Upstream information

CVE-2026-98818 at MITRE

Description

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

mm/slab: do not wake up kswapd in __kfree_rcu_sheaf()

Since kfree_rcu() can be called under pi_lock (a raw spinlock in the
scheduler), kfree_rcu() itself should never allocate memory with
__GFP_KSWAPD_RECLAIM as waking up kswapd ends up acquiring pi_lock,
which leads to a deadlock.

Reproducing the issue even intentionally was not straightforward.
The set_cpus_allowed_force() path that is called under pi_lock is
exercised very rarely, and competing tasks that allocate memory will
most likely wake kswapd up.

Therefore the existence of the deadlock was verified with a modified
kernel that has a lockdep map for waking up kswapd:

======================================================
WARNING: possible circular locking dependency detected
7.2.0-rc1-slab-for-next+ #10 Not tainted
------------------------------------------------------
git/6660 is trying to acquire lock:
ffff8e524533c550 (&p->pi_lock){-.-.}-{2:2}, at: _raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x12/0x20

but task is already holding lock:
ffff8e57bffff1a0 (&pgdat->kswapd_wait){....}-{3:3}, at: _raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x12/0x20

which lock already depends on the new lock.

the existing dependency chain (in reverse order) is:

-> #2 (&pgdat->kswapd_wait){....}-{3:3}:
__lock_acquire+0x5a4/0xc50
lock_acquire.part.0+0xb7/0x240
lock_acquire+0x70/0x170
__raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x44/0x80
_raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x12/0x20
__wake_up_common_lock+0x31/0xa0
__wake_up+0x20/0x40
kswapd_wakeup_wake+0x7e/0x110
wakeup_kswapd+0x295/0x320
wake_all_kswapds+0xac/0x1a0
__alloc_pages_slowpath.constprop.0+0x282/0xf80
__alloc_frozen_pages_noprof+0x32a/0x360
alloc_slab_page+0x2e/0x160
allocate_slab+0x82/0x420
new_slab+0x52/0xb0
refill_objects+0x13d/0x190
refill_sheaf+0x5d/0xd0
__pcs_replace_empty_main+0x230/0xb10
[...]

-> #1 (kswapd_wakeup){-.-.}-{0:0}:
__lock_acquire+0x5a4/0xc50
lock_sync.part.0+0x75/0x100
lock_sync+0x36/0x70
might_wakeup_kswapd+0x61/0xa0
__kfree_rcu_sheaf+0x33/0xd90
kvfree_call_rcu+0x1d4/0x3b0
set_cpus_allowed_force+0x163/0x220
cpuset_cpus_allowed_fallback+0x18b/0x240
select_fallback_rq+0x1e6/0x250
[...]

-> #0 (&p->pi_lock){-.-.}-{2:2}:
check_prev_add+0xe6/0xe00
validate_chain+0x51e/0x6e0
__lock_acquire+0x5a4/0xc50
lock_acquire.part.0+0xb7/0x240
lock_acquire+0x70/0x170
__raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x44/0x80
_raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x12/0x20
try_to_wake_up+0x77/0xa90
default_wake_function+0x27/0x60
autoremove_wake_function+0x23/0xb0
__wake_up_common+0xb8/0x170
__wake_up_common_lock+0x51/0xa0
__wake_up+0x20/0x40
kswapd_wakeup_wake+0x7e/0x110
wakeup_kswapd+0x295/0x320
wake_all_kswapds+0xac/0x1a0
__alloc_pages_slowpath.constprop.0+0x282/0xf80
__alloc_frozen_pages_noprof+0x32a/0x360
alloc_slab_page+0x2e/0x160
allocate_slab+0x82/0x420
new_slab+0x52/0xb0
refill_objects+0x13d/0x190
refill_sheaf+0x5d/0xd0
__pcs_replace_empty_main+0x230/0xb10
[...]

other info that might help us debug this:

Chain exists of:
&p->pi_lock --> kswapd_wakeup --> &pgdat->kswapd_wait

Possible unsafe locking scenario:

CPU0 CPU1
---- ----
lock(&pgdat->kswapd_wait);
lock(kswapd_wakeup);
lock(&pgdat->kswapd_wait);
lock(&p->pi_lock);

*** DEADLOCK ***

3 locks held by git/6660:
#0: ffff8e519f0e9e20 (&type->i_mutex_dir_key#6){++++}-{4:4}, at: lookup_slow+0x2d/0x60
#1: ffffffff8a31c460 (kswapd_wakeup){-.-.}-
---truncated---

SUSE information

Overall state of this security issue: Resolved

This issue is currently rated as having moderate severity.

CVSS v3 Scores
CVSS detail SUSE
Base Score 4.7
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Attack Vector Local
Attack Complexity High
Privileges Required Low
User Interaction None
Scope Unchanged
Confidentiality Impact None
Integrity Impact None
Availability Impact High
CVSSv3 Version 3.1
CVSS v4 Scores
CVSS detail SUSE
Base Score 5.7
Vector CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Attack Vector Local
Attack Complexity High
Attack Requirements None
Privileges Required Low
User Interaction None
Vulnerable System Confidentiality Impact None
Vulnerable System Integrity Impact None
Vulnerable System Availability Impact High
Subsequent System Confidentiality Impact None
Subsequent System Integrity Impact None
Subsequent System Availability Impact None
CVSSv4 Version 4.0

Note from the SUSE Security Team on the kernel-default package

SUSE will no longer fix all CVEs in the Linux Kernel anymore, but declare some bug classes as won't fix. Please refer to TID 21496 for more details.

SUSE Bugzilla entry: 1285945 [NEW]

No SUSE Security Announcements cross referenced.


Status of this issue by product and package

Please note that this evaluation state might be work in progress, incomplete or outdated. Also information for service packs in the LTSS phase is only included for issues meeting the LTSS criteria. If in doubt, feel free to contact us for clarification. The updates are grouped by state of their lifecycle. SUSE product lifecycles are documented on the lifecycle page.

Product(s) Source package State
Products under general support and receiving all security fixes.
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP7 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP7 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 15 SP7 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 15 SP7 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 16.0 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 16.0 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 16.1 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 16.1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.3 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.3 kernel-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.3 kernel-source-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.4 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.4 kernel-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.4 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.4 kernel-source-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5 kernel-source-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP7 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP7 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP7 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP7 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15 SP7 kernel-source-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP7 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP7 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16.0 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16.0 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16.1 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16.1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16.2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for NVIDIA 16.1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP7 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP7 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications 16.0 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications 16.0 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications 16.1 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications 16.1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications 16.2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro 6.0 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro 6.0 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro 6.0 kernel-source-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro 6.1 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro 6.1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro 6.1 kernel-source-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro 6.2 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro 6.2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro Extras 6.0 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro Extras 6.0 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro Extras 6.0 kernel-source-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro Extras 6.1 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro Extras 6.1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Real Time Module 15 SP7 kernel-source-rt Not affected
openSUSE Leap 16.0 kernel-source Not affected
openSUSE Leap 16.1 kernel-source Not affected
Products under Long Term Service Pack support and receiving important and critical security fixes.
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 12 SP5 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4-LTSS kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5-LTSS kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP4 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP5 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP6 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP4 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP5 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP6 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 LTSS EXTREME CORE kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 LTSS EXTREME CORE kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSS kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP4 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP4-LTSS kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP4-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP5 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP5-LTSS kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP5-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP6 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP6-LTSS kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP6-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server LTSS Extended Security 12 SP5 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server LTSS Extended Security 12 SP5 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP4 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP4 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP5 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP5 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP6 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP6 kernel-source Not affected
Products past their end of life and not receiving proactive updates anymore.
SUSE CaaS Platform 4.0 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Enterprise Storage 6 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Enterprise Storage 7 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Enterprise Storage 7.1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 11 SP4 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP4 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP5 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP6 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP1-ESPOS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP1-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2-ESPOS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3-ESPOS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4-ESPOS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5-ESPOS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.0 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.1 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15 SP2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15 SP3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15 SP4 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15 SP4 kernel-source-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15 SP5 kernel-source-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1-BCL kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1-LTSS kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-BCL kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-LTSS kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3-BCL kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Proxy 4.0 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Proxy 4.1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Proxy 4.2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Proxy 4.3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Proxy LTS 4.3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server 4.0 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server 4.1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server 4.2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server 4.3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server LTS 4.3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Server 4.0 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Server 4.1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Server 4.2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Server 4.3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Server LTS 4.3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Real Time Module 15 SP4 kernel-source-rt Not affected
SUSE Real Time Module 15 SP5 kernel-source-rt Not affected
openSUSE Leap 15.3 kernel-source Not affected
openSUSE Leap 15.4 kernel-source Not affected
openSUSE Leap 15.4 kernel-source-rt Not affected
openSUSE Leap 15.5 kernel-source Not affected
openSUSE Leap 15.5 kernel-source-rt Not affected
openSUSE Leap 15.6 kernel-source Not affected


SUSE Timeline for this CVE

CVE page created: Mon Oct 19 14:11:28 2026
CVE page last modified: Mon Oct 19 14:11:28 2026