CVE-2026-72174: Linux kernel · fs/proc/task_mmu: fix hugetlb self-deadlock in pagemap_scan_pte_hole()
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · fixed in 6.8.0-147.147 : update Linux kernel when convenient.
Data as of 28 Oct 2026, 05:11 UTC
Rated by Threat Radar · CVSS not yet scored by NVD
- EPSS
- 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 10% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 6.8.0-147.147, 6.8.0-1067.70, 7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1 +25
Exploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 15 Aug 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.
Patches and advisories
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8888-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8889-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8887-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8888-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8887-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8887-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8917-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8918-1 (opens in a new tab)
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gcppkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gkepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gke?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
AI-suggested
A patch is available and included in Linux kernel versions 6.8.0-147.147, 6.8.0-1067.70, 7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1, 6.8.0-1071.79, 7.0.0-1017.17~24.04.1, and others as listed. Users should upgrade to these fixed kernel versions to resolve the deadlock issue. No additional mitigation is required beyond applying the official fix.
Description
A deadlock vulnerability in the Linux kernel's hugetlb subsystem was fixed. The issue occurs when a PAGEMAP_SCAN ioctl requests PM_SCAN_WP_MATCHING on a hugetlb VMA, causing the calling thread to hang unkillably due to a self-deadlock in pagemap_scan_pte_hole(). The flaw involves improper locking when write-protecting unpopulated huge page table entries, leading to the thread blocking on a write lock it already holds a read lock for. The fix changes the locking approach to avoid this deadlock by installing the uffd-wp marker directly under the page-table lock without taking the vma write lock. Multiple Linux kernel versions are affected and fixed in later releases.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-72174 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-72174 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/e92d92bbafb264dc0518d52b846a3c07ed8d523f (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/18b8a9700610299819d21fd0ea85d24726d17f65 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/43b987ed35be9be21a303d1036d4241fec9943df (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a6ac03652d9edc30c2912037ac83beb42cc67f8e (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e92d92bbafb264dc0518d52b846a3c07ed8d523f (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8888-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8889-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8887-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8888-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8887-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8887-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8917-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8918-1 (opens in a new tab)