mm/mm_init: fix uninitialized struct pages for ZONE_DEVICE
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 3 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/mm_init: fix uninitialized struct pages for ZONE_DEVICE If DAX memory is hotplugged into an unoccupied subsection of an early section, section_activate() reuses the unoptimized boot memmap. However, compound_nr_pages() still assumes that vmemmap optimization is in effect and initializes only the reduced number of struct pages. As a result, the remaining tail struct pages are left uninitialized, which can later lead to unexpected behavior or crashes. Fix this by treating early sections as unoptimized when calculating how many struct pages to initialize.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.1.184, 6.6.145, 6.12.97, 6.18.40, 7.1.5, 7.2
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 3 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-72172
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-535q-qpmg-c9q4
- 2026-10-16 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-29 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c5ef574d57e4a701485c13f26822328c91f05413
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/511a60e71aec308b24722cffc1912bf6befb87bf
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/11f2826e9ee6f24aaa774e3dcd75abbe4b3091b6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/da5234df0941665f3a3f5b80f3dab94046537be0
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b91e27bce37cab9f35de0059278ebe457ca9878b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cd681403a87085562499d60325b7b45d3be11217
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Sources
- CVE-2026-72172 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-72172 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-535q-qpmg-c9q4 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-72172 · 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