# CVE-2026-64104: virt: sev-guest: Explicitly leak pages in unknown state

> A flaw in the Linux kernel's SEV-Guest driver could leave memory pages in an unknown state, potentially exposing sensitive data or causing system instability.

- **Severity:** High 8.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 19 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-64104, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-64104, GHSA-8rjp-wmfg-59v9, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-64104

## What is CVE-2026-64104?

CVE-2026-64104 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jul 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

virt: sev-guest: Explicitly leak pages in unknown state

When set_memory_{encrypted,decrypted}() fail, the user cannot know at which
point the function failed, meaning that the pages are left in an unknown state
from the point of view of the caller.

Since the pages may be left in an unencrypted state, they are not suitable for
general use, and cannot be returned safely to the buddy allocator. Avoid the
issue by never freeing the pages, and then do the proper accounting by calling
snp_leak_pages().

Weakness: CWE-401 (Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-64104?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-64104?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-64104 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-64104 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-64104 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-64104 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jul 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-64104 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64104/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64104/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-64104
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-64104
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-64104

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64104/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.