Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
KVM: x86/mmu: Don't advance iterator after restart due to yielding
After dropping mmu_lock in the TDP MMU, restart the iterator during
tdp_iter_next() and do not advance the iterator. Advancing the iterator
results in skipping the top-level SPTE and all its children, which is
fatal if any of the skipped SPTEs were not visited before yielding.
When zapping all SPTEs, i.e. when min_level == root_level, restarting the
iter and then invoking tdp_iter_next() is always fatal if the current gfn
has as a valid SPTE, as advancing the iterator results in try_step_side()
skipping the current gfn, which wasn't visited before yielding.
Sprinkle WARNs on iter->yielded being true in various helpers that are
often used in conjunction with yielding, and tag the helper with
__must_check to reduce the probabily of improper usage.
Failing to zap a top-level SPTE manifests in one of two ways. If a valid
SPTE is skipped by both kvm_tdp_mmu_zap_all() and kvm_tdp_mmu_put_root(),
the shadow page will be leaked and KVM will WARN accordingly.
WARNING: CPU: 1 PID: 3509 at arch/x86/kvm/mmu/tdp_mmu.c:46 [kvm]
RIP: 0010:kvm_mmu_uninit_tdp_mmu+0x3e/0x50 [kvm]
Call Trace:
<TASK>
kvm_arch_destroy_vm+0x130/0x1b0 [kvm]
kvm_destroy_vm+0x162/0x2a0 [kvm]
kvm_vcpu_release+0x34/0x60 [kvm]
__fput+0x82/0x240
task_work_run+0x5c/0x90
do_exit+0x364/0xa10
? futex_unqueue+0x38/0x60
do_group_exit+0x33/0xa0
get_signal+0x155/0x850
arch_do_signal_or_restart+0xed/0x750
exit_to_user_mode_prepare+0xc5/0x120
syscall_exit_to_user_mode+0x1d/0x40
do_syscall_64+0x48/0xc0
entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae
If kvm_tdp_mmu_zap_all() skips a gfn/SPTE but that SPTE is then zapped by
kvm_tdp_mmu_put_root(), KVM triggers a use-after-free in the form of
marking a struct page as dirty/accessed after it has been put back on the
free list. This directly triggers a WARN due to encountering a page with
page_count() == 0, but it can also lead to data corruption and additional
errors in the kernel.
WARNING: CPU: 7 PID: 1995658 at arch/x86/kvm/../../../virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:171
RIP: 0010:kvm_is_zone_device_pfn.part.0+0x9e/0xd0 [kvm]
Call Trace:
<TASK>
kvm_set_pfn_dirty+0x120/0x1d0 [kvm]
__handle_changed_spte+0x92e/0xca0 [kvm]
__handle_changed_spte+0x63c/0xca0 [kvm]
__handle_changed_spte+0x63c/0xca0 [kvm]
__handle_changed_spte+0x63c/0xca0 [kvm]
zap_gfn_range+0x549/0x620 [kvm]
kvm_tdp_mmu_put_root+0x1b6/0x270 [kvm]
mmu_free_root_page+0x219/0x2c0 [kvm]
kvm_mmu_free_roots+0x1b4/0x4e0 [kvm]
kvm_mmu_unload+0x1c/0xa0 [kvm]
kvm_arch_destroy_vm+0x1f2/0x5c0 [kvm]
kvm_put_kvm+0x3b1/0x8b0 [kvm]
kvm_vcpu_release+0x4e/0x70 [kvm]
__fput+0x1f7/0x8c0
task_work_run+0xf8/0x1a0
do_exit+0x97b/0x2230
do_group_exit+0xda/0x2a0
get_signal+0x3be/0x1e50
arch_do_signal_or_restart+0x244/0x17f0
exit_to_user_mode_prepare+0xcb/0x120
syscall_exit_to_user_mode+0x1d/0x40
do_syscall_64+0x4d/0x90
entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae
Note, the underlying bug existed even before commit 1af4a96025b3 ("KVM:
x86/mmu: Yield in TDU MMU iter even if no SPTES changed") moved calls to
tdp_mmu_iter_cond_resched() to the beginning of loops, as KVM could still
incorrectly advance past a top-level entry when yielding on a lower-level
entry. But with respect to leaking shadow pages, the bug was introduced
by yielding before processing the current gfn.
Alternatively, tdp_mmu_iter_cond_resched() could simply fall through, or
callers could jump to their "retry" label. The downside of that approach
is that tdp_mmu_iter_cond_resched() _must_ be called before anything else
in the loop, and there's no easy way to enfornce that requirement.
Ideally, KVM would handling the cond_resched() fully within the iterator
macro (the code is actually quite clean) and avoid this entire class of
bugs, but that is extremely difficult do wh
---truncated---
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 5.10 | 5.15.12 |
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 | 5.15.15-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | linux | 5.15.15-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | linux | 5.15.15-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-riscv +20 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gke +26 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp +14 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe-edge | No fix yet | — |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 SP5 | kernel-64kb +6 | 5.14.21-150500.55.59.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1480-1 |
| SLES 15 SP5 | kernel-azure +2 | 5.14.21-150500.33.48.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1490-1 |
| SLES 15 SP5 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150500.55.59.1.150500.6.25.7 | SUSE-SU-2024:1480-1 |
| SLES 15 SP4 | kernel-64kb +6 | 5.14.21-150400.24.116.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1321-1 |
| SLES 15 SP4 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150400.24.116.1.150400.24.54.5 | SUSE-SU-2024:1321-1 |
Show 10 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 15 SP4 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150400.24.116.1.150400.24.54.5 | SUSE-SU-2024:1321-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 SP4 | kernel-docs +4 | 5.14.21-150400.24.116.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1321-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.5 | kernel-default | 5.14.21-150500.55.59.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1480-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.5 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150500.55.59.1.150500.6.25.7 | SUSE-SU-2024:1480-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.5 | kernel-rt +1 | 5.14.21-150500.13.47.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1466-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.4 | kernel-default | 5.14.21-150400.24.116.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1321-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.4 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150400.24.116.1.150400.24.54.5 | SUSE-SU-2024:1321-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.4 | kernel-rt +1 | 5.14.21-150400.15.76.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1320-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.3 | kernel-default | 5.14.21-150400.24.116.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1321-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.3 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150400.24.116.1.150400.24.54.5 | SUSE-SU-2024:1321-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.3 | kernel-rt +1 | 5.14.21-150400.15.76.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1320-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 15 SP5 | kernel-default | 5.14.21-150500.55.59.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1480-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 15 SP5 | kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP5-RT_Update_13 | 1-150500.11.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1466-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 15 SP5 | kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP5_Update_12 | 1-150500.11.7.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1480-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 15 SP4 | kernel-default | 5.14.21-150400.24.116.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1321-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 15 SP4 | kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP4_Update_25 | 1-150400.9.5.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1321-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP4 | kernel-64kb +5 | 5.14.21-150400.24.116.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1321-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP4 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150400.24.116.1.150400.24.54.5 | SUSE-SU-2024:1321-1 |
| SUSE Real Time Module 15 SP5 | kernel-rt +3 | 5.14.21-150500.13.47.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1466-1 |
| SUSE Manager Server 4.3 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150400.24.116.1.150400.24.54.5 | SUSE-SU-2024:1321-1 |
| SUSE Manager Server 4.3 | kernel-syms +3 | 5.14.21-150400.24.116.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1321-1 |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 4.3 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150400.24.116.1.150400.24.54.5 | SUSE-SU-2024:1321-1 |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 4.3 | kernel-syms +2 | 5.14.21-150400.24.116.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1321-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Leap 15.5 | dtb-aarch64 +10 | 5.14.21-150500.55.59.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1480-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.5 | kernel-azure +2 | 5.14.21-150500.33.48.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1490-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.5 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150500.55.59.1.150500.6.25.7 | SUSE-SU-2024:1480-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.5 | kernel-rt +3 | 5.14.21-150500.13.47.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1466-1 |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Leap Micro 5.4 | kernel-default | 5.14.21-150400.24.116.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1321-1 |
| openSUSE Leap Micro 5.4 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150400.24.116.1.150400.24.54.5 | SUSE-SU-2024:1321-1 |
| openSUSE Leap Micro 5.4 | kernel-rt | 5.14.21-150400.15.76.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1320-1 |
| openSUSE Leap Micro 5.3 | kernel-default | 5.14.21-150400.24.116.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1321-1 |
| openSUSE Leap Micro 5.3 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150400.24.116.1.150400.24.54.5 | SUSE-SU-2024:1321-1 |
| openSUSE Leap Micro 5.3 | kernel-rt | 5.14.21-150400.15.76.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:1320-1 |
Advisories 6
- WID-SEC-2024-0549 Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Jun 1, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2024:1320-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2024:1480-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2024:1490-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2024:1466-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2024:1321-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 2, 2025