Description
Xen, when used on a system providing PV backends, allows local guest OS administrators to cause a denial of service (host OS crash) or gain privileges by writing to memory shared between the frontend and backend, aka a double fetch vulnerability.
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 14 | qemu | 1:2.5+dfsg-2 | — |
| Debian 14 | xen | 4.8.0~rc3-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | linux | 4.3.3-3 | — |
| Debian 13 | qemu | 1:2.5+dfsg-2 | — |
| Debian 13 | xen | 4.8.0~rc3-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | linux | 4.3.3-3 | — |
| Debian 12 | qemu | 1:2.5+dfsg-2 | — |
| Debian 12 | xen | 4.8.0~rc3-1 | — |
| Debian 8 | linux | 3.16.7-ckt20-1+deb8u2 | DSA-3434-1 |
| Debian 8 | qemu | 1:2.1+dfsg-12+deb8u5a | DSA-3471-1 |
| Debian 8 | xen | 4.4.1-9+deb8u4 | DSA-3519-1 |
| Debian 7 | linux | 3.2.73-2+deb7u2 | DSA-3434-1 |
| Debian 7 | xen | 4.1.6.1-1+deb7u1 | DLA-479-1 |
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 16.04 LTS | qemu | 1:2.5+dfsg-1ubuntu5 | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | xen | 4.6.0-1ubuntu2 | — |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | linux | 3.13.0-74.118 | USN-2848-1 |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | linux-lts-utopic | 3.16.0-57.77~14.04.1 | USN-2849-1 |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | linux-lts-vivid | 3.19.0-42.48~14.04.1 | USN-2854-1 |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | linux-lts-wily | 4.2.0-22.27~14.04.1 | USN-2853-1 |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | qemu | 2.0.0+dfsg-2ubuntu1.22 | USN-2891-1 |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | xen | 4.4.2-0ubuntu0.14.04.4 | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS | linux-azure-fde-5.15 | 5.15.0-1114.123~20.04.1 | — |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 12 SP1 | kernel-docs +1 | 3.12.53-60.30.2 | SUSE-SU-2016:0585-1 |
| SLES 12 SP1 | kernel-xen +3 | 3.12.53-60.30.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:0585-1 |
| SLES 12 SP1 | lttng-modules | 2.7.0-3.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:0585-1 |
| SLES 12 SP1 | xen | 4.5.2_06-7.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:0873-1 |
| SLES 12 | kernel-docs | 3.12.51-52.34.3 | SUSE-SU-2016:0168-1 |
| SLES 12 | kernel-ec2 +5 | 3.12.51-52.34.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:0585-1, SUSE-SU-2016:0168-1 |
| SLES 12 | xen | 4.4.4_02-22.19.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:1318-1 |
| SLES 11 SP4 | kernel-docs | 3.0.101-71.2 | SUSE-SU-2016:0911-1 |
| SLES 11 SP4 | kernel-ec2 +7 | 3.0.101-71.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:0911-1 |
| SLES 11 SP4 | xen | 4.4.4_02-32.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:0955-1 |
| SLES 11 SP3 | kernel-ec2 +7 | 3.0.101-0.47.79.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:1203-1 |
| SLES 11 SP3 | xen | 4.2.5_20-24.9 | SUSE-SU-2016:1745-1 |
| SLES 11 SP2 | xen | 4.1.6_08-26.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:1154-1 |
Show 9 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 12 SP1 | kernel-xen +3 | 3.12.53-60.30.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:0585-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP1 | lttng-modules | 2.7.0-3.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:0585-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP1 | xen | 4.5.2_06-7.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:0873-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 | kernel-xen +3 | 3.12.51-52.34.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:0168-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 | xen | 4.4.4_02-22.19.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:1318-1 |
| SLES for SAP 11 SP4 | kernel-ec2 +7 | 3.0.101-71.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:0911-1 |
| SLES for SAP 11 SP4 | xen | 4.4.4_02-32.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:0955-1 |
| SLE Real Time 12 SP1 | kernel-rt +5 | 3.12.58-14.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:1764-1 |
| SLE Real Time 11 SP4 | kernel-rt +3 | 3.0.101.rt130-51.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:1102-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 12 | kgraft-patch-SLE12_Update_10 +1 | 1-2.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:0585-1, SUSE-SU-2016:0168-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 5 | kernel-ec2 +6 | 3.0.101-0.47.79.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:1203-1 |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 2.1 | kernel-ec2 +6 | 3.0.101-0.47.79.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:1203-1 |
| SUSE Manager 2.1 | kernel-ec2 +6 | 3.0.101-0.47.79.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:1203-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | xen | 4.7.0_12-1.3 | openSUSE-SU-2024:10196-1 |
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.
GitHub 1 repository
-
WhatsWrongAndWhy/CVE-2015-8550 ★ 0 · Jul 15, 2026
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
Advisories 21
- USN-2854-1 linux-lts-vivid vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Sep 7, 2026
- USN-2891-1 qemu, qemu-kvm vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Sep 7, 2026
- USN-2848-1 linux vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Sep 7, 2026
- USN-2849-1 linux-lts-utopic vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Sep 7, 2026
- USN-2853-1 linux-lts-wily vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Sep 7, 2026
- DLA-479-1 xen - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- DSA-3471-1 qemu - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- DSA-3519-1 xen - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- DSA-3434-1 linux - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:0585-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:1318-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:1764-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:0911-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:0955-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:1154-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:1203-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:1102-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:10196-1 xen-4.7.0_12-1.3 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 7, 2025
- SUSE-SU-2016:0168-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 2, 2025
- SUSE-SU-2016:1745-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 2, 2025
- SUSE-SU-2016:0873-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 2, 2025
References
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/ovmbulletinjul2016-3090546.html
- DSA-3519 vendor-advisory
- 79592 vdb-entry
- http://xenbits.xen.org/xsa/advisory-155.html
- SUSE-SU-2016:1764 vendor-advisory
- SUSE-SU-2016:1102 vendor-advisory
- 1034479 vdb-entry
- GLSA-201604-03 vendor-advisory
- DSA-3471 vendor-advisory
- DSA-3434 vendor-advisory
- SUSE-SU-2016:0911 vendor-advisory