Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

mm/mm_init: deferred_grow_zone(): fix out-of-range first_deferred_pfn

With CONFIG_DEFERRED_STRUCT_PAGE_INIT enabled, deferred_grow_zone()
initializes struct pages early in boot to satisfy an allocation.

With a large CMA reservation in place, the ranges deferred_init_memmap()
finds may not add up to the allocation it was asked for, and the function
ends up initializing the memory map of the entire zone and still falls
short.

That is fine in itself: the function accounts for it and leaves the
caller to decide whether it now has enough memory.

However, the update of pgdat->first_deferred_pfn that tracks where
uninitialized memory map starts could overflow.

If the node's RAM end is not aligned on PAGES_PER_SECTION boundaries and
some deferred struct pages were initialized, pgdat->first_deferred_pfn
would point past the end of the node's memory.

deferred_init_memmap() later picks up from pgdat->first_deferred_pfn and
hits a BUG_ON(), because it expects a pfn within its node.

For example, when running a kernel with CONFIG_DEFERRED_STRUCT_PAGE_INIT=y
and CONFIG_CMA=y using the following qemu command line

qemu-system-x86_64 -enable-kvm -m 8032M -kernel bzImage \
-append "nokaslr cma=4768M@0x100000000"

the kernel panics:

kernel BUG at mm/mm_init.c:2131!
CPU: 3 UID: 0 PID: 36 Comm: pgdatinit0 Not tainted 7.2.0-rc6 #1
RIP: 0010:deferred_init_memmap+0x1b8/0x1c0
RAX: 0000000000236000 R13: 0000000000238000
Call Trace:
kthread+0xdf/0x120
ret_from_fork+0x187/0x250

Make sure that the update of pgdta->first_deferred_pfn does not overflow
when the entire zone's (and therefore node's) memory map is initialized.

[rppt: massaged the changelog]
Published: 2026-09-24
Score: n/a
EPSS: n/a
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
AI Analysis

Analysis and contextual insights are available on OpenCVE Cloud.

Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

Additional remediation guidance may be available on OpenCVE Cloud.

Tracking

Sign in to view the affected projects.

Advisories

No advisories yet.

History

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 15:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/mm_init: deferred_grow_zone(): fix out-of-range first_deferred_pfn With CONFIG_DEFERRED_STRUCT_PAGE_INIT enabled, deferred_grow_zone() initializes struct pages early in boot to satisfy an allocation. With a large CMA reservation in place, the ranges deferred_init_memmap() finds may not add up to the allocation it was asked for, and the function ends up initializing the memory map of the entire zone and still falls short. That is fine in itself: the function accounts for it and leaves the caller to decide whether it now has enough memory. However, the update of pgdat->first_deferred_pfn that tracks where uninitialized memory map starts could overflow. If the node's RAM end is not aligned on PAGES_PER_SECTION boundaries and some deferred struct pages were initialized, pgdat->first_deferred_pfn would point past the end of the node's memory. deferred_init_memmap() later picks up from pgdat->first_deferred_pfn and hits a BUG_ON(), because it expects a pfn within its node. For example, when running a kernel with CONFIG_DEFERRED_STRUCT_PAGE_INIT=y and CONFIG_CMA=y using the following qemu command line qemu-system-x86_64 -enable-kvm -m 8032M -kernel bzImage \ -append "nokaslr cma=4768M@0x100000000" the kernel panics: kernel BUG at mm/mm_init.c:2131! CPU: 3 UID: 0 PID: 36 Comm: pgdatinit0 Not tainted 7.2.0-rc6 #1 RIP: 0010:deferred_init_memmap+0x1b8/0x1c0 RAX: 0000000000236000 R13: 0000000000238000 Call Trace: kthread+0xdf/0x120 ret_from_fork+0x187/0x250 Make sure that the update of pgdta->first_deferred_pfn does not overflow when the entire zone's (and therefore node's) memory map is initialized. [rppt: massaged the changelog]
Title mm/mm_init: deferred_grow_zone(): fix out-of-range first_deferred_pfn
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

Subscriptions

Linux Linux Kernel
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-09-24T15:29:00.289Z

Reserved: 2026-09-17T16:02:15.094Z

Link: CVE-2026-93227

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

No data.

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses

No weakness.