.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-aws-7.0 | 7.0.0-1017.18~24.04.1 | USN-9020-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-azure-fde-7.0 | 7.0.0-1019.19~24.04.1 | USN-9020-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-gcp-7.0 | 7.0.0-1017.19~24.04.1 | USN-9020-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-hwe-7.0 | 7.0.0-42.42~24.04.1 | USN-8959-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-oracle-7.0 | 7.0.0-1016.18~24.04.1 | USN-9020-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-riscv +29 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-riscv-7.0 | 7.0.0-42.42.1~24.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-riscv +32 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gke +28 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp +14 | No fix yet | — |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe-edge | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS | linux-realtime-6.14 +1 | No fix yet | — |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | kernel-source | 7.2.7-1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:11880-1 |
Amazon Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Linux 2023 | kernel-livepatch-6.18.51-120.162 | 1:1.0-0.amzn2023 | ALAS2023-2026-3187 |
| Amazon Linux 2023 | perf6.18 +12 | 1:6.18.51-120.162.amzn2023 | ALAS2023-2026-3187 |
Advisories 8
- USN-9021-1 linux-raspi vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-9020-1 linux-aws-7.0, linux-azure-fde, linux-azure-fde-7.0, linux-gcp-7.0, linux-gke, linux-oracle-7.0, linux-realtime vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-8959-1 linux, linux-aws, linux-gcp, linux-hwe-7.0, linux-ibm, linux-oracle vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-9019-1 linux-azure vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-8960-1 linux-oem-7.0 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- WID-SEC-2026-3438 Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Nov 11, 2026
- ALAS2023-2026-3187 Important: kernel6.18 security update (Amazon Linux 2023) Amazon Linux Security Center (ALAS) · Oct 12, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2026:11880-1 kernel-devel-7.2.7-1.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Sep 25, 2026