System hang via recursive HugeTLB lock acquisition
Published Jun 25, 2026 · Updated Jun 25, 2026
Improper locking in the Linux Kernel HugeTLB memory-failure path allows local users to hang the system through concurrent page operations. The out path in __get_huge_page_for_hwpoison calls folio_put while hugetlb_lock remains held; a zero refcount then makes free_huge_folio reacquire the same nonrecursive lock. Exploitation requires CAP_SYS_ADMIN, CONFIG_MEMORY_FAILURE, two MADV_HWPOISON calls on one HugeTLB page, and a concurrent unmap; the resulting self-deadlock hangs the system.
Summary
What happened
Improper locking in the Linux Kernel HugeTLB memory-failure path allows local users to hang the system through concurrent page operations. The out path in __get_huge_page_for_hwpoison calls folio_put while hugetlb_lock remains held; a zero refcount then makes free_huge_folio reacquire the same nonrecursive lock. Exploitation requires CAP_SYS_ADMIN, CONFIG_MEMORY_FAILURE, two MADV_HWPOISON calls on one HugeTLB page, and a concurrent unmap; the resulting self-deadlock hangs the system.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-53207
- Published
- Jun 25, 2026
- Updated
- Jun 25, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- CWE-667, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- admin
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jun 25, 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?
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- Affected versionversion=405ce051236cc65b30bbfe490b28ce60ae6aed85 <3c2d42b8ee345b17a4ba56b0f6492d1ff4c1178e
- Affected versionversion=405ce051236cc65b30bbfe490b28ce60ae6aed85 <77b73b54801ae7137479c141fd0473a491c1dc48
- Affected versionversion=405ce051236cc65b30bbfe490b28ce60ae6aed85 <a33bfed648c10f5a1519981dbfad80841191edc8
- Affected versionversion=405ce051236cc65b30bbfe490b28ce60ae6aed85 <bf7ba8f96c258c30393814491930ae4ecdc5fe5e
- Affected versionversion=405ce051236cc65b30bbfe490b28ce60ae6aed85 <dd77a83915b07e2b0205adb284f08b39ae31dc4b
- Affected versionversion=405ce051236cc65b30bbfe490b28ce60ae6aed85 <fc3ff42cb0cbf947e4600ae9761c3783760050e2
- Affected versionversion=5.15.54 <5.16
- Affected versionversion=5.18
- Affected versionversion=62d1655b922958826b7ec22682c3141746f75064
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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