mm: khugepaged: skip huge page collapse for special files
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 4 fixed, 2 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm: khugepaged: skip huge page collapse for special files The read-only THP for filesystems will collapse THP for files opened readonly and mapped with VM_EXEC. The intended usecase is to avoid TLB misses for large text segments. But it doesn't restrict the file types so a THP could be collapsed for a non-regular file, for example, block device, if it is opened readonly and mapped with EXEC permission. This may cause bugs, like [1] and [2]. This is definitely not the intended usecase, so just collapse THP for regular files in order to close the attack surface. [[email protected]: fix vm_file check [3]]
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 5.4 and later | 5.10.78, 5.14.16, 5.15 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.4 and later Fixed in 5.10.78, 5.14.16, 5.15 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 8
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.4 to before 5.10.78; 5.11 to before 5.14.16 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.15 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.15 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.15 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.15 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.15 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.15 rc6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.15 rc7 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.4 to before 5.10.78; 5.11 to before 5.14.16 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.15 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.15 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.15 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.15 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.15 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.15 rc6 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.15 rc7 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.78, 5.14.16, 5.15
Red Hat 2 advisories
- RHSA-2024:5101 Released 2024-08-08 · Red Hat rating Importantkernel security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) bpftool-4.18.0-553.16.1.el8_10, kernel-4.18.0-553.16.1.el8_10, kernel-abi-stablelists-4.18.0-553.16.1.el8_10 +19
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux CRB (v. 8) kernel-tools-libs-devel-4.18.0-553.16.1.el8_10
- RHSA-2024:5102 Released 2024-08-08 · Red Hat rating Importantkernel-rt security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux NFV (v. 8) kernel-rt-4.18.0-553.16.1.rt7.357.el8_10, kernel-rt-core-4.18.0-553.16.1.rt7.357.el8_10, kernel-rt-debug-4.18.0-553.16.1.rt7.357.el8_10 +9
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux RT (v. 8) kernel-rt-4.18.0-553.16.1.rt7.357.el8_10, kernel-rt-core-4.18.0-553.16.1.rt7.357.el8_10, kernel-rt-debug-4.18.0-553.16.1.rt7.357.el8_10 +7
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:5101 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux CRB (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:5101 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux NFV (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:5102 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux RT (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:5102 |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2021-47491
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-8g2p-p68f-4wqr
References
More Linux Kernel vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2021-47491 · CVE Program
- CVE-2021-47491 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-8g2p-p68f-4wqr · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2021-47491 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences