Description
Xen 3.1 through 4.x, when running 64-bit hosts on Intel CPUs, does not clear the NT flag when using an IRET after a SYSENTER instruction, which allows PV guest users to cause a denial of service (hypervisor crash) by triggering a #GP fault, which is not properly handled by another IRET instruction.
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 | xen | 4.1.4-3 | — |
| Debian 13 | xen | 4.1.4-3 | — |
| Debian 12 | xen | 4.1.4-3 | — |
| Debian 6.0 | xen | 4.0.1-5.10 | DSA-2662-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | xen | 4.7.0_12-1.3 | openSUSE-SU-2024:10196-1 |
Advisories 2
- DSA-2662-1 xen - several Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:10196-1 xen-4.7.0_12-1.3 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 7, 2025
References
- SUSE-SU-2014:0470 vendor-advisory
- 55082 third-party-advisory
- 1028455 vdb-entry
- GLSA-201309-24 vendor-advisory
- openSUSE-SU-2013:0912 vendor-advisory
- [oss-security] 20130418 Xen Security Advisory 44 (CVE-2013-1917) - Xen PV DoS vulnerability with SYSENTER mailing-list
- DSA-2662 vendor-advisory
- SUSE-SU-2014:0446 vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2013-6723 vendor-advisory
- SUSE-SU-2014:0411 vendor-advisory