In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
KVM: x86/mmu: Consume the locked rmap value in the lockless rmap walk
__kvm_rmap_lock() deliberately elides the rmap lock when it observes an
empty rmap. In that case kvm_rmap_lock_readonly() also re-enables
preemption and returns zero, so the caller holds neither the rmap lock
nor a preemption reference. The elision documents the invariant it
relies on:
* Elide the lock if the rmap is empty, as lockless walkers (read-only
* mode) don't need to (and can't) walk an empty rmap, nor can they add
* entries to the rmap. I.e. the only paths that process empty rmaps
* do so while holding mmu_lock for write, and are mutually exclusive.
kvm_rmap_age_gfn_range() ignores the returned value and unconditionally
enters for_each_rmap_spte_lockless(). The iterator started with
rmap_get_first(), which re-reads rmap_head->val rather than using the
value returned by the lock. If a writer populates the rmap between the
lock's read and the iterator's re-read, the aging path walks the newly
installed rmap without holding its lock.
For a KVM_RMAP_MANY rmap this leaves the walker following a
pte_list_desc chain that it never locked. A writer holding mmu_lock for
write may free that chain (e.g. kvm_zap_all_rmap_sptes() on the recycle
path, or any rmap zap) via kmem_cache_free() while the walk is in
progress, giving a slab use-after-free. Nothing serialises the two: the
aging path runs without mmu_lock when CONFIG_KVM_MMU_LOCKLESS_AGING=y,
and the rmap lock that would otherwise exclude the writer was elided.
Because the empty path re-enables preemption, the interval between the
two reads can span an arbitrary scheduling delay.
Fix the class of bug by having the lockless walk consume the value
returned by the lock instead of re-reading the rmap. Split
rmap_get_first() into __rmap_get_first(), which starts an iterator from
an already-read rmap value, and make for_each_rmap_spte_lockless() take
that value and call __rmap_get_first() directly.
kvm_rmap_age_gfn_range() passes the value returned by
kvm_rmap_lock_readonly(): when the lock was elided the value is zero,
__rmap_get_first() returns NULL, and the walk is skipped. No lockless
walker re-reads the rmap, so the lock-elision invariant cannot be
violated, and no lock()-without-paired-unlock() path is added to the
aging code.
KVM: x86/mmu: Consume the locked rmap value in the lockless rmap walk
__kvm_rmap_lock() deliberately elides the rmap lock when it observes an
empty rmap. In that case kvm_rmap_lock_readonly() also re-enables
preemption and returns zero, so the caller holds neither the rmap lock
nor a preemption reference. The elision documents the invariant it
relies on:
* Elide the lock if the rmap is empty, as lockless walkers (read-only
* mode) don't need to (and can't) walk an empty rmap, nor can they add
* entries to the rmap. I.e. the only paths that process empty rmaps
* do so while holding mmu_lock for write, and are mutually exclusive.
kvm_rmap_age_gfn_range() ignores the returned value and unconditionally
enters for_each_rmap_spte_lockless(). The iterator started with
rmap_get_first(), which re-reads rmap_head->val rather than using the
value returned by the lock. If a writer populates the rmap between the
lock's read and the iterator's re-read, the aging path walks the newly
installed rmap without holding its lock.
For a KVM_RMAP_MANY rmap this leaves the walker following a
pte_list_desc chain that it never locked. A writer holding mmu_lock for
write may free that chain (e.g. kvm_zap_all_rmap_sptes() on the recycle
path, or any rmap zap) via kmem_cache_free() while the walk is in
progress, giving a slab use-after-free. Nothing serialises the two: the
aging path runs without mmu_lock when CONFIG_KVM_MMU_LOCKLESS_AGING=y,
and the rmap lock that would otherwise exclude the writer was elided.
Because the empty path re-enables preemption, the interval between the
two reads can span an arbitrary scheduling delay.
Fix the class of bug by having the lockless walk consume the value
returned by the lock instead of re-reading the rmap. Split
rmap_get_first() into __rmap_get_first(), which starts an iterator from
an already-read rmap value, and make for_each_rmap_spte_lockless() take
that value and call __rmap_get_first() directly.
kvm_rmap_age_gfn_range() passes the value returned by
kvm_rmap_lock_readonly(): when the lock was elided the value is zero,
__rmap_get_first() returns NULL, and the walk is skipped. No lockless
walker re-reads the rmap, so the lock-elision invariant cannot be
violated, and no lock()-without-paired-unlock() path is added to the
aging code.
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | unaffected |
|
||||||||||||||||||
| Linux | Linux | affected |
|
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Advisories
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Fixes
Solution
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Workaround
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References
History
Wed, 16 Sep 2026 10:45:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: x86/mmu: Consume the locked rmap value in the lockless rmap walk __kvm_rmap_lock() deliberately elides the rmap lock when it observes an empty rmap. In that case kvm_rmap_lock_readonly() also re-enables preemption and returns zero, so the caller holds neither the rmap lock nor a preemption reference. The elision documents the invariant it relies on: * Elide the lock if the rmap is empty, as lockless walkers (read-only * mode) don't need to (and can't) walk an empty rmap, nor can they add * entries to the rmap. I.e. the only paths that process empty rmaps * do so while holding mmu_lock for write, and are mutually exclusive. kvm_rmap_age_gfn_range() ignores the returned value and unconditionally enters for_each_rmap_spte_lockless(). The iterator started with rmap_get_first(), which re-reads rmap_head->val rather than using the value returned by the lock. If a writer populates the rmap between the lock's read and the iterator's re-read, the aging path walks the newly installed rmap without holding its lock. For a KVM_RMAP_MANY rmap this leaves the walker following a pte_list_desc chain that it never locked. A writer holding mmu_lock for write may free that chain (e.g. kvm_zap_all_rmap_sptes() on the recycle path, or any rmap zap) via kmem_cache_free() while the walk is in progress, giving a slab use-after-free. Nothing serialises the two: the aging path runs without mmu_lock when CONFIG_KVM_MMU_LOCKLESS_AGING=y, and the rmap lock that would otherwise exclude the writer was elided. Because the empty path re-enables preemption, the interval between the two reads can span an arbitrary scheduling delay. Fix the class of bug by having the lockless walk consume the value returned by the lock instead of re-reading the rmap. Split rmap_get_first() into __rmap_get_first(), which starts an iterator from an already-read rmap value, and make for_each_rmap_spte_lockless() take that value and call __rmap_get_first() directly. kvm_rmap_age_gfn_range() passes the value returned by kvm_rmap_lock_readonly(): when the lock was elided the value is zero, __rmap_get_first() returns NULL, and the walk is skipped. No lockless walker re-reads the rmap, so the lock-elision invariant cannot be violated, and no lock()-without-paired-unlock() path is added to the aging code. | |
| Title | KVM: x86/mmu: Consume the locked rmap value in the lockless rmap walk | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
Projects
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MITRE
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-09-16T10:32:20.173Z
Reserved: 2026-09-11T19:38:34.775Z
Link: CVE-2026-89928
Vulnrichment
No data.
NVD
Status : Received
Published: 2026-09-16T11:17:02.060
Modified: 2026-09-16T11:17:02.060
Link: CVE-2026-89928
Redhat
No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
No data.
Weaknesses
No weakness.