Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
mm/rmap: initialize nr_pages to 1 at loop start in try_to_unmap_one
Initialize nr_pages to 1 at the start of each loop iteration, like
folio_referenced_one() does.
Without this, nr_pages computed by a previous folio_unmap_pte_batch() call
can be reused on a later iteration that does not run
folio_unmap_pte_batch() again.
mmap a 64K large folio with MAP_ANONYMOUS | MAP_DROPPABLE, then call
madvise(MADV_FREE), then make the last page device-exclusive via
HMM_DMIRROR_EXCLUSIVE.
Trigger node reclaim through sysfs. Now, in try_to_unmap_one(), we will
first clear the first 15 out of 16 entries mapping the lazyfree folio.
This will set nr_pages to 15. In the next pvmw walk, this nr_pages gets
reused on a device-exclusive pte, thus potentially corrupting folio
refcount/mapcount.
At the moment, I have a userspace program which can make the kernel spit
out a trace, but the blow up is in folio_referenced_one(), because there
are existing bugs in the interaction between device-private and rmap
(which too I am investigating). I did a one liner kernel change to avoid
going into folio_referenced_one(), and the kernel blows up at
folio_remove_rmap_ptes in try_to_unmap_one which is what I wanted.
Note that the bug is there not since file folio batching but lazyfree
folio batching, since device-exclusive only works for anonymous folios.
Userspace visible effect is simply kernel crashing somewhere due to
refcount/mapcount corruption.
mm/rmap: initialize nr_pages to 1 at loop start in try_to_unmap_one
Initialize nr_pages to 1 at the start of each loop iteration, like
folio_referenced_one() does.
Without this, nr_pages computed by a previous folio_unmap_pte_batch() call
can be reused on a later iteration that does not run
folio_unmap_pte_batch() again.
mmap a 64K large folio with MAP_ANONYMOUS | MAP_DROPPABLE, then call
madvise(MADV_FREE), then make the last page device-exclusive via
HMM_DMIRROR_EXCLUSIVE.
Trigger node reclaim through sysfs. Now, in try_to_unmap_one(), we will
first clear the first 15 out of 16 entries mapping the lazyfree folio.
This will set nr_pages to 15. In the next pvmw walk, this nr_pages gets
reused on a device-exclusive pte, thus potentially corrupting folio
refcount/mapcount.
At the moment, I have a userspace program which can make the kernel spit
out a trace, but the blow up is in folio_referenced_one(), because there
are existing bugs in the interaction between device-private and rmap
(which too I am investigating). I did a one liner kernel change to avoid
going into folio_referenced_one(), and the kernel blows up at
folio_remove_rmap_ptes in try_to_unmap_one which is what I wanted.
Note that the bug is there not since file folio batching but lazyfree
folio batching, since device-exclusive only works for anonymous folios.
Userspace visible effect is simply kernel crashing somewhere due to
refcount/mapcount corruption.
Published:
2026-07-19
Score:
n/a
EPSS:
n/a
KEV:
No
Impact:
n/a
Action:
n/a
No analysis available yet.
Remediation
No remediation available yet.
Tracking
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Advisories
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References
History
Sun, 19 Jul 2026 15:30:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/rmap: initialize nr_pages to 1 at loop start in try_to_unmap_one Initialize nr_pages to 1 at the start of each loop iteration, like folio_referenced_one() does. Without this, nr_pages computed by a previous folio_unmap_pte_batch() call can be reused on a later iteration that does not run folio_unmap_pte_batch() again. mmap a 64K large folio with MAP_ANONYMOUS | MAP_DROPPABLE, then call madvise(MADV_FREE), then make the last page device-exclusive via HMM_DMIRROR_EXCLUSIVE. Trigger node reclaim through sysfs. Now, in try_to_unmap_one(), we will first clear the first 15 out of 16 entries mapping the lazyfree folio. This will set nr_pages to 15. In the next pvmw walk, this nr_pages gets reused on a device-exclusive pte, thus potentially corrupting folio refcount/mapcount. At the moment, I have a userspace program which can make the kernel spit out a trace, but the blow up is in folio_referenced_one(), because there are existing bugs in the interaction between device-private and rmap (which too I am investigating). I did a one liner kernel change to avoid going into folio_referenced_one(), and the kernel blows up at folio_remove_rmap_ptes in try_to_unmap_one which is what I wanted. Note that the bug is there not since file folio batching but lazyfree folio batching, since device-exclusive only works for anonymous folios. Userspace visible effect is simply kernel crashing somewhere due to refcount/mapcount corruption. | |
| Title | mm/rmap: initialize nr_pages to 1 at loop start in try_to_unmap_one | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-07-19T14:55:43.404Z
Reserved: 2026-07-19T07:54:57.023Z
Link: CVE-2026-63950
No data.
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No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
No data.
Weaknesses
No weakness.