In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
exec: fix unsigned loop counter wrap in transfer_args_to_stack()
The stop value is derived from bprm->p >> PAGE_SHIFT. The index variable
is an unsigned long. If bprm->p drops below PAGE_SIZE and stop becomes
zero the loop condition index >= stop is always true.
After the index == 0 iteration the decrement wraps to ULONG_MAX and
bprm->page[ULONG_MAX] reads sizeof(void *) bytes in front of the array.
The pointer has wrapped to -1. That garbage pointer is then passed to
kmap_local_page() and PAGE_SIZE bytes are copied from wherever that
lands into the stack of the process being created. And the loop doesn't
terminate either...
Getting there only requires bprm->p < PAGE_SIZE. On !MMU
bprm_set_stack_limit() and bprm_hit_stack_limit() are empty. So the only
constraint on how far bprm->p is pushed down is valid_arg_len(), i.e.
that each individual string still fits in what is left.
bprm->p starts at PAGE_SIZE * MAX_ARG_PAGES - sizeof(void *) so a
single argument or environment string of a little over 31 pages leaves
it in the first page:
Oops - load access fault [#1]
CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 1 Comm: victim Not tainted 7.2.0-rc4 #1
epc : __memcpy+0xd4/0xf8
ra : transfer_args_to_stack+0xaa/0xae
s4 : ffffffffffffffff s2 : 0000000000000000
a1 : ffffffdc98000000 a2 : 0000000000001000
status: 0000000a00001880 badaddr: ffffffdc98000000 cause: 0000000000000005
[<801a5324>] __memcpy+0xd4/0xf8
[<800d5f6a>] load_flat_binary+0x43a/0x65e
[<800a2de4>] bprm_execve+0x1d4/0x316
[<800a351a>] do_execveat_common+0x12e/0x138
[<800a3d44>] __riscv_sys_execve+0x38/0x4e
Kernel panic - not syncing: Fatal exception in interrupt
This is an arcane bug but we should still fix it.
Count down from MAX_ARG_PAGES so the loop ends when index reaches stop,
stop == 0 included. The iterations performed are unchanged for every
other value of stop.
Only CONFIG_MMU=n builds are affected, transfer_args_to_stack() is used
by binfmt_flat and binfmt_elf_fdpic on nommu only.
The loop predates git history. commit 7e7ec6a93434
("elf_fdpic_transfer_args_to_stack(): make it generic") only moved it
from binfmt_elf_fdpic.c into fs/exec.c and narrowed the copy to the used
part of the first page. The condition and the decrement are unchanged
from 2.6.12-rc2.
exec: fix unsigned loop counter wrap in transfer_args_to_stack()
The stop value is derived from bprm->p >> PAGE_SHIFT. The index variable
is an unsigned long. If bprm->p drops below PAGE_SIZE and stop becomes
zero the loop condition index >= stop is always true.
After the index == 0 iteration the decrement wraps to ULONG_MAX and
bprm->page[ULONG_MAX] reads sizeof(void *) bytes in front of the array.
The pointer has wrapped to -1. That garbage pointer is then passed to
kmap_local_page() and PAGE_SIZE bytes are copied from wherever that
lands into the stack of the process being created. And the loop doesn't
terminate either...
Getting there only requires bprm->p < PAGE_SIZE. On !MMU
bprm_set_stack_limit() and bprm_hit_stack_limit() are empty. So the only
constraint on how far bprm->p is pushed down is valid_arg_len(), i.e.
that each individual string still fits in what is left.
bprm->p starts at PAGE_SIZE * MAX_ARG_PAGES - sizeof(void *) so a
single argument or environment string of a little over 31 pages leaves
it in the first page:
Oops - load access fault [#1]
CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 1 Comm: victim Not tainted 7.2.0-rc4 #1
epc : __memcpy+0xd4/0xf8
ra : transfer_args_to_stack+0xaa/0xae
s4 : ffffffffffffffff s2 : 0000000000000000
a1 : ffffffdc98000000 a2 : 0000000000001000
status: 0000000a00001880 badaddr: ffffffdc98000000 cause: 0000000000000005
[<801a5324>] __memcpy+0xd4/0xf8
[<800d5f6a>] load_flat_binary+0x43a/0x65e
[<800a2de4>] bprm_execve+0x1d4/0x316
[<800a351a>] do_execveat_common+0x12e/0x138
[<800a3d44>] __riscv_sys_execve+0x38/0x4e
Kernel panic - not syncing: Fatal exception in interrupt
This is an arcane bug but we should still fix it.
Count down from MAX_ARG_PAGES so the loop ends when index reaches stop,
stop == 0 included. The iterations performed are unchanged for every
other value of stop.
Only CONFIG_MMU=n builds are affected, transfer_args_to_stack() is used
by binfmt_flat and binfmt_elf_fdpic on nommu only.
The loop predates git history. commit 7e7ec6a93434
("elf_fdpic_transfer_args_to_stack(): make it generic") only moved it
from binfmt_elf_fdpic.c into fs/exec.c and narrowed the copy to the used
part of the first page. The condition and the decrement are unchanged
from 2.6.12-rc2.
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 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Linux | Linux | affected |
|
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Workaround
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References
History
Mon, 10 Aug 2026 14:45:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Weaknesses | CWE-119 CWE-193 |
Mon, 10 Aug 2026 12:30:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: exec: fix unsigned loop counter wrap in transfer_args_to_stack() The stop value is derived from bprm->p >> PAGE_SHIFT. The index variable is an unsigned long. If bprm->p drops below PAGE_SIZE and stop becomes zero the loop condition index >= stop is always true. After the index == 0 iteration the decrement wraps to ULONG_MAX and bprm->page[ULONG_MAX] reads sizeof(void *) bytes in front of the array. The pointer has wrapped to -1. That garbage pointer is then passed to kmap_local_page() and PAGE_SIZE bytes are copied from wherever that lands into the stack of the process being created. And the loop doesn't terminate either... Getting there only requires bprm->p < PAGE_SIZE. On !MMU bprm_set_stack_limit() and bprm_hit_stack_limit() are empty. So the only constraint on how far bprm->p is pushed down is valid_arg_len(), i.e. that each individual string still fits in what is left. bprm->p starts at PAGE_SIZE * MAX_ARG_PAGES - sizeof(void *) so a single argument or environment string of a little over 31 pages leaves it in the first page: Oops - load access fault [#1] CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 1 Comm: victim Not tainted 7.2.0-rc4 #1 epc : __memcpy+0xd4/0xf8 ra : transfer_args_to_stack+0xaa/0xae s4 : ffffffffffffffff s2 : 0000000000000000 a1 : ffffffdc98000000 a2 : 0000000000001000 status: 0000000a00001880 badaddr: ffffffdc98000000 cause: 0000000000000005 [<801a5324>] __memcpy+0xd4/0xf8 [<800d5f6a>] load_flat_binary+0x43a/0x65e [<800a2de4>] bprm_execve+0x1d4/0x316 [<800a351a>] do_execveat_common+0x12e/0x138 [<800a3d44>] __riscv_sys_execve+0x38/0x4e Kernel panic - not syncing: Fatal exception in interrupt This is an arcane bug but we should still fix it. Count down from MAX_ARG_PAGES so the loop ends when index reaches stop, stop == 0 included. The iterations performed are unchanged for every other value of stop. Only CONFIG_MMU=n builds are affected, transfer_args_to_stack() is used by binfmt_flat and binfmt_elf_fdpic on nommu only. The loop predates git history. commit 7e7ec6a93434 ("elf_fdpic_transfer_args_to_stack(): make it generic") only moved it from binfmt_elf_fdpic.c into fs/exec.c and narrowed the copy to the used part of the first page. The condition and the decrement are unchanged from 2.6.12-rc2. | |
| Title | exec: fix unsigned loop counter wrap in transfer_args_to_stack() | |
| 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: 2026-08-10T11:59:59.303Z
Reserved: 2026-07-30T09:28:09.373Z
Link: CVE-2026-68187
Vulnrichment
No data.
NVD
No data.
Redhat
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OpenCVE Enrichment
Updated: 2026-08-10T17:15:02Z