In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
mm: shrinker: fix NULL pointer dereference in debugfs
shrinker_debugfs_add() creates both "count" and "scan" debugfs files
unconditionally.
That assumes every shrinker implements both count_objects() and
scan_objects(), which is not guaranteed. For example, the xen-backend
shrinker sets count_objects() but leaves scan_objects() NULL, so writing
to its scan file calls through a NULL function pointer and panics the
kernel:
BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000000
RIP: 0010:0x0
Code: Unable to access opcode bytes at 0xffffffffffffffd6.
Call Trace:
<TASK>
shrinker_debugfs_scan_write+0x12e/0x270
full_proxy_write+0x5f/0x90
vfs_write+0xde/0x420
? filp_flush+0x75/0x90
? filp_close+0x1d/0x30
? do_dup2+0xb8/0x120
ksys_write+0x68/0xf0
? filp_flush+0x75/0x90
do_syscall_64+0xb3/0x5b0
entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e
The count path has the same issue in principle if a shrinker omits
count_objects().
To fix it, only create "count" and "scan" debugfs files when the
corresponding callbacks are present.
mm: shrinker: fix NULL pointer dereference in debugfs
shrinker_debugfs_add() creates both "count" and "scan" debugfs files
unconditionally.
That assumes every shrinker implements both count_objects() and
scan_objects(), which is not guaranteed. For example, the xen-backend
shrinker sets count_objects() but leaves scan_objects() NULL, so writing
to its scan file calls through a NULL function pointer and panics the
kernel:
BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000000
RIP: 0010:0x0
Code: Unable to access opcode bytes at 0xffffffffffffffd6.
Call Trace:
<TASK>
shrinker_debugfs_scan_write+0x12e/0x270
full_proxy_write+0x5f/0x90
vfs_write+0xde/0x420
? filp_flush+0x75/0x90
? filp_close+0x1d/0x30
? do_dup2+0xb8/0x120
ksys_write+0x68/0xf0
? filp_flush+0x75/0x90
do_syscall_64+0xb3/0x5b0
entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e
The count path has the same issue in principle if a shrinker omits
count_objects().
To fix it, only create "count" and "scan" debugfs files when the
corresponding callbacks are present.
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | unaffected |
|
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| Linux | Linux | affected |
|
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Advisories
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Fixes
Solution
No solution given by the vendor.
Workaround
No workaround given by the vendor.
References
History
Sat, 25 Jul 2026 09:30:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm: shrinker: fix NULL pointer dereference in debugfs shrinker_debugfs_add() creates both "count" and "scan" debugfs files unconditionally. That assumes every shrinker implements both count_objects() and scan_objects(), which is not guaranteed. For example, the xen-backend shrinker sets count_objects() but leaves scan_objects() NULL, so writing to its scan file calls through a NULL function pointer and panics the kernel: BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000000 RIP: 0010:0x0 Code: Unable to access opcode bytes at 0xffffffffffffffd6. Call Trace: <TASK> shrinker_debugfs_scan_write+0x12e/0x270 full_proxy_write+0x5f/0x90 vfs_write+0xde/0x420 ? filp_flush+0x75/0x90 ? filp_close+0x1d/0x30 ? do_dup2+0xb8/0x120 ksys_write+0x68/0xf0 ? filp_flush+0x75/0x90 do_syscall_64+0xb3/0x5b0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e The count path has the same issue in principle if a shrinker omits count_objects(). To fix it, only create "count" and "scan" debugfs files when the corresponding callbacks are present. | |
| Title | mm: shrinker: fix NULL pointer dereference in debugfs | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
|
Projects
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MITRE
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-07-25T08:50:56.800Z
Reserved: 2026-07-19T15:36:31.786Z
Link: CVE-2026-64417
Vulnrichment
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NVD
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Redhat
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OpenCVE Enrichment
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Weaknesses
No weakness.