Findings

CVE-2026-43404

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm: Fix a hmm_range_fault() livelock / starvation problem If hmm_range_fault() fails a folio_tryloc…

Published May 8, 2026 · corrected/updated Jun 17, 2026 · linux linux kernel · evidence confidence medium

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm: Fix a hmm_range_fault() livelock / starvation problem If hmm_range_fault() fails a folio_trylock() in do_swap_page, trying to acquire the lock of a device-private folio for migration, to ram, the function will spin until it succeeds grabbing the lock. However, if the process holding the lock is depending on a work item to be completed, which is scheduled on the same CPU as the spinning hmm_range_fault(), that work item might be starved and we end up in a livelock / starvation situation which is never resolved. This can happen, for example if the process holding the device-private folio lock is stuck in migrate_device_unmap()->lru_add_drain_all() sinc lru_add_drain_all() requires a short work-item to be run on all online cpus to complete. A prerequisite for this to happen is: a) Both zone device and system memory folios are considered in migrate_device_unmap(), so that there is a reason to call lru_add_drain_all() for a system memory folio while a folio lock is held on a zone device folio. b) The zone device folio has an initial mapcount > 1 which causes at least one migration PTE entry insertion to be deferred to try_to_migrate(), which can happen after the call to lru_add_drain_all(). c) No or voluntary only preemption. This all seems pretty unlikely to happen, but indeed is hit by the "xe_exec_system_allocator" igt test. Resolve this by waiting for the folio to be unlocked if the folio_trylock() fails in do_swap_page(). Rename migration_entry_wait_on_locked() to softleaf_entry_wait_unlock() and update its documentation to indicate the new use-case. Future code improvements might consider moving the lru_add_drain_all() call in migrate_device_unmap() to be called *after* all pages have migration entries inserted. That would eliminate also b) above. v2: - Instead of a cond_resched() in hmm_range_fault(), eliminate the problem by waiting for the folio to be unlocked in do_swap_page() (Alistair Pop

Grounded briefings

Catalog interpretations for three audiences. Each brief cites ingested metadata and the original advisories below. They are not independent research and they do not invent exploit steps.

Executive

CVE-2026-43404 is a medium public vulnerability record for linux linux kernel. It is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited catalog. Check the linked vendor or CERT advisories for patch status. This summary is a catalog interpretation of the ingested metadata and cites the original advisories below.

System administrator

Identify whether linux linux kernel is in your estate, then compare installed versions with the affected ranges. Affected packages or ranges on record: linux/linux kernel; linux/linux kernel (7.0). Check the linked vendor or CERT advisories for patch status. Prefer the vendor or distribution advisory linked in Sources before changing production systems. This is a catalog interpretation, not a runbook.

Security analyst

Signals on file: CVSS 5.5. It is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited catalog. Weakness classes: CWE-667. Sources contributing to this record: cve_org, nvd. Public exploit references, when present, are outbound links only and are not proof of active exploitation. This is a catalog interpretation of stored metadata.

Exploitation and remediation

  • Exploitation evidence

    Not listed as known exploited in CISA KEV. Not in the CISA KEV catalog.

  • Patch and remediation

    No required-action text is stored yet. Use the vendor or CERT links in Sources for patch availability.

  • Safe detection guidance

    Compare installed versions with the affected ranges below and verify the advisory from the original publisher. This site stores metadata and outbound links only; it does not ship exploit code or proof-of-concept payloads.

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. May 8, 2026 · NIST NVD

    Detected

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm: Fix a hmm_range_fault() livelock / starvation problem If hmm_range_fault() fails a folio_trylock() in do_swap_page, trying to acquire the lock of a device-private folio for migration, to ram, the function will spin until it succeeds grabbing the lock. However, if the process holding the lock is depending on a work item to be c

  2. Jun 17, 2026 · NIST NVD

    Updated

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm: Fix a hmm_range_fault() livelock / starvation problem If hmm_range_fault() fails a folio_trylock() in do_swap_page, trying to acquire the lock of a device-private folio for migration, to ram, the function will spin until it succeeds grabbing the lock. However, if the process holding the lock is depending on a work item to be c

Affected

  • cpe linux/linux kernelversion unspecified
  • cpe linux/linux kernel7.0

Sources

  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2026-43404

    Official CVE identifier

    cve.org
  • NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2026-43404

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm: Fix a hmm_range_fault() livelock / starvation problem If hmm_range_fault() fails a folio_trylock() in do_swap_page, trying to acquire the lock of a device-private folio for migration, to ram, the function w

    nvd.nist.gov

References