CVE-2026-97942: Linux kernel · x86/alternatives: Exclude text poking against change_page_attr()
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 13:47 UTC
Rated by Threat Radar · CVSS not yet scored by NVD
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 9% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Exploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 25 Sep 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
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 fix has been implemented to exclude text poking against change_page_attr() by using the init_mm mmap read lock. Users should apply the official kernel updates that include this fix. Since this is a kernel-level issue, updating to patched kernel versions is the recommended remediation. Patch status is not explicitly confirmed in the input data; therefore, check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance.
Description
A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's x86 alternatives patching code could cause a kernel BUG and system crash due to a race condition involving text poking and change_page_attr(). This occurs when vmalloc_to_page() fails because of concurrent modifications to executable memory regions, potentially collapsing page tables or breaking hugepages. The issue affects specific Linux kernel versions and has been resolved by excluding text poking against change_page_attr() using the init_mm mmap read lock.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-97942 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-97942 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/281e6f536f2f3f95d91938c5bd7ba9bcb4c1049d (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/1587d3394e254639cc36516256031334095e6ef3 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/89c60435b90d32ab5e3a39da3ae73d463d07debe (opens in a new tab)