Description
Xen through 4.14.x allows guest OS administrators to obtain sensitive information (such as AES keys from outside the guest) via a side-channel attack on a power/energy monitoring interface, aka a "Platypus" attack. NOTE: there is only one logically independent fix: to change the access control for each such interface in Xen.
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 | 4.14.0+80-gd101b417b7-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | xen | 4.14.0+80-gd101b417b7-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | xen | 4.14.0+80-gd101b417b7-1 | — |
| Debian 10 | xen | 4.11.4+57-g41a822c392-1 | DSA-4804-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | xen | No fix yet | — |
| 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 SP2 | kernel-azure +2 | 5.3.18-18.29.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:3713-1 |
| SLES 15 SP2 | xen | 4.13.2_02-3.16.2 | SUSE-SU-2020:3615-1, SUSE-SU-2020:3412-1 |
| SLES 15 SP1 | xen | 4.12.4_02-3.34.2 | SUSE-SU-2021:1460-1, SUSE-SU-2020:3611-1, SUSE-SU-2020:3413-1 |
| SLES 12 SP5 | xen | 4.12.4_02-3.30.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:1023-1, SUSE-SU-2020:3612-1, SUSE-SU-2020:3414-1 |
| SLES 12 SP4 | xen | 4.11.4_12-2.42.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:3653-1, SUSE-SU-2020:3415-1 |
| SLES 12 SP3 | xen | 4.9.4_14-3.77.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:3631-1 |
Show 21 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 12 SP2 | xen | 4.7.6_12-43.70.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:3742-1 |
| SLES 11 SP4 | xen | 4.4.4_46-61.58.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:14557-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 SP1 | xen | 4.12.4_08-3.43.3 | SUSE-SU-2021:1460-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 | xen | 4.10.4_20-3.47.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:3627-1, SUSE-SU-2020:3416-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP5 | xen | 4.12.4_02-3.30.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:1023-1, SUSE-SU-2020:3612-1, SUSE-SU-2020:3414-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP4 | xen | 4.11.4_12-2.42.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:3653-1, SUSE-SU-2020:3415-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP3 | xen | 4.9.4_14-3.77.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:3631-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP2 | xen | 4.7.6_12-43.70.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:3742-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP1 | xen | 4.12.4_08-3.43.3 | SUSE-SU-2021:1460-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 | xen | 4.10.4_20-3.47.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:3627-1, SUSE-SU-2020:3416-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 9 | xen | 4.11.4_12-2.42.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:3653-1, SUSE-SU-2020:3415-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 8 | xen | 4.9.4_14-3.77.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:3631-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 9 | xen | 4.11.4_12-2.42.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:3653-1, SUSE-SU-2020:3415-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 8 | xen | 4.9.4_14-3.77.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:3631-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 7 | xen | 4.7.6_12-43.70.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:3742-1 |
| SUSE Manager Server 4.0 | xen | 4.12.4_08-3.43.3 | SUSE-SU-2021:1460-1 |
| SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server 4.0 | xen | 4.12.4_08-3.43.3 | SUSE-SU-2021:1460-1 |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 4.0 | xen | 4.12.4_08-3.43.3 | SUSE-SU-2021:1460-1 |
| SUSE HPE Helion OpenStack 8 | xen | 4.9.4_14-3.77.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:3631-1 |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 6 | xen | 4.12.4_08-3.43.3 | SUSE-SU-2021:1460-1 |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 5 | xen | 4.9.4_14-3.77.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:3631-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | xen | 4.15.1_01-1.2 | openSUSE-SU-2024:11520-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.2 | xen | 4.13.2_02-lp152.2.15.1 | openSUSE-SU-2020:2162-1, openSUSE-SU-2020:2017-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.1 | xen | 4.12.4_02-lp151.2.30.1 | openSUSE-SU-2020:2192-1, openSUSE-SU-2020:2030-1 |
Alpine
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.24 | xen | 4.14.0-r2 | — |
| Alpine v3.23 | xen | 4.14.0-r2 | — |
| Alpine v3.22 | xen | 4.14.0-r2 | — |
| Alpine v3.21 | xen | 4.14.0-r2 | — |
| Alpine v3.20 | xen | 4.14.0-r2 | — |
Show 10 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.19 | xen | 4.14.0-r2 | — |
| Alpine v3.18 | xen | 4.14.0-r2 | — |
| Alpine v3.17 | xen | 4.14.0-r2 | — |
| Alpine v3.16 | xen | 4.14.0-r2 | — |
| Alpine v3.15 | xen | 4.14.0-r2 | — |
| Alpine v3.14 | xen | 4.14.0-r2 | — |
| Alpine v3.13 | xen | 4.14.0-r2 | — |
| Alpine v3.12 | xen | 4.13.2-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.11 | xen | 4.13.2-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.10 | xen | 4.12.4-r0 | — |
Advisories 23
- DSA-4804-1 xen - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:3653-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:3416-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:3612-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:3412-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:3627-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2020:2192-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:3415-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:3615-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:3742-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2020:2030-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2021:1023-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:3611-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2020:2017-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:14557-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2020:2162-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:3413-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:3713-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:3631-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2021:1460-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:3414-1 Security update for xen SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- WID-SEC-2022-0999 Intel Prozessoren: Mehrere Schwachstellen ermöglichen Offenlegung von Informationen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Oct 12, 2025
- openSUSE-SU-2024:11520-1 xen-4.15.1_01-1.2 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 7, 2025
References
- https://xenbits.xen.org/xsa/advisory-351.html
- https://platypusattack.com
- https://www.zdnet.com/article/new-platypus-attack-can-steal-data-from-intel-cpus/
- http://xenbits.xen.org/xsa/advisory-351.html
- FEDORA-2020-2684e0fadd vendor-advisory
- [oss-security] 20201126 Xen Security Advisory 351 v2 (CVE-2020-28368) - Information leak via power sidechannel mailing-list
- FEDORA-2020-d71fa5f0b9 vendor-advisory
- DSA-4804 vendor-advisory