CVE-2026-72174

Local thread hang via hugetlb lock self-deadlock

Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026

Deadlock in the Linux kernel 6.7 and later affected branches allows local users to hang a calling thread through a hugetlb pagemap scan. pagemap_scan_pte_hole() routes an unpopulated hugetlb entry through uffd_wp_range(), which requests the VMA write lock while the same walk holds its read lock. A local low-privileged user must request PM_SCAN_WP_MATCHING over an unpopulated hugetlb range; the directly observed consequence is an unkillable thread hang.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Deadlock in the Linux kernel 6.7 and later affected branches allows local users to hang a calling thread through a hugetlb pagemap scan. pagemap_scan_pte_hole() routes an unpopulated hugetlb entry through uffd_wp_range(), which requests the VMA write lock while the same walk holds its read lock. A local low-privileged user must request PM_SCAN_WP_MATCHING over an unpopulated hugetlb range; the directly observed consequence is an unkillable thread hang.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-72174
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 15, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-833, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 15, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 15, 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=52526ca7fdb905a768a93f8faa418e9b988fc34b <18b8a9700610299819d21fd0ea85d24726d17f65
  2. Affected versionversion=52526ca7fdb905a768a93f8faa418e9b988fc34b <43b987ed35be9be21a303d1036d4241fec9943df
  3. Affected versionversion=52526ca7fdb905a768a93f8faa418e9b988fc34b <a6ac03652d9edc30c2912037ac83beb42cc67f8e
  4. Affected versionversion=52526ca7fdb905a768a93f8faa418e9b988fc34b <e92d92bbafb264dc0518d52b846a3c07ed8d523f
  5. Affected versionversion=6.7

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=52526ca7fdb905a768a93f8faa418e9b988fc34b <18b8a9700610299819d21fd0ea85d24726d17f65; version=52526ca7fdb905a768a93f8faa418e9b988fc34b <43b987ed35be9be21a303d1036d4241fec9943df; version=52526ca7fdb905a768a93f8faa418e9b988fc34b <a6ac03652d9edc30c2912037ac83beb42cc67f8e; version=52526ca7fdb905a768a93f8faa418e9b988fc34b <e92d92bbafb264dc0518d52b846a3c07ed8d523f; version=6.7

Published CVSS scores

5.5OracleCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-833Deadlock
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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