CVE-2026-72212
mm/memory_hotplug: fix incorrect altmap passing in error path
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/memory_hotplug: fix incorrect altmap passing in error path In create_altmaps_and_memory_blocks(), when arch_add_memory() succeeds with memmap_on_memory enabled, the vmemmap pages are allocated from params.altmap. If create_memory_block_devices() subsequently fails, the error path calls arch_remove_memory() with a NULL altmap instead of params.altmap. This is a bug that could lead to memory corruption. Since altmap is NULL, vmemmap_free() falls back to freeing the vmemmap pages into the system buddy allocator via free_pages() instead of the altmap. arch_remove_memory() then immediately destroys the physical linear mapping for this memory. This injects unowned pages into the buddy allocator, causing machine checks or memory corruption if the system later attempts to allocate and use those freed pages. Fix this by passing params.altmap to arch_remove_memory() in the error path.
INFO
Published Date :
Aug. 15, 2026, 6:21 a.m.
Last Modified :
Aug. 17, 2026, 6:18 a.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Solution
- Apply the kernel patch for memory hotplug error handling.
- Ensure correct altmap is passed in error paths.
- Verify memory corruption issues are resolved.
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-2026-72212.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-72212 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-2026-72212
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-2026-72212 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-72212 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.
-
CVE Modified by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Aug. 17, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Changed Affected [{'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '6b8f0798b85aa529011570369db985a788f3003f', 'lessThan': '3833e6abdbbfb59ec8203a84a84206cb7ffb41ac', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '6b8f0798b85aa529011570369db985a788f3003f', 'lessThan': '722e6c54bde6391fb95f0357f555aca887c7b18c', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '6b8f0798b85aa529011570369db985a788f3003f', 'lessThan': '2f9e3ec17c3d2093c664c00a027588a446c39894', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '6b8f0798b85aa529011570369db985a788f3003f', 'lessThan': '2fac4afa0e2e68841334c78c1821e49f74fbc66a', 'versionType': 'git'}], 'programFiles': ['mm/memory_hotplug.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'unaffected'}, {'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.8'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '0', 'lessThan': '6.8', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.12.97', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.12.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.18.40', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.18.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.1.5', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '7.1.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.2-rc1', 'versionType': 'original_commit_for_fix', 'lessThanOrEqual': '*'}], 'programFiles': ['mm/memory_hotplug.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'affected'}] [{'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '6b8f0798b85aa529011570369db985a788f3003f', 'lessThan': '3833e6abdbbfb59ec8203a84a84206cb7ffb41ac', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '6b8f0798b85aa529011570369db985a788f3003f', 'lessThan': '722e6c54bde6391fb95f0357f555aca887c7b18c', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '6b8f0798b85aa529011570369db985a788f3003f', 'lessThan': '2f9e3ec17c3d2093c664c00a027588a446c39894', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '6b8f0798b85aa529011570369db985a788f3003f', 'lessThan': '2fac4afa0e2e68841334c78c1821e49f74fbc66a', 'versionType': 'git'}], 'programFiles': ['mm/memory_hotplug.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'unaffected'}, {'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.8'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '0', 'lessThan': '6.8', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.12.97', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.12.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.18.40', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.18.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.1.5', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '7.1.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.2', 'versionType': 'original_commit_for_fix', 'lessThanOrEqual': '*'}], 'programFiles': ['mm/memory_hotplug.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'affected'}] -
New CVE Received by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Aug. 15, 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': '6b8f0798b85aa529011570369db985a788f3003f', 'lessThan': '3833e6abdbbfb59ec8203a84a84206cb7ffb41ac', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '6b8f0798b85aa529011570369db985a788f3003f', 'lessThan': '722e6c54bde6391fb95f0357f555aca887c7b18c', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '6b8f0798b85aa529011570369db985a788f3003f', 'lessThan': '2f9e3ec17c3d2093c664c00a027588a446c39894', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '6b8f0798b85aa529011570369db985a788f3003f', 'lessThan': '2fac4afa0e2e68841334c78c1821e49f74fbc66a', 'versionType': 'git'}], 'programFiles': ['mm/memory_hotplug.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'unaffected'}, {'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.8'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '0', 'lessThan': '6.8', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.12.97', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.12.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.18.40', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.18.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.1.5', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '7.1.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.2-rc1', 'versionType': 'original_commit_for_fix', 'lessThanOrEqual': '*'}], 'programFiles': ['mm/memory_hotplug.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'affected'}] Added Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/memory_hotplug: fix incorrect altmap passing in error path In create_altmaps_and_memory_blocks(), when arch_add_memory() succeeds with memmap_on_memory enabled, the vmemmap pages are allocated from params.altmap. If create_memory_block_devices() subsequently fails, the error path calls arch_remove_memory() with a NULL altmap instead of params.altmap. This is a bug that could lead to memory corruption. Since altmap is NULL, vmemmap_free() falls back to freeing the vmemmap pages into the system buddy allocator via free_pages() instead of the altmap. arch_remove_memory() then immediately destroys the physical linear mapping for this memory. This injects unowned pages into the buddy allocator, causing machine checks or memory corruption if the system later attempts to allocate and use those freed pages. Fix this by passing params.altmap to arch_remove_memory() in the error path. Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2f9e3ec17c3d2093c664c00a027588a446c39894 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2fac4afa0e2e68841334c78c1821e49f74fbc66a Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3833e6abdbbfb59ec8203a84a84206cb7ffb41ac Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/722e6c54bde6391fb95f0357f555aca887c7b18c