Kernel crash via unchecked memory-hotplug allocation failure
Published Sep 17, 2026 · Updated Sep 17, 2026
NULL dereference in Linux memory hotplug allows local users to crash the kernel when per-CPU statistics allocation fails. In mm/mm_init.c, free_area_init_core_hotplug fails to check alloc_percpu before accessing pgdat->per_cpu_nodestats through per-CPU offsets. Triggering the fault requires memory hotplug initialization and allocation failure; the published assessment requires administrative privileges and identifies no data disclosure or modification.
Summary
What happened
NULL dereference in Linux memory hotplug allows local users to crash the kernel when per-CPU statistics allocation fails. In mm/mm_init.c, free_area_init_core_hotplug fails to check alloc_percpu before accessing pgdat->per_cpu_nodestats through per-CPU offsets. Triggering the fault requires memory hotplug initialization and allocation failure; the published assessment requires administrative privileges and identifies no data disclosure or modification.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-93172
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 17, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- admin
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 17, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 17, 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=4.8
- Affected versionversion=75ef7184053989118d3814c558a9af62e7376a58 <1017fe1c7f48e511c5a680e3057005daaff2f3a2
- Affected versionversion=75ef7184053989118d3814c558a9af62e7376a58 <2ebce860bdd7ae5e13002811bc9bbbf33fcfc221
- Affected versionversion=75ef7184053989118d3814c558a9af62e7376a58 <4cc5caef9a8d1894dfa31d84a0daa0ac1437dadc
- Affected versionversion=75ef7184053989118d3814c558a9af62e7376a58 <bc3b5e6519b8df22d622a03eab6772784da97db4
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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