CVE-2026-72212: Linux kernel · mm/memory_hotplug: fix incorrect altmap passing in error path
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, 00:58 UTC
Rated by Threat Radar · CVSS not yet scored by NVD
- 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.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/memory_hotplug: fix incorrect altmap passing in error path In create_altmaps_and_memory_blocks(), when arch_add_memory() succeeds with memmap_on_memory enabled, the vmemmap pages are allocated from params.altmap. If create_memory_block_devices() subsequently fails, the error path calls arch_remove_memory() with a NULL altmap instead of params.altmap. This is a bug that could lead to memory corruption. Since altmap is NULL, vmemmap_free() falls back to freeing the vmemmap pages into the system buddy allocator via free_pages() instead of the altmap. arch_remove_memory() then immediately destroys the physical linear mapping for this memory. This injects unowned pages into the buddy allocator, causing machine checks or memory corruption if the system later attempts to allocate and use those freed pages. Fix this by passing params.altmap to arch_remove_memory() in the error path.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-72212 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-72212 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/2fac4afa0e2e68841334c78c1821e49f74fbc66a (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/2f9e3ec17c3d2093c664c00a027588a446c39894 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/2fac4afa0e2e68841334c78c1821e49f74fbc66a (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/3833e6abdbbfb59ec8203a84a84206cb7ffb41ac (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/722e6c54bde6391fb95f0357f555aca887c7b18c (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)