Description
The KVM subsystem in the Linux kernel before 3.6.9, when running on hosts that use qemu userspace without XSAVE, allows local users to cause a denial of service (kernel OOPS) by using the KVM_SET_SREGS ioctl to set the X86_CR4_OSXSAVE bit in the guest cr4 register, then calling the KVM_RUN ioctl.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | linux | 3.2.35-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | linux | 3.2.35-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | linux | 3.2.35-1 | — |
| Debian 6.0 | linux-2.6 | 2.6.32-48squeeze3 | DSA-2668-1 |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 6 | perf +15 | 2.6.32-279.22.1.el6 | RHSA-2013:0223 |
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 6.2 EUS | perf +15 | 2.6.32-220.38.1.el6 | RHSA-2013:0882 |
Advisories 3
- RHSA-2013:0882 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 28, 2026
- RHSA-2013:0223 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 28, 2026
- DSA-2668-1 linux-2.6 - several Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
References
- RHSA-2013:0223 vendor-advisory
- 56414 vdb-entry
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=862900
- RHSA-2013:0882 vendor-advisory
- 51160 third-party-advisory
- http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=6d1068b3a98519247d8ba4ec85cd40ac136dbdf9
- http://article.gmane.org/gmane.comp.emulators.kvm.devel/100742
- SUSE-SU-2012:1679 vendor-advisory
- [oss-security] 20121106 CVE-2012-4461 -- kernel: kvm: invalid opcode oops on SET_SREGS with OSXSAVE bit set mailing-list
- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v3.x/ChangeLog-3.6.9
- openSUSE-SU-2013:0925 vendor-advisory