---
id: "CVE-2026-98506"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-98506"]
title: "Linux kernel: hugetlb gigantic page dissolve can corrupt the free list"
severity: "unknown"
cvss: null
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "other"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["kernel", "linux", "other", "self-hosted"]
not_affected_if: ["default-config"]
published_at: "2026-10-18T16:17:01+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:15+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-25T05:25:27+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98506", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:15+00:00"}]
---

# Linux kernel: hugetlb gigantic page dissolve can corrupt the free list

In the Linux kernel's hugetlb memory code, dissolving a free gigantic page does not check whether runtime support exists, so the page can be freed while still on the free list. On a vmemmap restore failure, the rollback then corrupts the free list, which can crash the kernel.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## How to check

- `uname -r` to see the running kernel version
- unknown whether the sources list affected kernel version ranges

## Fix

- Update to a Linux kernel release that includes the upstream fix for CVE-2026-98506; the sources do not name a fixed version
- unknown whether distribution kernel packages already carry the patch

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T21:57:15+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98506

## From the sources

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

mm/hugetlb: do not dissolve gigantic pages without runtime support

dissolve_free_hugetlb_folio() doesn't check
hstate_is_gigantic_no_runtime(h) though remove_hugetlb_folio()/
update_and_free_hugetlb_folio() silently bail for such folios, so it frees
a still-listed folio and, on vmemmap restore failure, the
add_hugetlb_folio() rollback corrupts the free list.

---

_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_