CVE-2026-53359 Details
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: x86: Fix shadow paging use-after-free due to unexpected role Commit 0cb2af2ea66ad ("KVM: x86: Fix shadow paging use-after-free due to unexpected GFN") fixed a shadow paging mismatch between stored and computed GFNs; the bug could be triggered by changing a PDE mapping from outside the guest, and then deleting a memslot. The rmap_remove() call would miss entries created after the PDE change because the GFN of the leaf SPTE does not match the GFN of the struct kvm_mmu_page. A similar hole however remains if the modified PDE points to a non-leaf page. In this case the gfn can be made to match, but the role does not match: the original large 2MB page creates a kvm_mmu_page with direct=1, while the new 4KB needs a kvm_mmu_page with direct=0. However, kvm_mmu_get_child_sp() does not compare the role, and therefore reuses the page. The next step is installing a leaf (4KB) SPTE on the new path which records an rmap entry under the gfn resolved by the walk. But when that child is zapped its parent kvm_mmu_page has direct=1 and kvm_mmu_page_get_gfn() computes the gfn for the 4KB page as sp->gfn + index instead of using sp->shadowed_translation[] (or sp->gfns[] in older kernels). It therefore fails to remove the recorded entry. When the memslot is dropped the shadow page is freed but the rmap entry survives, as in the scenario that was already fixed. Code that later walks that gfn (dirty logging, MMU notifier invalidation, and so on) dereferences an sptep that lies in the freed page, causing the use-after-free.
A use-after-free vulnerability has been identified in the Linux kernel's KVM module for x86 architecture, specifically related to shadow paging. This issue arises when there is a mismatch between the Guest Frame Number (GFN) and the expected role of memory pages, particularly after certain changes to page directory entries (PDEs) from outside the guest. The vulnerability can be triggered by modifying a PDE to point to a non-leaf page, creating a scenario where the GFN can be manipulated to match, but the page role does not align with expectations. As a result, when the memory is freed, residual references can lead to dereferencing invalid memory, causing a use-after-free condition.
Users can upgrade to the latest version of the Linux kernel where this vulnerability has been fixed. Instructions for downloading the patched kernel are available on the official Linux kernel website.
Metrics
CVSS 4.0 Severity and Vector Strings:
No CVSS 4.0 data is available for this CVE.
CVSS 3.x Severity and Vector Strings:
No data available for CVSS Version 2.0 on this CVE.
CISA-ADP
Assessed Jul 8, 2026References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
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| URL | Source(s) | Tag(s) |
|---|---|---|
| https://github.com/V4bel/Januscape/blob/main/assets/write-up.md | CISA-ADP | |
| https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1ae7d5a6db6c190ce183e3098ca0e0846e14d462 | kernel.org | Patch |
| https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2ad3afa40ac6aa340dada122f9abfa46c0a6eb35 | kernel.org | Patch |
| https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5e470998a23e4c3d89ed24e8172cb22747e61efa | kernel.org | Patch |
| https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/81ccda30b4e83d8f5cc4fd50503c44e3a33abfeb | kernel.org | Patch |
| https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9291654d69e08542de37755cebe4d5b02c3170d1 | kernel.org | Patch |
| https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b1337aae5e194324e4810d561764e7793f8b3864 | kernel.org | Patch |
| http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/07/06/7 | CVE | Mailing List |
Weakness Enumeration
| CWE-ID | CWE Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| CWE-416 | Use After Free | [email protected] |
| CWE-416 | Use After Free | CISA-ADP |
Affected Products
| Product | Versions |
|---|---|
| linux linux kernel | >= 2.6.36, < 6.1.177 >= 6.2, < 6.6.144 >= 6.7, < 6.12.95 >= 6.13, < 6.18.38 >= 6.19, < 7.1.3 |
CPE
Remediation
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Change History
7 change records found show changes
| Date | Action | Recorded By |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 17, 2026 | CVE Modified | kernel.org |
| Jul 29, 2026 | CVE Modified | CISA-ADP |
| Jul 22, 2026 | Initial Analysis | [email protected] |
| Jul 18, 2026 | CVE Modified | kernel.org |
| Jul 8, 2026 | CVE Modified | CISA-ADP |
| Jul 6, 2026 | CVE Modified | CVE |
| Jul 4, 2026 | New CVE Received | kernel.org |