Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
KVM: x86: Drop WARNs that assert a triple fault never "escapes" from L2
Remove WARNs that sanity check that KVM never lets a triple fault for L2
escape and incorrectly end up in L1. In normal operation, the sanity
check is perfectly valid, but it incorrectly assumes that it's impossible
for userspace to induce KVM_REQ_TRIPLE_FAULT without bouncing through
KVM_RUN (which guarantees kvm_check_nested_state() will see and handle
the triple fault).
The WARN can currently be triggered if userspace injects a machine check
while L2 is active and CR4.MCE=0. And a future fix to allow save/restore
of KVM_REQ_TRIPLE_FAULT, e.g. so that a synthesized triple fault isn't
lost on migration, will make it trivially easy for userspace to trigger
the WARN.
Clearing KVM_REQ_TRIPLE_FAULT when forcibly leaving guest mode is
tempting, but wrong, especially if/when the request is saved/restored,
e.g. if userspace restores events (including a triple fault) and then
restores nested state (which may forcibly leave guest mode). Ignoring
the fact that KVM doesn't currently provide the necessary APIs, it's
userspace's responsibility to manage pending events during save/restore.
------------[ cut here ]------------
WARNING: CPU: 7 PID: 1399 at arch/x86/kvm/vmx/nested.c:4522 nested_vmx_vmexit+0x7fe/0xd90 [kvm_intel]
Modules linked in: kvm_intel kvm irqbypass
CPU: 7 PID: 1399 Comm: state_test Not tainted 5.17.0-rc3+ #808
Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS 0.0.0 02/06/2015
RIP: 0010:nested_vmx_vmexit+0x7fe/0xd90 [kvm_intel]
Call Trace:
<TASK>
vmx_leave_nested+0x30/0x40 [kvm_intel]
vmx_set_nested_state+0xca/0x3e0 [kvm_intel]
kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl+0xf49/0x13e0 [kvm]
kvm_vcpu_ioctl+0x4b9/0x660 [kvm]
__x64_sys_ioctl+0x83/0xb0
do_syscall_64+0x3b/0xc0
entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae
</TASK>
---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]---
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 5.13 | 5.15.45 |
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 | 5.18.2-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | linux | 5.18.2-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | linux | 5.18.2-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-raspi-realtime | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux | 5.15.0-47.51 | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-aws | 5.15.0-1019.23 | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-azure | 5.15.0-1019.24 | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-gcp | 5.15.0-1017.23 | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-gke | 5.15.0-1015.18 | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-gkeop | 5.15.0-1002.4 | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-ibm | 5.15.0-1013.15 | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-intel-iotg | 5.15.0-1015.20 | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-kvm | 5.15.0-1017.21 | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-lowlatency | 5.15.0-47.53 | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-nvidia | 5.15.0-1007.7 | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-oracle | 5.15.0-1017.22 | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-raspi | 5.15.0-1014.16 | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-riscv +32 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-aws-5.15 | 5.15.0-1019.23~20.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-azure-5.15 | 5.15.0-1019.24~20.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gcp-5.15 | 5.15.0-1017.23~20.04.2 | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gke +28 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-hwe-5.15 +1 | 5.15.0-48.54~20.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-intel-iotg-5.15 | 5.15.0-1015.20~20.04.2 | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-oracle-5.15 | 5.15.0-1017.22~20.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-riscv-5.15 | 5.15.0-1018.21~20.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp +14 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe-edge | No fix yet | — |
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro Realtime 22.04 LTS | linux-realtime | 5.15.0-1020.20 | — |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 9 | perf +29 | 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1 | RHSA-2022:8267 |
| RHEL 8 | perf +26 | 4.18.0-425.3.1.el8 | RHSA-2022:7683 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 SP5 | kernel-64kb +6 | 5.14.21-150500.55.100.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1241-1 |
| SLES 15 SP5 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150500.55.100.1.150500.6.47.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1241-1 |
| SLES 15 SP4 | kernel-64kb +6 | 5.14.21-150400.24.158.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1027-1 |
| SLES 15 SP4 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150400.24.158.1.150400.24.78.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1027-1 |
Show 11 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 15 SP5 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150500.55.100.1.150500.6.47.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1241-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 SP5 | kernel-docs +4 | 5.14.21-150500.55.100.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1241-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 SP4 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150400.24.158.1.150400.24.78.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1027-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 SP4 | kernel-docs +4 | 5.14.21-150400.24.158.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1027-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.5 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150500.55.100.1.150500.6.47.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1241-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.5 | kernel-rt +1 | 5.14.21-150500.13.91.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1176-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.5 | kernel-source +1 | 5.14.21-150500.55.100.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1241-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.4 | kernel-default | 5.14.21-150400.24.158.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1027-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.4 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150400.24.158.1.150400.24.78.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1027-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.4 | kernel-rt +1 | 5.14.21-150400.15.115.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1183-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.3 | kernel-default | 5.14.21-150400.24.158.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1027-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.3 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150400.24.158.1.150400.24.78.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1027-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.3 | kernel-rt +1 | 5.14.21-150400.15.115.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1183-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 15 SP5 | kernel-default | 5.14.21-150500.55.100.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1241-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 15 SP5 | kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP5_Update_25 | 1-150500.11.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1241-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 15 SP4 | kernel-default | 5.14.21-150400.24.158.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1027-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 15 SP4 | kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP4_Update_38 | 1-150400.9.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1027-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP5 | kernel-64kb +5 | 5.14.21-150500.55.100.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1241-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP5 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150500.55.100.1.150500.6.47.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1241-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP4 | kernel-64kb +5 | 5.14.21-150400.24.158.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1027-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP4 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150400.24.158.1.150400.24.78.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1027-1 |
| SUSE Manager Server 4.3 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150400.24.158.1.150400.24.78.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1027-1 |
| SUSE Manager Server 4.3 | kernel-syms +3 | 5.14.21-150400.24.158.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1027-1 |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 4.3 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150400.24.158.1.150400.24.78.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1027-1 |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 4.3 | kernel-syms +2 | 5.14.21-150400.24.158.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1027-1 |
Advisories 6
- RHSA-2022:8267 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Nov 13, 2026
- RHSA-2022:7683 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 17, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2025:1176-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2025:1241-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2025:1027-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2025:1183-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026