5.5
MEDIUM CVSS 3.1
CVE-2026-53155
mm/huge_memory: use correct flags for device private PMD entry
Description

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.

INFO

Published Date :

June 25, 2026, 9:16 a.m.

Last Modified :

July 7, 2026, 8:10 p.m.

Remotely Exploit :

No

Source :

416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Affected Products

The following products are affected by CVE-2026-53155 vulnerability. Even if cvefeed.io is aware of the exact versions of the products that are affected, the information is not represented in the table below.

ID Vendor Product Action
1 Linux linux_kernel
CVSS Scores
The Common Vulnerability Scoring System is a standardized framework for assessing the severity of vulnerabilities in software and systems. We collect and displays CVSS scores from various sources for each CVE.
Score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Score Impact Score Source
CVSS 3.1 MEDIUM [email protected]
Solution
Apply kernel patch to correct flags for device-private PMD entries and prevent data corruption.
  • Update the Linux kernel to include the fix.
  • Verify correct flags are used in set_pmd_migration_entry.
  • Ensure A/D flags update only for present entries.
  • Test the affected self-test scenario.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools

Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to CVE-2026-53155.

URL Resource
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/43e7f189769c512c843184a8a5892ac779a6bd90 Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d7251c8d3f7cea76543abac6cf4ed15582c10846 Patch
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration

While CVE identifies specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-53155 is associated with the following CWEs:

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC) stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-53155 weaknesses.

We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).

Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.

The following list is the news that have been mention CVE-2026-53155 vulnerability anywhere in the article.

The following table lists the changes that have been made to the CVE-2026-53155 vulnerability over time.

Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.

  • Initial Analysis by [email protected]

    Jul. 07, 2026

    Action Type Old Value New Value
    Added CVSS V3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
    Added CWE NVD-CWE-noinfo
    Added CPE Configuration OR *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 6.19 up to (excluding) 7.0.13 *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:*
    Added Reference Type kernel.org: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/43e7f189769c512c843184a8a5892ac779a6bd90 Types: Patch
    Added Reference Type kernel.org: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d7251c8d3f7cea76543abac6cf4ed15582c10846 Types: Patch
  • New CVE Received by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67

    Jun. 25, 2026

    Action Type Old Value New Value
    Added Affected [{'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '65edfda6f3f2e58f757485a056e4f1775a1404a8', 'lessThan': 'd7251c8d3f7cea76543abac6cf4ed15582c10846', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '65edfda6f3f2e58f757485a056e4f1775a1404a8', 'lessThan': '43e7f189769c512c843184a8a5892ac779a6bd90', 'versionType': 'git'}], 'programFiles': ['mm/huge_memory.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'unaffected'}, {'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.19'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '0', 'lessThan': '6.19', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.0.13', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '7.0.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.1', 'versionType': 'original_commit_for_fix', 'lessThanOrEqual': '*'}], 'programFiles': ['mm/huge_memory.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'affected'}]
    Added Description 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.
    Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/43e7f189769c512c843184a8a5892ac779a6bd90
    Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d7251c8d3f7cea76543abac6cf4ed15582c10846
EPSS is a daily estimate of the probability of exploitation activity being observed over the next 30 days. Following chart shows the EPSS score history of the vulnerability.