x86/mm: Drop unnecessary PMD page copy when freeing
On a box with a discrete GPU, lockdep reports a possible deadlock as
soon as kswapd shrinks the TTM page pool. The immediate cause is an
x86 commit that added an mmap_read_lock() to kernel page protection
munging code.
The huge vmap code holds the same lock over a GFP_KERNEL allocation,
which is a no-no now that reclaim can take it. That allocation is in a
page table *free* path and ends up being for dubious purposes[1].
Basically, it tries to avoid hardware setting Accessed=1 in page table
entries that are unreachable by the hardware, a non-issue.
Remove the PMD copy. Detach the original PMD page at the PUD, flush
the mid-level caches, and free the PTE tables straight from the
detached PMD page. With no allocation left, the locking issue is gone.
Lockdep splat/analysis:
WARNING: possible circular locking dependency detected
7.3.0-rc3-f6e7b42bf05b+ #183 Tainted: G U
------------------------------------------------------
kswapd0/269 is trying to acquire lock:
((init_mm).mmap_lock){++++}-{4:4}, at: change_page_attr_set_clr+0x29a/0x4a0
but task is already holding lock:
(pool_shrink_rwsem){.+.+}-{4:4}, at: ttm_pool_shrink+0xb2/0x330 [ttm]
Chain exists of:
(init_mm).mmap_lock --> fs_reclaim --> pool_shrink_rwsem
The cycle is built from three edges:
1) pool_shrink_rwsem -> (init_mm).mmap_lock
The TTM shrinker restores the caching attribute of every page it
frees, while holding pool_shrink_rwsem:
ttm_pool_shrink()
-> ttm_pool_dispose_list()
-> ttm_pool_free_page()
-> set_pages_wb()
-> change_page_attr_set_clr() [ init_mm mmap read lock ]
2) fs_reclaim -> pool_shrink_rwsem
The same shrinker, called from reclaim.
3) (init_mm).mmap_lock -> fs_reclaim
ioremap() installing a huge PUD mapping over an existing PMD table:
ioremap_page_range()
-> vmap_range_noflush()
-> vmap_try_huge_pud() [ init_mm mmap read lock ]
-> pud_free_pmd_page()
-> __get_free_page(GFP_KERNEL) [ enters reclaim ]
[ dhansen: Lots of changelog munging/trimming and merged comments from my
version of the fix. ]
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Fri, 23 Oct 2026 17:15:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| First Time appeared |
Linux linux
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| Vendors & Products |
Linux linux
|
Fri, 23 Oct 2026 15:00:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Weaknesses | CWE-665 |
Fri, 23 Oct 2026 12:30:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: x86/mm: Drop unnecessary PMD page copy when freeing On a box with a discrete GPU, lockdep reports a possible deadlock as soon as kswapd shrinks the TTM page pool. The immediate cause is an x86 commit that added an mmap_read_lock() to kernel page protection munging code. The huge vmap code holds the same lock over a GFP_KERNEL allocation, which is a no-no now that reclaim can take it. That allocation is in a page table *free* path and ends up being for dubious purposes[1]. Basically, it tries to avoid hardware setting Accessed=1 in page table entries that are unreachable by the hardware, a non-issue. Remove the PMD copy. Detach the original PMD page at the PUD, flush the mid-level caches, and free the PTE tables straight from the detached PMD page. With no allocation left, the locking issue is gone. Lockdep splat/analysis: WARNING: possible circular locking dependency detected 7.3.0-rc3-f6e7b42bf05b+ #183 Tainted: G U ------------------------------------------------------ kswapd0/269 is trying to acquire lock: ((init_mm).mmap_lock){++++}-{4:4}, at: change_page_attr_set_clr+0x29a/0x4a0 but task is already holding lock: (pool_shrink_rwsem){.+.+}-{4:4}, at: ttm_pool_shrink+0xb2/0x330 [ttm] Chain exists of: (init_mm).mmap_lock --> fs_reclaim --> pool_shrink_rwsem The cycle is built from three edges: 1) pool_shrink_rwsem -> (init_mm).mmap_lock The TTM shrinker restores the caching attribute of every page it frees, while holding pool_shrink_rwsem: ttm_pool_shrink() -> ttm_pool_dispose_list() -> ttm_pool_free_page() -> set_pages_wb() -> change_page_attr_set_clr() [ init_mm mmap read lock ] 2) fs_reclaim -> pool_shrink_rwsem The same shrinker, called from reclaim. 3) (init_mm).mmap_lock -> fs_reclaim ioremap() installing a huge PUD mapping over an existing PMD table: ioremap_page_range() -> vmap_range_noflush() -> vmap_try_huge_pud() [ init_mm mmap read lock ] -> pud_free_pmd_page() -> __get_free_page(GFP_KERNEL) [ enters reclaim ] [ dhansen: Lots of changelog munging/trimming and merged comments from my version of the fix. ] | |
| Title | x86/mm: Drop unnecessary PMD page copy when freeing | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-10-23T12:12:06.180Z
Reserved: 2026-09-25T10:25:14.381Z
Link: CVE-2026-98939
No data.
Status : Received
Published: 2026-10-23T13:17:14.843
Modified: 2026-10-23T13:17:14.843
Link: CVE-2026-98939
No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
Updated: 2026-10-23T17:00:14Z