mm/huge_memory: use correct flags for device private PMD entry
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/huge_memory: use correct flags for device private PMD entry Commit 65edfda6f3f2 ("mm/rmap: extend rmap and migration support device-private entries") updated set_pmd_migration_entry() to use pmdp_huge_get_and_clear() in the softleaf case, but made no further adjustments to the function itself. Therefore this function continues to incorrectly use pmd_write(), pmd_soft_dirty() and pmd_uffd_wp() to determine whether the installed migration entry should be marked writable, softdirty or uffd-wp respectively. Whilst all are incorrect, the most problematic of these is pmd_write(), as this can lead to corrupted rmap state. On x86-64 _PAGE_SWP_SOFT_DIRTY is aliased to _PAGE_RW. So calling pmd_write() on a softleaf will return the softdirty state encoded in the entry, assuming CONFIG_MEM_SOFT_DIRTY was enabled. This was observed when running the hmm.hmm_device_private.anon_write_child selftest: 1. The test faults in a range then migrates it such that a device-private THP range is established. 2. The parent then migrates it to a device-private writable PMD entry whose folio is entirely AnonExclusive with entire_mapcount=1, softdirty set (accidentally correct write state). 3. The parent forks and the PMD entries are set to device-private read only entries, entire_mapcount=2, softdirty still set. 4. [BUG] The child writes to the range then migrates to RAM - intending to install non-writable migration entries - but replacing parent and child PMD mappings with WRITABLE entries due to misinterpreting the softdirty bit. 5. In remove_migration_pmd(), if !softleaf_is_migration_read(entry) we set the RMAP_EXCLUSIVE flag when calling folio_add_anon_rmap_pmd() for both parent and child, which are therefore AnonExclusive. 6. [SPLAT] Child sets migrated folio entire_mapcount=1, parent sets entire_mapcount=2 and we end up with an AnonExclusive folio with entire_mapcount=2! Assert fires in __folio_add_anon_rmap(): VM_WARN_ON_FOLIO(folio_test_large(folio) && folio_entire_mapcount(folio) > 1 && PageAnonExclusive(cur_page), folio) This patch fixes the issue by correctly referencing the softleaf entry fields for writable, softdirty and uffd-wp in set_pmd_migration_entry(). It also only updates A/D flags if the entry is present as these are otherwise not meaningful for a softleaf entry. This patch also flips the if (!present) { ... } else { ... } logic in set_pmd_migration_entry() so it is easier to understand, and adds some comments to make things clearer. I was able to bisect this to commit 775465fd26a3 ("lib/test_hmm: add zone device private THP test infrastructure") which first exposes this bug as it was the commit that permitted test_hmm to generate the test. However commit 65edfda6f3f2 ("mm/rmap: extend rmap and migration support device-private entries") is the commit that actually enabled this behaviour.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 6.19 and later | 7.0.13, 7.1 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.19 and later Fixed in 7.0.13, 7.1 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 8
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.19 to before 7.0.13 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.1 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.1 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.1 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.1 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.1 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.1 rc6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.1 rc7 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.19 to before 7.0.13 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.1 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.1 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.1 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.1 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.1 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.1 rc6 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.1 rc7 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 7.0.13, 7.1
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Not affected: 5 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-53155
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-7xgx-c4jr-vfq9
References
More Linux Kernel vulnerabilities
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Sources
- CVE-2026-53155 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-53155 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-7xgx-c4jr-vfq9 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-53155 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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