Linux Kernel up to 6.18.49/7.2.3 Memory Initialization mm/mm_init.c deferred_grow_zone first_deferred_pfn integer overflow

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4.2	$0-$5k	0.24+

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.18.49/7.2.3 and classified as problematic. This affects the function deferred_grow_zone of the file mm/mm_init.c of the component Memory Initialization. The manipulation of the argument first_deferred_pfn leads to integer overflow. This vulnerability is listed as CVE-2026-93227. The attack must be carried out locally. There is no available exploit. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.18.49/7.2.3 and classified as problematic. This issue affects the function deferred_grow_zone of the file mm/mm_init.c of the component Memory Initialization. The manipulation of the argument first_deferred_pfn with an unknown input leads to a integer overflow vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-190. The product performs a calculation that can produce an integer overflow or wraparound, when the logic assumes that the resulting value will always be larger than the original value. This can introduce other weaknesses when the calculation is used for resource management or execution control. Impacted is availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/mm_init: deferred_grow_zone(): fix out-of-range first_deferred_pfn With CONFIG_DEFERRED_STRUCT_PAGE_INIT enabled, deferred_grow_zone() initializes struct pages early in boot to satisfy an allocation. With a large CMA reservation in place, the ranges deferred_init_memmap() finds may not add up to the allocation it was asked for, and the function ends up initializing the memory map of the entire zone and still falls short. That is fine in itself: the function accounts for it and leaves the caller to decide whether it now has enough memory. However, the update of pgdat->first_deferred_pfn that tracks where uninitialized memory map starts could overflow. If the node's RAM end is not aligned on PAGES_PER_SECTION boundaries and some deferred struct pages were initialized, pgdat->first_deferred_pfn would point past the end of the node's memory. deferred_init_memmap() later picks up from pgdat->first_deferred_pfn and hits a BUG_ON(), because it expects a pfn within its node. For example, when running a kernel with CONFIG_DEFERRED_STRUCT_PAGE_INIT=y and CONFIG_CMA=y using the following qemu command line qemu-system-x86_64 -enable-kvm -m 8032M -kernel bzImage \ -append "nokaslr cma=4768M@0x100000000" the kernel panics: kernel BUG at mm/mm_init.c:2131! CPU: 3 UID: 0 PID: 36 Comm: pgdatinit0 Not tainted 7.2.0-rc6 #1 RIP: 0010:deferred_init_memmap+0x1b8/0x1c0 RAX: 0000000000236000 R13: 0000000000238000 Call Trace: kthread+0xdf/0x120 ret_from_fork+0x187/0x250 Make sure that the update of pgdta->first_deferred_pfn does not overflow when the entire zone's (and therefore node's) memory map is initialized. [rppt: massaged the changelog]

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2026-93227 since 09/17/2026. The exploitation is known to be easy. An attack has to be approached locally. Additional levels of successful authentication are necessary for exploitation. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available.

Upgrading to version 6.18.50, 7.2.4 or 7.3-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 45489d4f95802903ab35799b400b346fa4e13151/84339578c2d6936ac3a93cd1f0bbaa3468a988f2/97090500d776c3f6d08e857e3a0a7cf092999094 is able to eliminate this problem. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

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Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.18.0
• 6.18.1
• 6.18.2
• 6.18.3
• 6.18.4
• 6.18.5
• 6.18.6
• 6.18.7
• 6.18.8
• 6.18.9
• 6.18.10
• 6.18.11
• 6.18.12
• 6.18.13
• 6.18.14
• 6.18.15
• 6.18.16
• 6.18.17
• 6.18.18
• 6.18.19
• 6.18.20
• 6.18.21
• 6.18.22
• 6.18.23
• 6.18.24
• 6.18.25
• 6.18.26
• 6.18.27
• 6.18.28
• 6.18.29
• 6.18.30
• 6.18.31
• 6.18.32
• 6.18.33
• 6.18.34
• 6.18.35
• 6.18.36
• 6.18.37
• 6.18.38
• 6.18.39
• 6.18.40
• 6.18.41
• 6.18.42
• 6.18.43
• 6.18.44
• 6.18.45
• 6.18.46
• 6.18.47
• 6.18.48
• 6.18.49
• 7.2.0
• 7.2.1
• 7.2.2
• 7.2.3

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
• 🔒
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CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 4.4
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 4.2

VulDB Base Score: 4.4
VulDB Temp Score: 4.2
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳

Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

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

Exploitinginfo

Class: Integer overflow
CWE: CWE-190 / CWE-189
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: No

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined
Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

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Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.18.50/7.2.4/7.3-rc1
Patch: 45489d4f95802903ab35799b400b346fa4e13151/84339578c2d6936ac3a93cd1f0bbaa3468a988f2/97090500d776c3f6d08e857e3a0a7cf092999094

Timelineinfo

09/17/2026 CVE reserved
09/24/2026 +7 days Advisory disclosed
09/24/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
09/24/2026 +0 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-93227 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-93227
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-409433

Entryinfo

Created: 09/24/2026 17:54
Changes: 09/24/2026 17:54 (61)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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Discussion

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