Description
Memory leak in the serial_exit_core function in hw/char/serial.c in QEMU (aka Quick Emulator) allows local guest OS privileged users to cause a denial of service (host memory consumption and QEMU process crash) via a large number of device unplug operations.
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 | 1:2.8+dfsg-3 | — |
| Debian 13 | qemu | 1:2.8+dfsg-3 | — |
| Debian 12 | qemu | 1:2.8+dfsg-3 | — |
| 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-5ubuntu10.11 | USN-3261-1 |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | qemu | 2.0.0+dfsg-2ubuntu1.33 | USN-3261-1 |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 7 | qemu-img-rhev +3 | 10:2.9.0-14.el7 | RHSA-2017:2392 |
Show 6 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat OpenStack 11 | qemu-img-rhev +3 | 10:2.9.0-10.el7 | RHSA-2017:2408 |
| Red Hat OpenStack 10 | qemu-img-rhev +3 | 10:2.9.0-10.el7 | RHSA-2017:2408 |
| Red Hat OpenStack 9 | qemu-img-rhev +3 | 10:2.9.0-10.el7 | RHSA-2017:2408 |
| Red Hat OpenStack 8 | qemu-img-rhev +3 | 10:2.9.0-10.el7 | RHSA-2017:2408 |
| Red Hat OpenStack 7 | qemu-img-rhev +3 | 10:2.9.0-10.el7 | RHSA-2017:2408 |
| Red Hat OpenStack 6 | qemu-img-rhev +3 | 10:2.9.0-10.el7 | RHSA-2017:2408 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 12 SP2 | qemu | 2.6.2-41.16.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:1774-1 |
| SLES 12 SP1 | qemu | 2.3.1-33.3.3 | SUSE-SU-2017:2946-1 |
| SLES 12 SP1 | xen | 4.5.5_06-22.11.2 | SUSE-SU-2017:0570-1 |
| SLES 12 | qemu | 2.0.2-48.34.3 | SUSE-SU-2017:2969-1 |
| SLES 12 | xen | 4.4.4_14-22.33.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0582-1 |
| SLES 11 SP4 | kvm | 1.4.2-60.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:2963-1 |
| SLES 11 SP4 | xen | 4.4.4_14-51.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0647-1 |
| SLES 11 SP3 | kvm | 1.4.2-53.11.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:3084-1 |
Show 6 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 12 SP2 | qemu | 2.6.2-41.16.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:1774-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP1 | qemu | 2.3.1-33.3.3 | SUSE-SU-2017:2946-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP1 | xen | 4.5.5_06-22.11.2 | SUSE-SU-2017:0570-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 | xen | 4.4.4_14-22.33.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0582-1 |
| SLES for SAP 11 SP4 | kvm | 1.4.2-60.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:2963-1 |
| SLES for SAP 11 SP4 | xen | 4.4.4_14-51.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0647-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 6 | qemu | 2.3.1-33.3.3 | SUSE-SU-2017:2946-1 |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Point of Sale 11 SP3 | kvm | 1.4.2-53.11.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:3084-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | qemu | 6.1.0-32.1 | openSUSE-SU-2024:11287-1 |
Alpine
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.24 | qemu | 2.8.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.23 | qemu | 2.8.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.22 | qemu | 2.8.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.21 | qemu | 2.8.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.20 | qemu | 2.8.1-r1 | — |
Show 15 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.19 | qemu | 2.8.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.18 | qemu | 2.8.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.17 | qemu | 2.8.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.16 | qemu | 2.8.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.15 | qemu | 2.8.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.14 | qemu | 2.8.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.13 | qemu | 2.8.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.12 | qemu | 2.8.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.11 | qemu | 2.8.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.10 | qemu | 2.8.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.9 | qemu | 2.8.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.8 | qemu | 2.8.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.7 | qemu | 2.8.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.6 | qemu | 2.8.1-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.5 | qemu | 2.8.1.1-r0 | — |
Advisories 13
- RHSA-2017:2392 Red Hat Security Advisory: qemu-kvm-rhev security, bug fix, and enhancement update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jul 1, 2026
- RHSA-2017:2408 Red Hat Security Advisory: qemu-kvm-rhev security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 29, 2026
- DLA-1497-1 qemu - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- USN-3261-1 qemu vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Feb 10, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:0582-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:0570-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:0647-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:1774-1 Security update for qemu SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:2969-1 Security update for qemu SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:2963-1 Security update for kvm SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:3084-1 Security update for kvm SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:11287-1 qemu-6.1.0-32.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 7, 2025
- SUSE-SU-2017:2946-1 Security update for qemu SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 2, 2025
References
- [debian-lts-announce] 20180906 [SECURITY] [DLA 1497-1] qemu security update mailing-list
- [oss-security] 20170124 CVE request Qemu: serial: host memory leakage in 16550A UART emulation mailing-list
- RHSA-2017:2392 vendor-advisory
- GLSA-201702-28 vendor-advisory
- 95780 vdb-entry
- http://git.qemu-project.org/?p=qemu.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=8409dc884a201bf74b30a9d232b6bbdd00cb7e2b
- [oss-security] 20170125 Re: CVE request Qemu: serial: host memory leakage in 16550A UART emulation mailing-list
- RHSA-2017:2408 vendor-advisory