Severity by source
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Hibernation requires root (PR:H); the three-way readahead/free/reclaim race is a high-complexity timing dependency (AC:H); full C/I/A impact from arbitrary memory corruption.
Primary rating from Vendor (Linux).
CVSS VectorVendor: Linux
Lifecycle Timeline
6DescriptionCVE.org
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
mm, swap: don't free a hibernation slot that is in the swap cache
A slot with a folio in the swap cache is freed when the folio leaves the cache, not when its count drops. swap_put_entries_cluster() follows that rule. swap_free_hibernation_slot() does not, it calls __swap_cluster_free_entries() whether or not a folio sits on the slot.
Cluster readahead can put one there. It walks a raw page_cluster sized window of offsets around the faulting entry, and a hibernation slot passes __swap_cache_add_check() because it is not a folio and its count is not zero. Freeing the slot then clears the entry under that folio.
The folio is now unreachable from the swap table, and the offset goes back to the allocator. The folio is still on the LRU though, so reclaim can pick it up later. It then takes the old offset out of folio->swap and overwrites the table entry there, which by then may belong to someone else.
This bug can trigger silent memory corruption, process crashes, or data instability across completely unrelated userspace applications - typically occurring when uswsusp is preparing the hibernation image.
I found this while working on giving hibernation slots their own marker in the swap table, which I had discussed with Kairui. (https://lore.kernel.org/linux-mm/abp7aDgYLrxF3Me8@KASONG-MC4/) As far as I know there are no reports, so there is no Reported-by/Closes to add.
Check for a cached folio before freeing. The slot is then left in the ordinary state where only the swap cache holds it, and it is freed when the folio leaves the cache, either through the reclaim below or through normal reclaim later.
AnalysisAI
Memory corruption in the Linux kernel's swap/hibernation subsystem can produce silent data corruption and crashes in unrelated userspace processes during hibernation image preparation. swap_free_hibernation_slot() unconditionally calls __swap_cluster_free_entries() without checking whether a folio already occupies the slot in the swap cache - a state reachable when cluster readahead speculatively faults in pages over the hibernation window. …
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Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata
Vulnerability AssessmentAI
| Exploitation | Four conditions must align: (1) a Linux kernel version between the introducing commit 0d6af9bcf383bcdf601e670bb605861b01e318e7 and the fix; (2) active hibernation image preparation - uswsusp must be running, which requires root or CAP_SYS_ADMIN; (3) sufficient swap pressure to engage cluster readahead during the hibernation window; and (4) favorable race timing between the readahead folio placement and swap_free_hibernation_slot() execution. … Additional conditions and limiting factors are described in the full assessment. |
| Risk Assessment | The NVD-assigned CVSS of 7.8 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L) overstates both accessibility and complexity. … Full risk analysis with EPSS, KEV, and SSVC signal comparison available after sign-in. |
| Exploit Scenario | Full exploit scenario with step-by-step reproduction available after sign-in. |
| Remediation | Upgrade to Linux kernel 7.2.4 or apply stable fix commit 10d9012e83efedde8718ceaa5053f836e0c8596c, which adds a swap_cache_has_folio() guard in swap_free_hibernation_slot() so that slots with a resident folio are left in the normal swap-cache-held state and freed only when the folio leaves the cache naturally. … Detailed patch versions, workarounds, and compensating controls in full report. |
Recommended ActionAI
Within 24 hours, identify and document all Linux systems where hibernation is enabled by checking system configuration files and power management settings. …
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External POC / Exploit Code
Leaving vuln.today
EUVD-2026-76672
GHSA-jf6f-8m48-j65r