CVE-2025-71078

System compromise via stale SLB preload entries

Published Jan 13, 2026 · Updated Jan 13, 2026

An SLB cache inconsistency in Linux Kernel allows local users to compromise affected PowerPC systems using the hash MMU. When switch_mm_irqs_off() skips switch_mmu_context() for identical mm_struct values, process migration can leave the hardware SLB out of sync with the software preload cache and reload a stale entry. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access, a 64-bit PowerPC hash-MMU system, process migration between CPUs, cache eviction, and a later SLB reload; the published impact covers system confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

An SLB cache inconsistency in Linux Kernel allows local users to compromise affected PowerPC systems using the hash MMU. When switch_mm_irqs_off() skips switch_mmu_context() for identical mm_struct values, process migration can leave the hardware SLB out of sync with the software preload cache and reload a stale entry. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access, a 64-bit PowerPC hash-MMU system, process migration between CPUs, cache eviction, and a later SLB reload; the published impact covers system confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-71078
Published
Jan 13, 2026
Updated
Jan 13, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 13, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 13, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=4.20
  2. Affected versionversion=5434ae74629af58ad0fc27143a9ea435f7734410 <00312419f0863964625d6dcda8183f96849412c6
  3. Affected versionversion=5434ae74629af58ad0fc27143a9ea435f7734410 <4ae1e46d8a290319f33f71a2710a1382ba5431e8
  4. Affected versionversion=5434ae74629af58ad0fc27143a9ea435f7734410 <895123c309a34d2cfccf7812b41e17261a3a6f37
  5. Affected versionversion=5434ae74629af58ad0fc27143a9ea435f7734410 <b13a3dbfa196af68eae2031f209743735ad416bf
  6. Affected versionversion=5434ae74629af58ad0fc27143a9ea435f7734410 <c9f865022a1823d814032a09906e91e4701a35fc

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=4.20; version=5434ae74629af58ad0fc27143a9ea435f7734410 <00312419f0863964625d6dcda8183f96849412c6; version=5434ae74629af58ad0fc27143a9ea435f7734410 <4ae1e46d8a290319f33f71a2710a1382ba5431e8; version=5434ae74629af58ad0fc27143a9ea435f7734410 <895123c309a34d2cfccf7812b41e17261a3a6f37; version=5434ae74629af58ad0fc27143a9ea435f7734410 <b13a3dbfa196af68eae2031f209743735ad416bf; version=5434ae74629af58ad0fc27143a9ea435f7734410 <c9f865022a1823d814032a09906e91e4701a35fc

Published CVSS scores

7.8kernel.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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