Description
The pit_ioport_read in i8254.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.33 and QEMU before 2.3.1 does not distinguish between read lengths and write lengths, which might allow guest OS users to execute arbitrary code on the host OS by triggering use of an invalid index.
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 | qemu | 1:2.4+dfsg-1a | — |
| Debian 14 | xen | 4.4.0-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | qemu | 1:2.4+dfsg-1a | — |
| Debian 13 | xen | 4.4.0-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | qemu | 1:2.4+dfsg-1a | — |
| Debian 12 | xen | 4.4.0-1 | — |
| Debian 8 | qemu | 1:2.1+dfsg-12+deb8u2 | DSA-3348-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | qemu | 2.0.0+dfsg-2ubuntu1.15 | USN-2692-1 |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 7 | qemu-img +6 | 10:1.5.3-86.el7_1.5 | RHSA-2015:1507 |
| RHEL 7 | qemu-img-rhev +6 | 10:2.1.2-23.el7_1.6 | RHSA-2015:1508 |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat OpenStack 6 | qemu-img-rhev +6 | 10:2.1.2-23.el7_1.6 | RHSA-2015:1512 |
| Red Hat OpenStack 5 | qemu-img-rhev +6 | 10:2.1.2-23.el7_1.6 | RHSA-2015:1512 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 12 | qemu | 2.0.2-48.19.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:1560-1 |
| SLES 11 SP4 | kvm | 1.4.2-44.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:1785-1 |
| SLES 11 SP3 | kvm | 1.4.2-46.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:1698-1 |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 12 | qemu | 2.0.2-48.19.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:1560-1 |
| SLES for SAP 11 SP4 | kvm | 1.4.2-44.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:1785-1 |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 7 | qemu-img +6 | 10:1.5.3-86.el7_1.5 | ELSA-2015-1507 |
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
Third-party code, not reviewed by us. Public PoCs are sometimes fake or contain malware. Read the code first and run it only in an isolated lab, against systems you are authorised to test.
Exploit-DB 1
- QEMU - Programmable Interrupt Timer Controller Heap Overflow EDB-37990 · dos · Aug 27, 2015 · verified
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
Advisories 9
- RHSA-2015:1508 Red Hat Security Advisory: qemu-kvm-rhev security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 29, 2026
- RHSA-2015:1512 Red Hat Security Advisory: qemu-kvm-rhev security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 29, 2026
- RHSA-2015:1507 Red Hat Security Advisory: qemu-kvm security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 29, 2026
- DSA-3348-1 qemu - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- USN-2692-1 qemu vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Feb 10, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:1785-1 Security update for kvm SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:1560-1 Security update for qemu SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:1698-1 Security update for kvm SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- ELSA-2015-1507 Important: qemu-kvm security and bug fix update (Oracle Linux 7) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Jul 27, 2015
References
- https://support.lenovo.com/product_security/qemu
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1229640
- https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/product_security/qemu
- 37990 exploit
- GLSA-201510-02 vendor-advisory
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/ee73f656a604d5aa9df86a97102e4e462dd79924
- DSA-3348 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2015:1508 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2015:1507 vendor-advisory
- http://mirror.linux.org.au/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.33
- http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=ee73f656a604d5aa9df86a97102e4e462dd79924
- RHSA-2015:1512 vendor-advisory
- 1032598 vdb-entry
- 75273 vdb-entry
- [oss-security] 20150625 Re: CVE request -- Linux kernel - kvm: x86: out-of-bounds memory access in pit_ioport_read function mailing-list
- [qemu-devel] 20150617 Re: [PATCH] i8254: fix out-of-bounds memory access in pit_ioport_read() mailing-list
- https://www.arista.com/en/support/advisories-notices/security-advisories/1180-security-advisory-13