Description
Use-after-free vulnerability in the vmxnet3_io_bar0_write function in hw/net/vmxnet3.c in QEMU (aka Quick Emulator) allows local guest OS administrators to cause a denial of service (QEMU instance crash) by leveraging failure to check if the device is active.
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 | 1:2.6+dfsg-3.1 | — |
| Debian 13 | qemu | 1:2.6+dfsg-3.1 | — |
| Debian 12 | qemu | 1:2.6+dfsg-3.1 | — |
| Debian 8 | qemu | 1:2.1+dfsg-12+deb8u7 | DLA-1497-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | qemu | 1:2.5+dfsg-5ubuntu10.6 | USN-3125-1 |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | qemu | 2.0.0+dfsg-2ubuntu1.30 | USN-3125-1 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 12 SP1 | qemu | 2.3.1-21.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2589-1 |
| SLES 12 SP1 | xen | 4.5.3_10-20.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2473-1 |
| SLES 12 | qemu | 2.0.2-48.22.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2781-1 |
| SLES 12 | xen | 4.4.4_04-22.22.2 | SUSE-SU-2016:2533-1 |
| SLES 11 SP4 | xen | 4.4.4_08-40.2 | SUSE-SU-2016:2507-1 |
Show 3 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 12 SP1 | qemu | 2.3.1-21.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2589-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP1 | xen | 4.5.3_10-20.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2473-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 | qemu | 2.0.2-48.22.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2781-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 | xen | 4.4.4_04-22.22.2 | SUSE-SU-2016:2533-1 |
| SLES for SAP 11 SP4 | xen | 4.4.4_08-40.2 | SUSE-SU-2016:2507-1 |
Advisories 7
- DLA-1497-1 qemu - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- USN-3125-1 qemu, qemu-kvm vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Feb 10, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:2507-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:2781-1 Security update for qemu SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:2589-1 Security update for qemu SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:2473-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:2533-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
References
- 93255 vdb-entry
- [debian-lts-announce] 20180906 [SECURITY] [DLA 1497-1] qemu security update mailing-list
- [oss-security] 20160812 CVE request: Qemu net: vmxnet3: use after free while writing mailing-list
- [qemu-devel] 20160809 [PULL 2/3] net: vmxnet3: check for device_active before write mailing-list
- GLSA-201609-01 vendor-advisory
- [oss-security] 20160817 Re: CVE request: Qemu net: vmxnet3: use after free while writing mailing-list
- http://git.qemu.org/?p=qemu.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=6c352ca9b4ee3e1e286ea9e8434bd8e69ac7d0d8