CVE-2026-72281

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) for arm64 architectures. This vulnerability involves an issue with memory accounting for protected guest faults. During the teardown process, the system may incorrectly manage long-term memory pins, potentially leading to resource management inconsistencies within the virtual machine's memory. This could affect system stability or resource availability.

A flaw of moderate impact was found in the Linux kernel's Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) for 64-bit Arm systems using protected KVM (pKVM). When handling protected guest memory faults, the host charges long-term pins of guest pages against the virtual machine's mm (memory descriptor). VM teardown can run later from file release, at which point current->mm may be unrelated to the VM, so those pin charges are not accounted against the correct mm, resulting in memory-accounting and resource-management inconsistencies that can affect system stability or resource availability and cause a denial of service. Exploitation requires local access with privileges and impacts availability only (Red Hat CVSS 3.1 score 5.5, vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H). The vulnerable pKVM code is not present in the shipped Red Hat kernels, so all Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Red Hat In-Vehicle OS kernel components are currently marked NOT AFFECTED for this flaw.

The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.