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CVE Record

CVE-2024-26991: KVM: x86/mmu: x86: Don't overflow lpage_info when checking attributes

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: x86/mmu: x86: Don't overflow lpage_info when checking attributes Fix KVM_SET_MEMORY_ATTRIBUTES to not overflow lpage_info array and trigger KASAN splat, as seen in the private_mem_conversions_test selftest. When memory attributes are set on a GFN range, that range will have specific properties applied to the TDP. A huge page cannot be used when the attributes are inconsistent, so they are disabled for those the specific huge pages. For internal KVM reasons, huge pages are also not allowed to span adjacent memslots regardless of whether the backing memory could be mapped as huge. What GFNs support which huge page sizes is tracked by an array of arrays 'lpage_info' on the memslot, of ‘kvm_lpage_info’ structs. Each index of lpage_info contains a vmalloc allocated array of these for a specific supported page size. The kvm_lpage_info denotes whether a specific huge page (GFN and page size) on the memslot is supported. These arrays include indices for unaligned head and tail huge pages. Preventing huge pages from spanning adjacent memslot is covered by incrementing the count in head and tail kvm_lpage_info when the memslot is allocated, but disallowing huge pages for memory that has mixed attributes has to be done in a more complicated way. During the KVM_SET_MEMORY_ATTRIBUTES ioctl KVM updates lpage_info for each memslot in the range that has mismatched attributes. KVM does this a memslot at a time, and marks a special bit, KVM_LPAGE_MIXED_FLAG, in the kvm_lpage_info for any huge page. This bit is essentially a permanently elevated count. So huge pages will not be mapped for the GFN at that page size if the count is elevated in either case: a huge head or tail page unaligned to the memslot or if KVM_LPAGE_MIXED_FLAG is set because it has mixed attributes. To determine whether a huge page has consistent attributes, the KVM_SET_MEMORY_ATTRIBUTES operation checks an xarray to make sure it consistently has the incoming attribute. Since level - 1 huge pages are aligned to level huge pages, it employs an optimization. As long as the level - 1 huge pages are checked first, it can just check these and assume that if each level - 1 huge page contained within the level sized huge page is not mixed, then the level size huge page is not mixed. This optimization happens in the helper hugepage_has_attrs(). Unfortunately, although the kvm_lpage_info array representing page size 'level' will contain an entry for an unaligned tail page of size level, the array for level - 1 will not contain an entry for each GFN at page size level. The level - 1 array will only contain an index for any unaligned region covered by level - 1 huge page size, which can be a smaller region. So this causes the optimization to overflow the level - 1 kvm_lpage_info and perform a vmalloc out of bounds read. In some cases of head and tail pages where an overflow could happen, callers skip the operation completely as KVM_LPAGE_MIXED_FLAG is not required to prevent huge pages as discussed earlier. But for memslots that are smaller than the 1GB page size, it does call hugepage_has_attrs(). In this case the huge page is both the head and tail page. The issue can be observed simply by compiling the kernel with CONFIG_KASAN_VMALLOC and running the selftest “private_mem_conversions_test”, which produces the output like the following: BUG: KASAN: vmalloc-out-of-bounds in hugepage_has_attrs+0x7e/0x110 Read of size 4 at addr ffffc900000a3008 by task private_mem_con/169 Call Trace: dump_stack_lvl print_report ? __virt_addr_valid ? hugepage_has_attrs ? hugepage_has_attrs kasan_report ? hugepage_has_attrs hugepage_has_attrs kvm_arch_post_set_memory_attributes kvm_vm_ioctl It is a little ambiguous whether the unaligned head page (in the bug case also the tail page) should be expected to have KVM_LPAGE_MIXED_FLAG set. It is not functionally required, as the unal ---truncated---

MediumCVSS 5.5Not KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2024-26991 is a Linux KVM bug where a local, low-privileged user can trigger an out-of-bounds vmalloc read in x86 memory-management handling. The documented impact is availability: a kernel crash or denial of service, not data theft or privilege escalation.

Executive priority

Treat this as a scheduled but important kernel update for virtualization infrastructure. It is not supported as actively exploited, but a local denial-of-service against KVM hosts can disrupt workloads and service availability.

Technical view

The flaw is in KVM x86 MMU handling for KVM_SET_MEMORY_ATTRIBUTES. When checking huge-page attributes, hugepage_has_attrs() can index beyond the level-1 lpage_info array for small or unaligned memslots, producing a KASAN vmalloc-out-of-bounds read.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most relevant to Linux systems running affected 6.8-series or 6.9 kernels with KVM on x86. Virtualization hosts and systems using KVM memory attributes deserve priority review. The bundle does not identify affected downstream products beyond Linux and Fedora advisories.

Exploitation context

The CVSS vector is local, low complexity, low privileges, no user interaction, with high availability impact. The source bundle says KEV is false and provides no cited evidence of active exploitation. Evidence shows reproduction through a kernel selftest with KASAN, not public weaponization.

Researcher notes

The central issue is an optimization assumption across huge-page levels that fails for smaller unaligned memslots. Sources describe a vmalloc out-of-bounds read observable in private_mem_conversions_test with CONFIG_KASAN_VMALLOC. Public evidence is strongest for root cause and fix, weaker for real-world exploitability.

Mitigation direction

  • Update affected Linux kernels using vendor-supported packages or stable kernels containing the referenced fixes.
  • Review Fedora or other distribution advisories for backported CVE-2024-26991 fixes.
  • Prioritize KVM x86 virtualization hosts before general-purpose Linux endpoints.
  • If no vendor fix is available, follow vendor guidance for temporary risk reduction.
  • Avoid testing kernel crash conditions on production hosts.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions across KVM-capable x86 hosts.
  • Confirm whether KVM is enabled and used for virtualization workloads.
  • Check vendor changelogs for CVE-2024-26991 or the referenced stable commits.
  • Validate patched kernels in staging before production rollout.
  • For research systems, reproduce only with non-production KASAN-enabled kernels and documented selftests.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
7

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

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CVE-2024-26991 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
5.5 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
2ADP providers
6Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: partial

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
5.5CVSS 3.1MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H1.83.6CISA-ADP

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

5.5Medium
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2024-26991Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
cvssV3_1other:ssvc
CVECVE Program Container
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux90b4fe17981e155432c4dbc490606d0c2e9c2199, 90b4fe17981e155432c4dbc490606d0c2e9c2199unaffected
LinuxLinux6.8, 0, 6.8.8, 6.9affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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