# CVE-2026-68187: exec: fix unsigned loop counter wrap in transfer_args_to_stack()

> An integer overflow in the Linux kernel exec path allows local attackers to cause a kernel panic or potentially execute code on systems without MMU support.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **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:** 10 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-68187, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-68187, GHSA-gp6v-h5qc-h9v5, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-68187

## What is CVE-2026-68187?

CVE-2026-68187 is a vulnerability in Linux, published on 10 Aug 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:

exec: fix unsigned loop counter wrap in transfer_args_to_stack()

The stop value is derived from bprm->p >> PAGE_SHIFT. The index variable
is an unsigned long. If bprm->p drops below PAGE_SIZE and stop becomes
zero the loop condition index >= stop is always true.

After the index == 0 iteration the decrement wraps to ULONG_MAX and
bprm->page[ULONG_MAX] reads sizeof(void *) bytes in front of the array.
The pointer has wrapped to -1. That garbage pointer is then passed to
kmap_local_page() and PAGE_SIZE bytes are copied from wherever that
lands into the stack of the process being created. And the loop doesn't
terminate either...

Getting there only requires bprm->p < PAGE_SIZE. On !MMU
bprm_set_stack_limit() and bprm_hit_stack_limit() are empty. So the only
constraint on how far bprm->p is pushed down is valid_arg_len(), i.e.
that each individual string still fits in what is left.

bprm->p starts at PAGE_SIZE * MAX_ARG_PAGES - sizeof(void *) so a
single argument or environment string of a little over 31 pages leaves
it in the first page:

  Oops - load access fault [#1]
  CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 1 Comm: victim Not tainted 7.2.0-rc4 #1
  epc : __memcpy+0xd4/0xf8
   ra : transfer_args_to_stack+0xaa/0xae
   s4 : ffffffffffffffff   s2 : 0000000000000000
   a1 : ffffffdc98000000   a2 : 0000000000001000
  status: 0000000a00001880 badaddr: ffffffdc98000000 cause: 0000000000000005
  [<801a5324>] __memcpy+0xd4/0xf8
  [<800d5f6a>] load_flat_binary+0x43a/0x65e
  [<800a2de4>] bprm_execve+0x1d4/0x316
  [<800a351a>] do_execveat_common+0x12e/0x138
  [<800a3d44>] __riscv_sys_execve+0x38/0x4e
  Kernel panic - not syncing: Fatal exception in interrupt

This is an arcane bug but we should still fix it.

Count down from MAX_ARG_PAGES so the loop ends when index reaches stop,
stop == 0 included. The iterations performed are unchanged for every
other value of stop.

Only CONFIG_MMU=n builds are affected, transfer_args_to_stack() is used
by binfmt_flat and binfmt_elf_fdpic on nommu only.

The loop predates git history. commit 7e7ec6a93434
("elf_fdpic_transfer_args_to_stack(): make it generic") only moved it
from binfmt_elf_fdpic.c into fs/exec.c and narrowed the copy to the used
part of the first page. The condition and the decrement are unchanged
from 2.6.12-rc2.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-68187?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-68187?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-68187 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-68187 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-68187 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-68187 is a vulnerability in Linux, published on 10 Aug 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-2026-68187 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux. 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-2026-68187/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-68187/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-68187
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-68187
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-68187

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-68187/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.