Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
KVM: x86/mmu: Fix use-after-free on vendor module reload
mmu_destroy_caches() destroys pte_list_desc_cache and
mmu_page_header_cache, but leaves both pointers unchanged. The pointers
live in kvm.ko, and therefore survive when a vendor module is unloaded
while kvm.ko remains loaded.
If creation of pte_list_desc_cache fails during a subsequent vendor
module load, its assignment sets pte_list_desc_cache to NULL and the
error path calls mmu_destroy_caches(). mmu_page_header_cache still
points to the cache destroyed during the preceding vendor module
unload. Passing that stale pointer to kmem_cache_destroy() causes a
slab use-after-free.
Reproduce the issue on a v7.1.3 kernel with CONFIG_KASAN=y,
CONFIG_KASAN_GENERIC=y, CONFIG_KVM=m, and CONFIG_KVM_INTEL=m. A
one-shot test hook forces pte_list_desc_cache to NULL on the second
invocation of kvm_mmu_vendor_module_init():
1. Load kvm.ko and kvm-intel.ko, creating both caches.
2. Unload only kvm_intel, leaving kvm.ko loaded.
3. Reload kvm_intel and force initialization through the -ENOMEM path.
KASAN reports:
BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in
kvm_mmu_vendor_module_init+0x5b/0x170 [kvm]
...
kmem_cache_destroy+0x21/0x1d0
kvm_mmu_vendor_module_init+0x5b/0x170 [kvm]
...
Allocated by task 16817:
__kmem_cache_create_args+0x12c/0x3b0
__kmem_cache_create.constprop.0+0xb6/0xf0 [kvm]
kvm_mmu_vendor_module_init+0x13b/0x170 [kvm]
...
Freed by task 16820:
kmem_cache_destroy+0x117/0x1d0
kvm_mmu_vendor_module_exit+0x21/0x30 [kvm]
Clear both pointers immediately after destroying their caches so that
the stored state reflects the caches' lifetime and repeated cleanup is
safe.
With the fix applied, the same injected vendor module reload fails with
-ENOMEM as expected and produces no KASAN report.
KVM: x86/mmu: Fix use-after-free on vendor module reload
mmu_destroy_caches() destroys pte_list_desc_cache and
mmu_page_header_cache, but leaves both pointers unchanged. The pointers
live in kvm.ko, and therefore survive when a vendor module is unloaded
while kvm.ko remains loaded.
If creation of pte_list_desc_cache fails during a subsequent vendor
module load, its assignment sets pte_list_desc_cache to NULL and the
error path calls mmu_destroy_caches(). mmu_page_header_cache still
points to the cache destroyed during the preceding vendor module
unload. Passing that stale pointer to kmem_cache_destroy() causes a
slab use-after-free.
Reproduce the issue on a v7.1.3 kernel with CONFIG_KASAN=y,
CONFIG_KASAN_GENERIC=y, CONFIG_KVM=m, and CONFIG_KVM_INTEL=m. A
one-shot test hook forces pte_list_desc_cache to NULL on the second
invocation of kvm_mmu_vendor_module_init():
1. Load kvm.ko and kvm-intel.ko, creating both caches.
2. Unload only kvm_intel, leaving kvm.ko loaded.
3. Reload kvm_intel and force initialization through the -ENOMEM path.
KASAN reports:
BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in
kvm_mmu_vendor_module_init+0x5b/0x170 [kvm]
...
kmem_cache_destroy+0x21/0x1d0
kvm_mmu_vendor_module_init+0x5b/0x170 [kvm]
...
Allocated by task 16817:
__kmem_cache_create_args+0x12c/0x3b0
__kmem_cache_create.constprop.0+0xb6/0xf0 [kvm]
kvm_mmu_vendor_module_init+0x13b/0x170 [kvm]
...
Freed by task 16820:
kmem_cache_destroy+0x117/0x1d0
kvm_mmu_vendor_module_exit+0x21/0x30 [kvm]
Clear both pointers immediately after destroying their caches so that
the stored state reflects the caches' lifetime and repeated cleanup is
safe.
With the fix applied, the same injected vendor module reload fails with
-ENOMEM as expected and produces no KASAN report.
Published:
2026-08-10
Score:
n/a
EPSS:
n/a
KEV:
No
Impact:
n/a
Action:
n/a
Analysis
Analysis and contextual insights are available on OpenCVE Cloud.
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | unaffected |
|
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| Linux | Linux | affected |
|
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No data available yet.
Remediation
No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.
Additional remediation guidance may be available on OpenCVE Cloud.
Tracking
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Advisories
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References
History
Mon, 10 Aug 2026 17:15:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Weaknesses | CWE-416 |
Mon, 10 Aug 2026 12:30:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: x86/mmu: Fix use-after-free on vendor module reload mmu_destroy_caches() destroys pte_list_desc_cache and mmu_page_header_cache, but leaves both pointers unchanged. The pointers live in kvm.ko, and therefore survive when a vendor module is unloaded while kvm.ko remains loaded. If creation of pte_list_desc_cache fails during a subsequent vendor module load, its assignment sets pte_list_desc_cache to NULL and the error path calls mmu_destroy_caches(). mmu_page_header_cache still points to the cache destroyed during the preceding vendor module unload. Passing that stale pointer to kmem_cache_destroy() causes a slab use-after-free. Reproduce the issue on a v7.1.3 kernel with CONFIG_KASAN=y, CONFIG_KASAN_GENERIC=y, CONFIG_KVM=m, and CONFIG_KVM_INTEL=m. A one-shot test hook forces pte_list_desc_cache to NULL on the second invocation of kvm_mmu_vendor_module_init(): 1. Load kvm.ko and kvm-intel.ko, creating both caches. 2. Unload only kvm_intel, leaving kvm.ko loaded. 3. Reload kvm_intel and force initialization through the -ENOMEM path. KASAN reports: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in kvm_mmu_vendor_module_init+0x5b/0x170 [kvm] ... kmem_cache_destroy+0x21/0x1d0 kvm_mmu_vendor_module_init+0x5b/0x170 [kvm] ... Allocated by task 16817: __kmem_cache_create_args+0x12c/0x3b0 __kmem_cache_create.constprop.0+0xb6/0xf0 [kvm] kvm_mmu_vendor_module_init+0x13b/0x170 [kvm] ... Freed by task 16820: kmem_cache_destroy+0x117/0x1d0 kvm_mmu_vendor_module_exit+0x21/0x30 [kvm] Clear both pointers immediately after destroying their caches so that the stored state reflects the caches' lifetime and repeated cleanup is safe. With the fix applied, the same injected vendor module reload fails with -ENOMEM as expected and produces no KASAN report. | |
| Title | KVM: x86/mmu: Fix use-after-free on vendor module reload | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
|
MITRE
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-08-10T12:04:48.905Z
Reserved: 2026-07-30T09:28:09.393Z
Link: CVE-2026-68428
Vulnrichment
No data.
NVD
No data.
Redhat
No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
Updated: 2026-08-10T17:00:03Z
Weaknesses