Division by zero risk from zero target value in Linux kernel DAMON
Key facts
- Attack vector
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- Privileges required
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- User interaction
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- Attack complexity
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- Impact type
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- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
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- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 5 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel from 6.17 is affected by a flaw in the mm/damon subsystem. A DAMOS scheme with a quota goal whose target value is zero can cause a division by zero. The fix makes the kernel reject a zero target value when the quota goal is committed.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
Description from the CNA
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/damon/core: error damos_commit_quota_goal() for zero target_value Patch series "mm/damon: move zero damos quota target_value handling to the core layer". Having zero DAMOS quota target value can cause division by zero. DAMON API callers are checking the target value parameters to avoid that. It is easy to make mistakes in some of the multiple API callers. Move that to the core layer. Patch 1 adds the corner case handling into the core layer DAMON parameters validation logic. Patches 2 and 3 remove no more needed DAMON API callers side handling of the corner case in DAMON_LRU_SORT and DMON_SAMPLIE_MTIER, respectively. This patch (of 3): If a DAMOS scheme has a damos_quota_goal of zero target_value, damos_quota_goal() could trigger division-by-zero error. Hence each DAMON API callers should do the zero target_value validation. It is easy to make mistakes. Actually such bugs in DAMON_LRU_SORT and DAMON_SAMPLE_MTIER were found and fixed [1]. It is better to handle the corner case only once in the core layer, instead of multiple places in all DAMON API callers. One straightforward option is using an alternative denominator for the corner case in the damos_quota_goal(). However, the zero target_value is meaningless. In this case, the quota goal is always evaluated as achieved or over-achieved. The quota will only keep being reduced. Simply avoid using zero target_value by adding a check in the core layer DAMOS quota goal parameters validation/commit path, damos_commit_quota_goal(). Update it to return an error in the case. Also update its caller to propagate the error.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Fixed Linux kernel versions are 6.18.60, 7.2.14, 7.3.1 and 7.4-rc1. Red Hat lists no fix plan for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, 9 and 10 and Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.18.60, 7.2.14, 7.3.1, 7.4-rc1
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 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 2 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
Timeline
- 2026-11-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-99240
- 2026-11-02 Alias added: GHSA-36pf-5fq6-8gfr
- 2026-11-03 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-11-03 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-11-03 Fix available: Linux/Linux@0, Linux/Linux@610c4438fb66e06d9e693c0ad3b2c1be54c0d61f, Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-11-03 1 new reference · CNA
References
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Sources
- CVE-2026-99240 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-99240 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-36pf-5fq6-8gfr · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-99240 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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