Description
An issue was discovered in Xen through 4.13.x, allowing guest OS users to cause a denial of service because of a bad error path in GNTTABOP_map_grant. Grant table operations are expected to return 0 for success, and a negative number for errors. Some misplaced brackets cause one error path to return 1 instead of a negative value. The grant table code in Linux treats this condition as success, and proceeds with incorrectly initialised state. A buggy or malicious guest can construct its grant table in such a way that, when a backend domain tries to map a grant, it hits the incorrect error path. This will crash a Linux based dom0 or backend domain.
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 | xen | 4.11.4-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | xen | 4.11.4-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | xen | 4.11.4-1 | — |
| Debian 10 | xen | 4.11.4+24-gddaaccbbab-1~deb10u1 | DSA-4723-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | xen | 4.11.3+24-g14b62ab3e5-1ubuntu2.3 | USN-5617-1 |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | xen | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | xen | No fix yet | — |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 SP1 | xen | 4.12.2_04-3.15.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1124-1 |
| SLES 12 SP5 | xen | 4.12.2_04-3.11.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1139-1 |
| SLES 12 SP4 | xen | 4.11.3_04-2.23.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1138-1 |
Show 4 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 15 | xen | 4.10.4_10-3.31.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1634-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP5 | xen | 4.12.2_04-3.11.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1139-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP4 | xen | 4.11.3_04-2.23.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1138-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 | xen | 4.10.4_10-3.31.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1634-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | xen | 4.15.1_01-1.2 | openSUSE-SU-2024:11520-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.1 | xen | 4.12.2_04-lp151.2.15.1 | openSUSE-SU-2020:0599-1 |
Alpine
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.24 | xen | 4.13.0-r3 | — |
| Alpine v3.23 | xen | 4.13.0-r3 | — |
| Alpine v3.22 | xen | 4.13.0-r3 | — |
| Alpine v3.21 | xen | 4.13.0-r3 | — |
| Alpine v3.20 | xen | 4.13.0-r3 | — |
Show 12 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.19 | xen | 4.13.0-r3 | — |
| Alpine v3.18 | xen | 4.13.0-r3 | — |
| Alpine v3.17 | xen | 4.13.0-r3 | — |
| Alpine v3.16 | xen | 4.13.0-r3 | — |
| Alpine v3.15 | xen | 4.13.0-r3 | — |
| Alpine v3.14 | xen | 4.13.0-r3 | — |
| Alpine v3.13 | xen | 4.13.0-r3 | — |
| Alpine v3.12 | xen | 4.13.0-r3 | — |
| Alpine v3.11 | xen | 4.13.0-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.10 | xen | 4.12.2-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.9 | xen | 4.11.3-r2 | — |
| Alpine v3.8 | xen | 4.10.4-r3 | — |
Advisories 8
- USN-5617-1 xen vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Apr 27, 2026
- DSA-4723-1 xen - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:1124-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2020:0599-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:1139-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:1634-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:11520-1 xen-4.15.1_01-1.2 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 7, 2025
- SUSE-SU-2020:1138-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 2, 2025
References
- https://xenbits.xen.org/xsa/advisory-316.html
- http://xenbits.xen.org/xsa/advisory-316.html
- [oss-security] 20200414 Xen Security Advisory 316 v3 (CVE-2020-11743) - Bad error path in GNTTABOP_map_grant mailing-list
- FEDORA-2020-440457afe4 vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2020-295ed0b1e0 vendor-advisory
- openSUSE-SU-2020:0599 vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2020-cbc3149753 vendor-advisory
- GLSA-202005-08 vendor-advisory
- DSA-4723 vendor-advisory