CVE-2026-79609

x86: XPTI may break on huge-memory systems

Published Oct 13, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 8.8 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
XPTI (Xen Page Table Isolation) was introduced to mitigate Meltdown
(CVE-2017-5754, one aspect of XSA-254). This involves copying 64-bit PV
guest page table entries from guest-chosen root page tables to the Xen-
chosen one which is in actual use by hardware. To read the guest root
page table, the directmap is used. PV guests, however, have a directmap
which may not cover all memory; in particular this is the case if any
memory extends beyond the 5 TiB (CONFIG_BIGMEM=y: 3.5 TiB) address
boundary.

Remediation

Vendor Workaround

Not running 64-bit PV guests will avoid the vulnerability. The "mem=" hypervisor command line option may be used to limit the amount of memory Xen is going to use. That would be "mem=5T" for the CONFIG_BIGMEM=n case and "mem=3584G" for the CONFIG_BIGMEM=y one.

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4818-1 xen security update
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4881-1 xen security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-6571-1 xen security update
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-200
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 8.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

ssvc

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

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Xen
Xen xen
Vendors & Products Xen
Xen xen
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-200
CWE-284
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description XPTI (Xen Page Table Isolation) was introduced to mitigate Meltdown (CVE-2017-5754, one aspect of XSA-254). This involves copying 64-bit PV guest page table entries from guest-chosen root page tables to the Xen- chosen one which is in actual use by hardware. To read the guest root page table, the directmap is used. PV guests, however, have a directmap which may not cover all memory; in particular this is the case if any memory extends beyond the 5 TiB (CONFIG_BIGMEM=y: 3.5 TiB) address boundary.
Title x86: XPTI may break on huge-memory systems
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
XEN
Published
Updated
Oct 20, 2026, 5:34 PM
Reserved
Aug 25, 2026, 7:35 AM
Status
Awaiting Analysis
Published
Oct 13, 2026, 4:17 PM
Modified
Oct 20, 2026, 6:17 PM