CVE-2026-31397

mm/huge_memory: fix use of NULL folio in move_pages_huge_pmd()

Published Apr 3, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 7.8 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

mm/huge_memory: fix use of NULL folio in move_pages_huge_pmd()

move_pages_huge_pmd() handles UFFDIO_MOVE for both normal THPs and huge
zero pages. For the huge zero page path, src_folio is explicitly set to
NULL, and is used as a sentinel to skip folio operations like lock and
rmap.

In the huge zero page branch, src_folio is NULL, so folio_mk_pmd(NULL,
pgprot) passes NULL through folio_pfn() and page_to_pfn(). With
SPARSEMEM_VMEMMAP this silently produces a bogus PFN, installing a PMD
pointing to non-existent physical memory. On other memory models it is a
NULL dereference.

Use page_folio(src_page) to obtain the valid huge zero folio from the
page, which was obtained from pmd_page() and remains valid throughout.

After commit d82d09e48219 ("mm/huge_memory: mark PMD mappings of the huge
zero folio special"), moved huge zero PMDs must remain special so
vm_normal_page_pmd() continues to treat them as special mappings.

move_pages_huge_pmd() currently reconstructs the destination PMD in the
huge zero page branch, which drops PMD state such as pmd_special() on
architectures with CONFIG_ARCH_HAS_PTE_SPECIAL. As a result,
vm_normal_page_pmd() can treat the moved huge zero PMD as a normal page
and corrupt its refcount.

Instead of reconstructing the PMD from the folio, derive the destination
entry from src_pmdval after pmdp_huge_clear_flush(), then handle the PMD
metadata the same way move_huge_pmd() does for moved entries by marking it
soft-dirty and clearing uffd-wp.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

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History
Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-476
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/huge_memory: fix use of NULL folio in move_pages_huge_pmd() move_pages_huge_pmd() handles UFFDIO_MOVE for both normal THPs and huge zero pages. For the huge zero page path, src_folio is explicitly set to NULL, and is used as a sentinel to skip folio operations like lock and rmap. In the huge zero page branch, src_folio is NULL, so folio_mk_pmd(NULL, pgprot) passes NULL through folio_pfn() and page_to_pfn(). With SPARSEMEM_VMEMMAP this silently produces a bogus PFN, installing a PMD pointing to non-existent physical memory. On other memory models it is a NULL dereference. Use page_folio(src_page) to obtain the valid huge zero folio from the page, which was obtained from pmd_page() and remains valid throughout. After commit d82d09e48219 ("mm/huge_memory: mark PMD mappings of the huge zero folio special"), moved huge zero PMDs must remain special so vm_normal_page_pmd() continues to treat them as special mappings. move_pages_huge_pmd() currently reconstructs the destination PMD in the huge zero page branch, which drops PMD state such as pmd_special() on architectures with CONFIG_ARCH_HAS_PTE_SPECIAL. As a result, vm_normal_page_pmd() can treat the moved huge zero PMD as a normal page and corrupt its refcount. Instead of reconstructing the PMD from the folio, derive the destination entry from src_pmdval after pmdp_huge_clear_flush(), then handle the PMD metadata the same way move_huge_pmd() does for moved entries by marking it soft-dirty and clearing uffd-wp.
Title mm/huge_memory: fix use of NULL folio in move_pages_huge_pmd()
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
Aug 5, 2026, 12:22 PM
Reserved
Mar 9, 2026, 3:48 PM
Status
Analyzed
Published
Apr 3, 2026, 4:16 PM
Modified
Jul 24, 2026, 10:10 PM
Severity
Public date
Apr 3, 2026, 12:00 AM