Vulnerability in Linux kernel (CVE-2026-97525)
Summary
Vulnerability in Linux kernel (CVE-2026-97525). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.
Original description
The description as published by the source.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
x86/mm/pat: Allocate split page tables as kernel page tables
A PTE is allocated directly without going through the standard page table
allocation routines (such as pte_alloc_one_kernel()) when the CPA code
splits a large page (__split_large_page()).
This means the page table constructor is never called nor is the page table
marked as a kernel page table.
The former results in the folio associated with the page table not being
marked as a page table (__pagetable_ctor() is never called thus neither is
__folio_set_pgtable()) nor are statistics updated to reflect
it (lruvec_stat_add_folio() is never called).
The latter issue of failing to mark the page table as a kernel page
table (ptdesc_set_kernel() is never called) is far more problematic.
Since commit:
5ba2f0a15564 ("mm: introduce deferred freeing for kernel page tables")
kernel page table freeing has been batched and since the
subsequent commit:
e37d5a2d60a3 ("iommu/sva: invalidate stale IOTLB entries for kernel address space")
IOTLB cache entries for kernel page tables have been invalidated upon
being freed.
Since split page tables are freed without this invalidation, the IOTLB
can contain stale entries for them.
Resolve the issue by using the ordinary PTE allocation API at split time.
This results in these kernel page tables invoking a page table constructor,
and thus requires a page table destructor.
Destructors are not always present, l…
Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database NVD GitHub Advisory
Auto-generated summary
Assembled by SecPulse from the source data (CVSS, CWE, affected versions) using templates — no AI involved. Check the original description and references below for exact details.
A vulnerability tracked as CVE-2026-97525 has been found in Linux kernel.
Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover. CVSS score: 8.2/10.
What to do: apply the vendor's official patched release.
If unsure, ask your IT team or search "Linux kernel CVE-2026-97525" on the vendor's site.
CVE-2026-97525 (Linux kernel) — CVSS v3 8.2
Attack vector: local / no user interaction
Plan: 1) Audit SBOM/dependencies, 2) Stage→prod upgrade, 3) Add WAF/proxy monitoring on affected endpoints, 4) Hunt IOCs in logs.
Refs: see the GHSA / vendor advisory / patched release linked on this page.
A vulnerability (unclassified) exists in Linux kernel.
Check the vendor advisory for the affected versions of Linux kernel.
Severity: High (CVSS 8.2/10). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.
Update to the patched release per vendor advisory.
Until the patch is applied: disable the affected feature, apply WAF rules, or restrict access via network ACLs.
Search webserver/proxy logs for unusual request patterns matching this CVE's known IOCs. Audit SBOM/dependencies to find affected services.
Response actions
Concrete steps and command examples for SOC/SRE teams to execute in order
-
1Identify exposure identify
Audit SBOM/dependencies for affected components.資産台帳・SBOM・依存マニフェストで Linux kernel を使っているサービスとバージョンを洗い出す。
-
2Post-deployment verification verify
Confirm patched version is live in productionパッチ適用後、ステージングで PoC または同等の悪用パターンを再現して脆弱性が閉じたことを確認。本番ではアクセスログ・WAF でアラート再発が無いか継続監視。
Affected packages
Fix status by distribution
Fixed packages published by each distribution for this CVE
- Debian DEBIAN-CVE-2026-97525 linux Fixed in: 7.2.7-1
- Ubuntu UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97525 linux-hwe-edge
References
- advisory nvd.nist.gov
- advisory github.com
- package git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web github.com