# CVE-2026-72174: fs/proc/task_mmu: fix hugetlb self-deadlock in pagemap_scan_pte_hole()

> A local attacker can cause an unkillable kernel thread hang via a self-deadlock in the hugetlb pagemap scan handler, resulting in denial of service.

- **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:** 15 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 17 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-72174, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-72174, GHSA-xxr9-w8rg-g2h6, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-72174

## What is CVE-2026-72174?

CVE-2026-72174 is a denial of service vulnerability in Linux, published on 15 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:

fs/proc/task_mmu: fix hugetlb self-deadlock in pagemap_scan_pte_hole()

A PAGEMAP_SCAN ioctl requesting PM_SCAN_WP_MATCHING on a hugetlb VMA hangs
the calling thread, unkillably, as soon as the scan reaches an unpopulated
part of the range:

  do_pagemap_scan()
    walk_page_range()
      walk_hugetlb_range()
        hugetlb_vma_lock_read()           # take the vma lock for read ...
        pagemap_scan_pte_hole()           # ... ->pte_hole() for a hole
          uffd_wp_range()
            change_protection()
              hugetlb_change_protection()
                hugetlb_vma_lock_write()  # ... and block taking it for write

walk_hugetlb_range() holds the hugetlb vma lock for read across the whole
walk.  A present entry goes to ->hugetlb_entry(); an unpopulated one goes
to ->pte_hole(), i.e.  pagemap_scan_pte_hole().  To write-protect the hole
that handler calls uffd_wp_range(), which on a hugetlb VMA reaches
hugetlb_change_protection() and takes the same vma lock for write.  The
thread then blocks in down_write() waiting for the read lock it is itself
holding.

The populated path avoids this: pagemap_scan_hugetlb_entry()
write-protects the entry inline under the page-table lock and never enters
hugetlb_change_protection().

Do the same for holes.  Fault in the page table and install the uffd-wp
marker directly with make_uffd_wp_huge_pte() under the page-table lock,
rather than routing through uffd_wp_range().  That is the same sequence
hugetlb_change_protection() runs for an unpopulated entry, minus the vma
write lock -- which is safe to skip because PMD sharing is disabled on
uffd-wp VMAs (hugetlb_unshare_all_pmds() runs at registration), leaving
nothing for that lock to serialise against.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-72174?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-72174?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-72174 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-72174 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-72174 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-72174 is a denial of service vulnerability in Linux, published on 15 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-2026-72174 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-2026-72174/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-72174/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-72174
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-72174
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-72174

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-72174/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.