The em_sysenter function in arch/x86/kvm/emulate.c in the Linux kernel before 3.18.5…
Priority LOW 21CWE-269Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- — Not recorded in CVSS 2.0
- Attack complexity
- Medium
- Impact type
- Privilege escalation
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Partial · Partial · Partial
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 2.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-269.
Summary
The em_sysenter function in arch/x86/kvm/emulate.c in the Linux kernel before 3.18.5, when the guest OS lacks SYSENTER MSR initialization, allows guest OS users to gain guest OS privileges or cause a denial of service (guest OS crash) by triggering use of a 16-bit code segment for emulation of a SYSENTER instruction.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.00643 51st percentileScored 2026-11-07
Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by NVD
Fix Fixed Red Hat: 2 advisories
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | all versions | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 11
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 3.18.5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:12.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* | 12.04 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* | 14.04 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 14.10 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
| cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 | Vulnerable | Debian |
| cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 8.0 | Vulnerable | Debian |
| cpe:2.3:o:oracle:linux:5:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5 | Vulnerable | Oracle |
| cpe:2.3:o:oracle:linux:7:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7 | Vulnerable | Oracle |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_desktop:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.0 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.0 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 3.18.5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:12.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* Versions 12.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* Versions 14.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 14.10 Vulnerable ·Canonical
- cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
- cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 8.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
- cpe:2.3:o:oracle:linux:5:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5 Vulnerable ·Oracle
- cpe:2.3:o:oracle:linux:7:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7 Vulnerable ·Oracle
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_desktop:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
Remediation
Red Hat 2 advisories
- RHSA-2015:2152 Released 2015-11-19 · Red Hat rating Importantkernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) kernel-3.10.0-327.el7, kernel-abi-whitelists-3.10.0-327.el7, kernel-debug-3.10.0-327.el7 +8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7) kernel-tools-libs-devel-3.10.0-327.el7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode (v. 7) kernel-3.10.0-327.el7, kernel-abi-whitelists-3.10.0-327.el7, kernel-debug-3.10.0-327.el7 +8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional (v. 7) kernel-tools-libs-devel-3.10.0-327.el7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) kernel-3.10.0-327.el7, kernel-abi-whitelists-3.10.0-327.el7, kernel-bootwrapper-3.10.0-327.el7 +11
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) kernel-debug-devel-3.10.0-327.el7, kernel-tools-libs-devel-3.10.0-327.el7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) kernel-3.10.0-327.el7, kernel-abi-whitelists-3.10.0-327.el7, kernel-debug-3.10.0-327.el7 +8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) kernel-tools-libs-devel-3.10.0-327.el7
- RHSA-2015:1272 Released 2015-07-20 · Red Hat rating Moderatekernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 6) kernel-2.6.32-573.el6, kernel-abi-whitelists-2.6.32-573.el6, kernel-debug-2.6.32-573.el6 +6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Optional (v. 6) python-perf-2.6.32-573.el6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node (v. 6) kernel-2.6.32-573.el6, kernel-abi-whitelists-2.6.32-573.el6, kernel-debug-2.6.32-573.el6 +6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node Optional (v. 6) python-perf-2.6.32-573.el6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 6) kernel-2.6.32-573.el6, kernel-abi-whitelists-2.6.32-573.el6, kernel-bootwrapper-2.6.32-573.el6 +9
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 6) python-perf-2.6.32-573.el6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 6) kernel-2.6.32-573.el6, kernel-abi-whitelists-2.6.32-573.el6, kernel-debug-2.6.32-573.el6 +6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 6) python-perf-2.6.32-573.el6
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:2152 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:2152 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:2152 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:2152 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1272 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Optional (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1272 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1272 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node Optional (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1272 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1272 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:2152 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1272 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:2152 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1272 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:2152 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1272 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:2152 |
Not affected: 3 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2015-0239
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-h9w7-gg89-fg55
- 2026-10-21 EPSS moved to the 50th–90th percentile
References
Advisory 13
- USN-2515-1
- DSA-3170
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1186448
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinjan2016-2867209.html
- USN-2514-1
- USN-2518-1
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinoct2015-2719645.html
- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v3.x/ChangeLog-3.18.5
- MDVSA-2015:058
- USN-2517-1
- USN-2516-1
- RHSA-2015:1272
- USN-2513-1
Sources
- CVE-2015-0239 · CVE Program
- CVE-2015-0239 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-h9w7-gg89-fg55 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2015-0239 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences