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

userfaultfd: prevent registration of special VMAs

Vova Tokarev says:

userfaultfd allows registration on shadow stack VMAs. With userfaultfd
access, you can register on the shadow stack, discard a page ... and
inject a page with chosen return addresses via UFFDIO_COPY.

Update vma_can_userfault() to reject VM_SHADOW_STACK.

While on it, also reject VM_SPECIAL so that if a driver would implement
vm_uffd_ops, it wouldn't be possible to register special VMAs with
userfaultfd.

Since VM_SPECIAL includes VM_DONTEXPAND which is set but hugetlb, exclude
hugetlb VMAs from the check for VM_SPECIAL.
Published: 2026-08-10
Score: 7.0 High
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
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Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

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Tracking

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Advisories

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History

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 08:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-119
CWE-787

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-94
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.0, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

threat_severity

Important


Mon, 10 Aug 2026 19:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-119
CWE-787

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 12:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: userfaultfd: prevent registration of special VMAs Vova Tokarev says: userfaultfd allows registration on shadow stack VMAs. With userfaultfd access, you can register on the shadow stack, discard a page ... and inject a page with chosen return addresses via UFFDIO_COPY. Update vma_can_userfault() to reject VM_SHADOW_STACK. While on it, also reject VM_SPECIAL so that if a driver would implement vm_uffd_ops, it wouldn't be possible to register special VMAs with userfaultfd. Since VM_SPECIAL includes VM_DONTEXPAND which is set but hugetlb, exclude hugetlb VMAs from the check for VM_SPECIAL.
Title userfaultfd: prevent registration of special VMAs
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

Subscriptions

Linux Linux Kernel
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-08-10T11:59:34.576Z

Reserved: 2026-07-30T09:28:09.372Z

Link: CVE-2026-68166

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-08-10T13:20:03.110

Modified: 2026-08-10T13:20:03.110

Link: CVE-2026-68166

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Important

Publid Date: 2026-08-10T11:59:34Z

Links: CVE-2026-68166 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-08-13T09:45:03Z

Weaknesses