CVE-2021-47491

mm: khugepaged: skip huge page collapse for special files

Published May 22, 2024 CVSS 3.1 · 5.5 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

mm: khugepaged: skip huge page collapse for special files

The read-only THP for filesystems will collapse THP for files opened
readonly and mapped with VM_EXEC. The intended usecase is to avoid TLB
misses for large text segments. But it doesn't restrict the file types
so a THP could be collapsed for a non-regular file, for example, block
device, if it is opened readonly and mapped with EXEC permission. This
may cause bugs, like [1] and [2].

This is definitely not the intended usecase, so just collapse THP for
regular files in order to close the attack surface.

[shy828301@gmail.com: fix vm_file check [3]]

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

Sign in to view the affected projects.

Advisories

No advisories available
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Weaknesses NVD-CWE-noinfo
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Redhat
Redhat enterprise Linux
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:8::nfv
cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8
Vendors & Products Redhat
Redhat enterprise Linux
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
May 11, 2026, 1:55 PM
Reserved
May 22, 2024, 6:20 AM
Status
Analyzed
Published
May 22, 2024, 9:15 AM
Modified
Jun 17, 2026, 4:17 AM
Severity
Low
Public date
May 22, 2024, 12:00 AM