CVE-2026-53334: mm/damon/reclaim: handle ctx allocation failure
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
mm/damon/reclaim: handle ctx allocation failure
Patch series "mm/damon/{reclaim,lrusort}: handle ctx allocation failures".
DAMONRECLAIM and DAMONLRUSORT could dereference NULL pointers if their damonctx object allocations fail. The bugs are expected to happen infrequently because the allocations are arguably too small to fail on common setups. But theoretically they are possible and the consequences are bad. Fix those.
The issues were discovered [1] by Sashiko.
This patch (of 2):
DAMONRECLAIM allocates the damonctx object for its kdamond in its init function. damonreclaimenabledstore() wrongly assumes the allocation will always succeed once tried. If the damonctx allocation was failed, therefore, code execution reaches to damoncommitctx() while 'ctx' is NULL. As a result, it dereferences the NULL 'ctx' pointer. Avoid the NULL dereference by returning -ENOMEM if 'ctx' is NULL.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade to a fixed release to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Patch mm/damon/{reclaim,lru_sort}: handle ctx allocation failures - Upgrade
Upgrade to a fixed release to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Patch mm/damon/reclaim: handle ctx allocation failure
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-53334?
CVE-2026-53334 has a risk score of 24, indicating a critical vulnerability in the Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2026-53334?
To resolve CVE-2026-53334, update your Linux kernel to the latest patched version.
What systems are affected by CVE-2026-53334?
CVE-2026-53334 affects Linux kernel versions that utilize the mm/damon/reclaim subsystem.
What is the impact of CVE-2026-53334?
The impact of CVE-2026-53334 includes potential NULL pointer dereferences, leading to system instability.
When was CVE-2026-53334 published?
CVE-2026-53334 was published on July 1, 2026.