Description
arch/x86/kvm/x86.c in the Linux kernel before 4.4 does not reset the PIT counter values during state restoration, which allows guest OS users to cause a denial of service (divide-by-zero error and host OS crash) via a zero value, related to the kvm_vm_ioctl_set_pit and kvm_vm_ioctl_set_pit2 functions.
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 | 4.3.3-3 | — |
| Debian 13 | linux | 4.3.3-3 | — |
| Debian 12 | linux | 4.3.3-3 | — |
| Debian 8 | linux | 3.16.7-ckt20-1+deb8u2 | DSA-3434-1 |
| Debian 7 | linux | 3.2.73-2+deb7u2 | DSA-3434-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-riscv +6 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-riscv +2 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gke +4 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp +3 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | linux | 3.13.0-77.121 | USN-2887-1 |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | linux-lts-utopic | 3.16.0-60.80~14.04.1 | USN-2888-1 |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | linux-lts-vivid | 3.19.0-49.55~14.04.1 | USN-2889-2 |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | linux-lts-wily | 4.2.0-27.32~14.04.1 | USN-2890-2 |
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS | linux-azure-fde-5.15 | No fix yet | — |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 11 SP4 | kernel-docs | 3.0.101-88.3 | SUSE-SU-2016:2976-1 |
| SLES 11 SP4 | kernel-ec2 +8 | 3.0.101-88.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2976-1 |
| SLES 11 SP3 | kernel-ec2 +7 | 3.0.101-0.47.86.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2245-1 |
| SLES 11 SP2 | kernel-ec2 +6 | 3.0.101-0.7.53.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0333-1 |
Show 6 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 11 SP4 | kernel-ec2 +8 | 3.0.101-88.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2976-1 |
| SLE Real Time 11 SP4 | kernel-rt +3 | 3.0.101.rt130-65.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:3069-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 5 | kernel-ec2 +6 | 3.0.101-0.47.86.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2245-1 |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 2.1 | kernel-ec2 +6 | 3.0.101-0.47.86.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2245-1 |
| SUSE Manager 2.1 | kernel-ec2 +6 | 3.0.101-0.47.86.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2245-1 |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Point of Sale 11 SP3 | kernel-ec2 +6 | 3.0.101-0.47.86.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2245-1 |
Advisories 9
- USN-2887-1 linux vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Apr 22, 2026
- DSA-3434-1 linux - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- USN-2888-1 linux-lts-utopic vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Feb 10, 2026
- USN-2889-2 linux-lts-vivid vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Feb 10, 2026
- USN-2890-2 linux-lts-wily vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Feb 10, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:2976-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:3069-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:0333-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:2245-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 2, 2025
References
- [oss-security] 20160107 CVE-2015-7513 Kernel: kvm: divide by zero issue leads to DoS mailing-list
- FEDORA-2016-26e19f042a vendor-advisory
- USN-2887-2 vendor-advisory
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/0185604c2d82c560dab2f2933a18f797e74ab5a8
- USN-2886-1 vendor-advisory
- USN-2887-1 vendor-advisory
- USN-2890-3 vendor-advisory
- http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=0185604c2d82c560dab2f2933a18f797e74ab5a8
- USN-2889-1 vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2016-b59fd603be vendor-advisory
- USN-2889-2 vendor-advisory
- 79901 vdb-entry
- FEDORA-2016-5d43766e33 vendor-advisory
- USN-2890-2 vendor-advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1284847
- USN-2890-1 vendor-advisory
- DSA-3434 vendor-advisory
- 1034602 vdb-entry
- USN-2888-1 vendor-advisory