Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
x86/mm/pat: Allocate split page tables as kernel page tables
A PTE is allocated directly without going through the standard page table
allocation routines (such as pte_alloc_one_kernel()) when the CPA code
splits a large page (__split_large_page()).
This means the page table constructor is never called nor is the page table
marked as a kernel page table.
The former results in the folio associated with the page table not being
marked as a page table (__pagetable_ctor() is never called thus neither is
__folio_set_pgtable()) nor are statistics updated to reflect
it (lruvec_stat_add_folio() is never called).
The latter issue of failing to mark the page table as a kernel page
table (ptdesc_set_kernel() is never called) is far more problematic.
Since commit:
5ba2f0a15564 ("mm: introduce deferred freeing for kernel page tables")
kernel page table freeing has been batched and since the
subsequent commit:
e37d5a2d60a3 ("iommu/sva: invalidate stale IOTLB entries for kernel address space")
IOTLB cache entries for kernel page tables have been invalidated upon
being freed.
Since split page tables are freed without this invalidation, the IOTLB
can contain stale entries for them.
Resolve the issue by using the ordinary PTE allocation API at split time.
This results in these kernel page tables invoking a page table constructor,
and thus requires a page table destructor.
Destructors are not always present, like for early allocated direct map
page tables). Conditionally call pagetable_dtor_free() if the PG_table
folio flag for the ptdesc is set, otherwise we free the page table via
pagetable_free().
Regardless of which path is taken page tables marked as kernel page tables,
which now includes split page tables, take the correct route through
pagetable_free_kernel().
There is a user-visible side effect in that split page tables will appear
in nr_page_table_pages in /proc/vmstat (as do other kernel page tables
allocated after early boot), however this is a positive change.
This issue started being markedly problematic after commit:
5ba2f0a15564 ("mm: introduce deferred freeing for kernel page tables")
so choose this as the Fixes target.
[ dhansen: rephrase in imperative mood ]
x86/mm/pat: Allocate split page tables as kernel page tables
A PTE is allocated directly without going through the standard page table
allocation routines (such as pte_alloc_one_kernel()) when the CPA code
splits a large page (__split_large_page()).
This means the page table constructor is never called nor is the page table
marked as a kernel page table.
The former results in the folio associated with the page table not being
marked as a page table (__pagetable_ctor() is never called thus neither is
__folio_set_pgtable()) nor are statistics updated to reflect
it (lruvec_stat_add_folio() is never called).
The latter issue of failing to mark the page table as a kernel page
table (ptdesc_set_kernel() is never called) is far more problematic.
Since commit:
5ba2f0a15564 ("mm: introduce deferred freeing for kernel page tables")
kernel page table freeing has been batched and since the
subsequent commit:
e37d5a2d60a3 ("iommu/sva: invalidate stale IOTLB entries for kernel address space")
IOTLB cache entries for kernel page tables have been invalidated upon
being freed.
Since split page tables are freed without this invalidation, the IOTLB
can contain stale entries for them.
Resolve the issue by using the ordinary PTE allocation API at split time.
This results in these kernel page tables invoking a page table constructor,
and thus requires a page table destructor.
Destructors are not always present, like for early allocated direct map
page tables). Conditionally call pagetable_dtor_free() if the PG_table
folio flag for the ptdesc is set, otherwise we free the page table via
pagetable_free().
Regardless of which path is taken page tables marked as kernel page tables,
which now includes split page tables, take the correct route through
pagetable_free_kernel().
There is a user-visible side effect in that split page tables will appear
in nr_page_table_pages in /proc/vmstat (as do other kernel page tables
allocated after early boot), however this is a positive change.
This issue started being markedly problematic after commit:
5ba2f0a15564 ("mm: introduce deferred freeing for kernel page tables")
so choose this as the Fixes target.
[ dhansen: rephrase in imperative mood ]
Published:
2026-09-25
Score:
n/a
EPSS:
n/a
KEV:
No
Analysis
Analysis and contextual insights are available on OpenCVE Cloud.
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 |
|
No data.
No data.
No data available yet.
Remediation
No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.
Additional remediation guidance may be available on OpenCVE Cloud.
Tracking
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Advisories
No advisories yet.
References
History
Fri, 25 Sep 2026 10:30:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: x86/mm/pat: Allocate split page tables as kernel page tables A PTE is allocated directly without going through the standard page table allocation routines (such as pte_alloc_one_kernel()) when the CPA code splits a large page (__split_large_page()). This means the page table constructor is never called nor is the page table marked as a kernel page table. The former results in the folio associated with the page table not being marked as a page table (__pagetable_ctor() is never called thus neither is __folio_set_pgtable()) nor are statistics updated to reflect it (lruvec_stat_add_folio() is never called). The latter issue of failing to mark the page table as a kernel page table (ptdesc_set_kernel() is never called) is far more problematic. Since commit: 5ba2f0a15564 ("mm: introduce deferred freeing for kernel page tables") kernel page table freeing has been batched and since the subsequent commit: e37d5a2d60a3 ("iommu/sva: invalidate stale IOTLB entries for kernel address space") IOTLB cache entries for kernel page tables have been invalidated upon being freed. Since split page tables are freed without this invalidation, the IOTLB can contain stale entries for them. Resolve the issue by using the ordinary PTE allocation API at split time. This results in these kernel page tables invoking a page table constructor, and thus requires a page table destructor. Destructors are not always present, like for early allocated direct map page tables). Conditionally call pagetable_dtor_free() if the PG_table folio flag for the ptdesc is set, otherwise we free the page table via pagetable_free(). Regardless of which path is taken page tables marked as kernel page tables, which now includes split page tables, take the correct route through pagetable_free_kernel(). There is a user-visible side effect in that split page tables will appear in nr_page_table_pages in /proc/vmstat (as do other kernel page tables allocated after early boot), however this is a positive change. This issue started being markedly problematic after commit: 5ba2f0a15564 ("mm: introduce deferred freeing for kernel page tables") so choose this as the Fixes target. [ dhansen: rephrase in imperative mood ] | |
| Title | x86/mm/pat: Allocate split page tables as kernel page tables | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
MITRE
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-09-25T10:21:28.284Z
Reserved: 2026-09-24T16:01:01.152Z
Link: CVE-2026-97525
Vulnrichment
No data.
NVD
Status : Received
Published: 2026-09-25T11:17:02.647
Modified: 2026-09-25T11:17:02.647
Link: CVE-2026-97525
Redhat
No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
No data.
Weaknesses
No weakness.