Linux Kernel up to 6.6.121/6.12.66/6.18.6/6.19-rc5 page_alloc drain_page_zone allocation of resources

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6.1$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.121/6.12.66/6.18.6/6.19-rc5 and classified as critical. The impacted element is the function drain_page_zone of the component page_alloc. Such manipulation leads to allocation of resources. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2026-23025. No exploit exists. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.121/6.12.66/6.18.6/6.19-rc5. It has been rated as critical. Affected by this issue is the function drain_page_zone of the component page_alloc. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a allocation of resources vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-770. The product allocates a reusable resource or group of resources on behalf of an actor without imposing any restrictions on the size or number of resources that can be allocated, in violation of the intended security policy for that actor. The impact remains unknown. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/page_alloc: prevent pcp corruption with SMP=n The kernel test robot has reported: BUG: spinlock trylock failure on UP on CPU#0, kcompactd0/28 lock: 0xffff888807e35ef0, .magic: dead4ead, .owner: kcompactd0/28, .owner_cpu: 0 CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 28 Comm: kcompactd0 Not tainted 6.18.0-rc5-00127-ga06157804399 #1 PREEMPT 8cc09ef94dcec767faa911515ce9e609c45db470 Call Trace: <IRQ> __dump_stack (lib/dump_stack.c:95) dump_stack_lvl (lib/dump_stack.c:123) dump_stack (lib/dump_stack.c:130) spin_dump (kernel/locking/spinlock_debug.c:71) do_raw_spin_trylock (kernel/locking/spinlock_debug.c:?) _raw_spin_trylock (include/linux/spinlock_api_smp.h:89 kernel/locking/spinlock.c:138) __free_frozen_pages (mm/page_alloc.c:2973) ___free_pages (mm/page_alloc.c:5295) __free_pages (mm/page_alloc.c:5334) tlb_remove_table_rcu (include/linux/mm.h:? include/linux/mm.h:3122 include/asm-generic/tlb.h:220 mm/mmu_gather.c:227 mm/mmu_gather.c:290) ? __cfi_tlb_remove_table_rcu (mm/mmu_gather.c:289) ? rcu_core (kernel/rcu/tree.c:?) rcu_core (include/linux/rcupdate.h:341 kernel/rcu/tree.c:2607 kernel/rcu/tree.c:2861) rcu_core_si (kernel/rcu/tree.c:2879) handle_softirqs (arch/x86/include/asm/jump_label.h:36 include/trace/events/irq.h:142 kernel/softirq.c:623) __irq_exit_rcu (arch/x86/include/asm/jump_label.h:36 kernel/softirq.c:725) irq_exit_rcu (kernel/softirq.c:741) sysvec_apic_timer_interrupt (arch/x86/kernel/apic/apic.c:1052) </IRQ> <TASK> RIP: 0010:_raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore (arch/x86/include/asm/preempt.h:95 include/linux/spinlock_api_smp.h:152 kernel/locking/spinlock.c:194) free_pcppages_bulk (mm/page_alloc.c:1494) drain_pages_zone (include/linux/spinlock.h:391 mm/page_alloc.c:2632) __drain_all_pages (mm/page_alloc.c:2731) drain_all_pages (mm/page_alloc.c:2747) kcompactd (mm/compaction.c:3115) kthread (kernel/kthread.c:465) ? __cfi_kcompactd (mm/compaction.c:3166) ? __cfi_kthread (kernel/kthread.c:412) ret_from_fork (arch/x86/kernel/process.c:164) ? __cfi_kthread (kernel/kthread.c:412) ret_from_fork_asm (arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:255) </TASK> Matthew has analyzed the report and identified that in drain_page_zone() we are in a section protected by spin_lock(&pcp->lock) and then get an interrupt that attempts spin_trylock() on the same lock. The code is designed to work this way without disabling IRQs and occasionally fail the trylock with a fallback. However, the SMP=n spinlock implementation assumes spin_trylock() will always succeed, and thus it's normally a no-op. Here the enabled lock debugging catches the problem, but otherwise it could cause a corruption of the pcp structure. The problem has been introduced by commit 574907741599 ("mm/page_alloc: leave IRQs enabled for per-cpu page allocations"). The pcp locking scheme recognizes the need for disabling IRQs to prevent nesting spin_trylock() sections on SMP=n, but the need to prevent the nesting in spin_lock() has not been recognized. Fix it by introducing local wrappers that change the spin_lock() to spin_lock_iqsave() with SMP=n and use them in all places that do spin_lock(&pcp->lock). [[email protected]: add pcp_ prefix to the spin_lock_irqsave wrappers, per Steven]

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2026-23025 since 01/13/2026. The exploitation is known to be difficult. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 297474 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-23025), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.6.122, 6.12.67, 6.18.7 or 6.19-rc6 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 4a04ff9cd816e7346fcc8126f00ed80481f6569d/df63d31e9ae02e2f6cd96147779e4ed7cd0e75f6/3098f8f7c7b0686c74827aec42a2c45e69801ff8/038a102535eb49e10e93eafac54352fcc5d78847 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (297474), EUVD (EUVD-2026-5069) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2026-0280). VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Affected

  • Open Source Linux Kernel

Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 6.2
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 6.1

VulDB Base Score: 4.6
VulDB Temp Score: 4.4
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 7.8
NVD Vector: 🔒

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Allocation of resources
CWE: CWE-770 / CWE-400 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

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Nessus ID: 297474
Nessus Name: Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-23025

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.6.122/6.12.67/6.18.7/6.19-rc6
Patch: 4a04ff9cd816e7346fcc8126f00ed80481f6569d/df63d31e9ae02e2f6cd96147779e4ed7cd0e75f6/3098f8f7c7b0686c74827aec42a2c45e69801ff8/038a102535eb49e10e93eafac54352fcc5d78847

Timelineinfo

01/13/2026 CVE reserved
01/31/2026 +18 days Advisory disclosed
01/31/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
03/26/2026 +54 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-23025 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-23025
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-343592
EUVD: 🔒
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2026-0280 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen

Entryinfo

Created: 01/31/2026 15:11
Updated: 03/26/2026 02:11
Changes: 01/31/2026 15:11 (59), 01/31/2026 15:53 (1), 02/01/2026 01:18 (1), 02/01/2026 07:36 (2), 02/02/2026 20:51 (7), 03/26/2026 02:11 (12)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

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