Kernel memory corruption via stale IOTLB entries
Published Feb 14, 2026 · Updated Feb 14, 2026
Memory corruption in Linux Kernel 4.4 through 6.18.6 allows local users to crash the kernel by triggering vfree() under IOMMU SVA. The x86 combined page-table path frees and reuses kernel page-table pages without first invalidating corresponding IOTLB paging-cache entries. Unprivileged local activity can reach the common vfree() path, leaving devices able to use stale translations and corrupt memory or interrupt the system.
Summary
What happened
Memory corruption in Linux Kernel 4.4 through 6.18.6 allows local users to crash the kernel by triggering vfree() under IOMMU SVA. The x86 combined page-table path frees and reuses kernel page-table pages without first invalidating corresponding IOTLB paging-cache entries. Unprivileged local activity can reach the common vfree() path, leaving devices able to use stale translations and corrupt memory or interrupt the system.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-71202
- Published
- Feb 14, 2026
- Updated
- Feb 14, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 14, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 14, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <9f0a7ab700f8620e433b05c57fbd26c92ea186d9
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <e37d5a2d60a338c5917c45296bac65da1382eda5
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What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Technologies
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Your stack
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