CVE-2026-23097: migrate: correct lock ordering for hugetlb file folios

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2026-23097 is a medium (CVSS 5.5) vulnerability in linux. EPSS estimates a 0.11% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 1.1% of scored vulnerabilities.

Timeline

1. 04-02-2026
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 19-10-2026
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: migrate: correct lock ordering for hugetlb file folios Syzbot has found a deadlock (analyzed by Lance Yang): 1) Task (5749): Holds folio_lock, then tries to acquire i_mmap_rwsem(read lock). 2) Task (5754): Holds i_mmap_rwsem(write lock), then tries to acquire folio_lock. migrate_pages() -> migrate_hugetlbs() -> unmap_and_move_huge_page() <- Takes folio_lock! -> remove_migration_ptes() -> __rmap_walk_file() -> i_mmap_lock_read() <- Waits for i_mmap_rwsem(read lock)! hugetlbfs_fallocate() -> hugetlbfs_punch_hole() <- Takes i_mmap_rwsem(write lock)! -> hugetlbfs_zero_partial_page() -> filemap_lock_hugetlb_folio() -> filemap_lock_folio() -> __filemap_get_folio <- Waits for folio_lock! The migration path is the one taking locks in the wrong order according to the documentation at the top of mm/rmap.c. So expand the scope of the existing i_mmap_lock to cover the calls to remove_migration_ptes() too. This is (mostly) how it used to be after commit c0d0381ade79. That was removed by 336bf30eb765 for both file & anon hugetlb pages when it should only have been removed for anon hugetlb pages.

• CWE-362Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper SynchronizationThe product contains a concurrent code sequence that requires temporary, exclusive access to a shared resource, but a timing window exists in which the shared resource can be modified by another code sequence operating concurrently.