In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: x86/mm/pat: Allocate split page tables as kernel page tables A PTE is allocated directly without going through the standard page table allocation routines (such as pte_alloc_one_kernel()) when the CPA code splits a large page (__split_large_page()). This means the page table constructor is never called nor is the page table marked as a kernel page table. The former results in the folio associated with the page table not being marked as a page table (__pagetable_ctor() is never called thus neither is __folio_set_pgtable()) nor are statistics updated to reflect it (lruvec_stat_add_folio() is never called). The latter issue of failing to mark the page table as a kernel page table (ptdesc_set_kernel() is never called) is far more problematic. Since commit: 5ba2f0a15564 ("mm: introduce deferred freeing for kernel page tables") kernel page table freeing has been batched and since the subsequent commit: e37d5a2d60a3 ("iommu/sva: invalidate stale IOTLB entries for kernel address space") IOTLB cache entries for kernel page tables have been invalidated upon being freed. Since split page tables are freed without this invalidation, the IOTLB can contain stale entries for them. Resolve the issue by using the ordinary PTE allocation API at split time. This results in these kernel page tables invoking a page table constructor, and thus requires a page table destructor. Destructors are not always present, like for early allocated direct map page tables). Conditionally call pagetable_dtor_free() if the PG_table folio flag for the ptdesc is set, otherwise we free the page table via pagetable_free(). Regardless of which path is taken page tables marked as kernel page tables, which now includes split page tables, take the correct route through pagetable_free_kernel(). There is a user-visible side effect in that split page tables will appear in nr_page_table_pages in /proc/vmstat (as do other kernel page tables allocated after early boot), however this is a positive change. This issue started being markedly problematic after commit: 5ba2f0a15564 ("mm: introduce deferred freeing for kernel page tables") so choose this as the Fixes target. [ dhansen: rephrase in imperative mood ]

There are packages installed that are affected by a vulnerability referenced in the following CVE:

  - In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: x86/mm/pat: Allocate split page tables
    as kernel page tables A PTE is allocated directly without going through the standard page table allocation
    routines (such as pte_alloc_one_kernel()) when the CPA code splits a large page (__split_large_page()).
    This means the page table constructor is never called nor is the page table marked as a kernel page table.
    The former results in the folio associated with the page table not being marked as a page table
    (__pagetable_ctor() is never called thus neither is __folio_set_pgtable()) nor are statistics updated to
    reflect it (lruvec_stat_add_folio() is never called). The latter issue of failing to mark the page table
    as a kernel page table (ptdesc_set_kernel() is never called) is far more problematic. Since commit:
    5ba2f0a15564 ("mm: introduce deferred freeing for kernel page tables") kernel page table freeing has been
    batched and since the subsequent commit: e37d5a2d60a3 ("iommu/sva: invalidate stale IOTLB entries for
    kernel address space") IOTLB cache entries for kernel page tables have been invalidated upon being freed.
    Since split page tables are freed without this invalidation, the IOTLB can contain stale entries for them.
    Resolve the issue by using the ordinary PTE allocation API at split time. This results in these kernel
    page tables invoking a page table constructor, and thus requires a page table destructor. Destructors are
    not always present, like for early allocated direct map page tables). Conditionally call
    pagetable_dtor_free() if the PG_table folio flag for the ptdesc is set, otherwise we free the page table
    via pagetable_free(). Regardless of which path is taken page tables marked as kernel page tables, which
    now includes split page tables, take the correct route through pagetable_free_kernel(). There is a user-
    visible side effect in that split page tables will appear in nr_page_table_pages in /proc/vmstat (as do
    other kernel page tables allocated after early boot), however this is a positive change. This issue
    started being markedly problematic after commit: 5ba2f0a15564 ("mm: introduce deferred freeing for kernel
    page tables") so choose this as the Fixes target. [ dhansen: rephrase in imperative mood ]
    (CVE-2026-97525)

The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied patch available.

  - x86/mm/pat: Allocate split page tables as kernel page tables A PTE is allocated directly without going     through the standard page table allocation routines (such as pte_alloc_one_kernel()) when the CPA code     splits a large page (__split_large_page()). This means the page table constructor is never called nor is     the page table marked as a kernel page table. The former results in the folio associated with the page     table not being marked as a page table (__pagetable_ctor() is never called thus neither is
    __folio_set_pgtable()) nor are statistics updated to reflect it (lruvec_stat_add_folio() is never called).
    The latter issue of failing to mark the page table as a kernel page table (ptdesc_set_kernel() is never     called) is far more problematic. Since commit: 5ba2f0a15564 (mm: introduce deferred freeing for kernel     page tables) kernel page table freeing has been batched and since the subsequent commit: e37d5a2d60a3     (iommu/sva: invalidate stale IOTLB entries for kernel address space) IOTLB cache entries for kernel page     tables have been invalidated upon being freed. Since split page tables are freed without this     invalidation, the IOTLB can contain stale entries for them. Resolve the issue by using the ordinary PTE     allocation API at split time. This results in these kernel page tables invoking a page table constructor,     and thus requires a page table destructor. Destructors are not always present, like for early allocated     direct map page tables). Conditionally call pagetable_dtor_free() if the PG_table folio flag for the     ptdesc is set, otherwise we free the page table via pagetable_free(). Regardless of which path is taken     page tables marked as kernel page tables, which now includes split page tables, take the correct route     through pagetable_free_kernel(). There is a user-visible side effect in that split page tables will appear     in nr_page_table_pages in /proc/vmstat (as do other kernel page tables allocated after early boot),     however this is a positive change. This issue started being markedly problematic after commit:
    5ba2f0a15564 (mm: introduce deferred freeing for kernel page tables) so choose this as the Fixes target.
    [ dhansen: rephrase in imperative mood ] (CVE-2026-97525)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.

ID	Name	Product	Family	Type	Severity
475217	Google: sys-kernel/cchost-kernel-6_18, sys-kernel/csql-kernel-6_18, sys-kernel/lakitu-kernel-6_18, sys-kernel/lakitu-nc-kernel-6_18: security update to 19999.44.106	Tenable Cloud Security	Google COS Security Checks	Local	high
475217	Google: sys-kernel/cchost-kernel-6_18, sys-kernel/csql-kernel-6_18, sys-kernel/lakitu-kernel-6_18, sys-kernel/lakitu-nc-kernel-6_18: security update to 19999.44.106	Tenable Self-Hosted Container Security	Google COS Security Checks	Local	high
350482	Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-97525	Nessus	Misc.	Local	high

Detections

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CVE-2026-97525

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Tenable Plugins

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high

high