Description
KVM in the Linux kernel on Power8 processors has a conflicting use of HSTATE_HOST_R1 to store r1 state in kvmppc_hv_entry plus in kvmppc_{save,restore}_tm, leading to a stack corruption. Because of this, an attacker with the ability run code in kernel space of a guest VM can cause the host kernel to panic. There were two commits that, according to the reporter, introduced the vulnerability: f024ee098476 ("KVM: PPC: Book3S HV: Pull out TM state save/restore into separate procedures") 87a11bb6a7f7 ("KVM: PPC: Book3S HV: Work around XER[SO] bug in fake suspend mode") The former landed in 4.8, the latter in 4.17. This was fixed without realizing the impact in 4.18 with the following three commits, though it's believed the first is the only strictly necessary commit: 6f597c6b63b6 ("KVM: PPC: Book3S PR: Add guest MSR parameter for kvmppc_save_tm()/kvmppc_restore_tm()") 7b0e827c6970 ("KVM: PPC: Book3S HV: Factor fake-suspend handling out of kvmppc_save/restore_tm") 009c872a8bc4 ("KVM: PPC: Book3S PR: Move kvmppc_save_tm/kvmppc_restore_tm to separate file")
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux kernel | Linux kernel | 4.8 – < unspecified, unspecified – < 4.18 | unspecified |
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 | 4.18.6-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | linux | 4.18.6-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | linux | 4.18.6-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-raspi-realtime | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-riscv +2 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gke +2 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux | 4.15.0-96.97 | USN-4318-1 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe | 4.15.0-96.97~16.04.1 | USN-4318-1 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe-edge | No fix yet | — |
Show 4 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS 18.04 LTS | linux-aws-fips +2 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS 16.04 LTS | linux-fips | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 18.04 LTS | linux-aws-fips | 4.15.0-2018.18 | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 18.04 LTS | linux-azure-fips | 4.15.0-2006.7 | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 18.04 LTS | linux-fips | 4.15.0-1029.34 | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 16.04 LTS | linux-fips | No fix yet | — |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 7 | perf +13 | 4.14.0-115.26.1.el7a | RHSA-2020:2854 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 SP1 | kernel-azure +2 | 4.12.14-8.30.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1087-1 |
| SLES 15 SP1 | kernel-docs +5 | 4.12.14-197.40.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1146-1 |
| SLES 15 | kernel-docs +6 | 4.12.14-150.52.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1663-1 |
| SLES 12 SP5 | kernel-azure +2 | 4.12.14-16.13.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1118-1 |
| SLES 12 SP5 | kernel-docs +4 | 4.12.14-122.20.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1142-1 |
| SLES 12 SP4 | kernel-azure +2 | 4.12.14-6.40.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1119-1 |
| SLES 12 SP4 | kernel-docs +4 | 4.12.14-95.51.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1141-1 |
Show 11 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 15 | kernel-docs +5 | 4.12.14-150.52.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1663-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP5 | kernel-azure +2 | 4.12.14-16.13.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1118-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP5 | kernel-syms +2 | 4.12.14-122.20.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1142-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP4 | kernel-azure +2 | 4.12.14-6.40.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1119-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP4 | kernel-syms +2 | 4.12.14-95.51.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1141-1 |
| SLE Real Time 12 SP5 | kernel-rt +3 | 4.12.14-10.8.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1084-1 |
| SLE Real Time 12 SP4 | kernel-rt +3 | 4.12.14-8.18.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1085-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 15 SP1 | kernel-default | 4.12.14-197.40.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1146-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 15 SP1 | kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP1_Update_11 | 1-3.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1146-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 15 | kernel-default | 4.12.14-150.52.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1663-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 15 | kernel-livepatch-SLE15_Update_18 | 1-1.5.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1663-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 12 SP5 | kernel-default | 4.12.14-122.20.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1142-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 12 SP5 | kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_4 | 1-8.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1142-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 12 SP4 | kernel-default | 4.12.14-95.51.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1141-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 12 SP4 | kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP4_Update_13 | 1-6.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1141-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 | kernel-docs +5 | 4.12.14-150.52.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1663-1 |
| SUSE Real Time Module 15 SP1 | kernel-rt +3 | 4.12.14-14.23.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:1123-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Leap 15.1 | kernel-docs +8 | 4.12.14-lp151.28.48.1 | openSUSE-SU-2020:0543-1 |
Advisories 13
- RHSA-2020:2854 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel-alt security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 28, 2026
- USN-4318-1 linux, linux-hwe vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Jun 3, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:1087-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:1118-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2020:0543-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:1123-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:1663-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:1084-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:1142-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:1141-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:1146-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:1119-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:1085-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 2, 2025