In the Linux kernel buddy allocator, the try_harder contiguous fallback could return a block whose start address did not satisfy the caller’s minimum block size requirement. When the start was misaligned, the implementation freed the misaligned run and then requested allocation at the next lower boundary that met the size requirement. This mechanism kept the returned size unchanged but could corrupt memory that had been allocated under the wrong alignment assumptions, potentially leading to kernel crashes or memory corruption.

Any installation of the Linux kernel that predates the merge of the commit adding alignment enforcement is vulnerable. This includes all mainstream distributions using the standard kernel source tree or any custom kernel that has not incorporated the patch identified in the provided commit references. Administrators should verify the kernel version or the presence of the alignment check within the buddy allocator code before applying the mitigation.

The CVSS score of 7.8 signifies a high impact potential, yet the EPSS score of less than 1 % indicates a low probability of exploitation in the wild. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog. Exploitation would require local kernel code execution or privilege escalation sufficient to trigger a misaligned allocation through a driver or module; such conditions are currently considered unlikely. Consequently, while the damage to kernel integrity is severe, active exploitation remains improbable at present.