KVM: x86/mmu: Zap _all_ roots when unmapping gfn range in TDP MMU
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 5 fixed, 2 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-416 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: x86/mmu: Zap _all_ roots when unmapping gfn range in TDP MMU Zap both valid and invalid roots when zapping/unmapping a gfn range, as KVM must ensure it holds no references to the freed page after returning from the unmap operation. Most notably, the TDP MMU doesn't zap invalid roots in mmu_notifier callbacks. This leads to use-after-free and other issues if the mmu_notifier runs to completion while an invalid root zapper yields as KVM fails to honor the requirement that there must be _no_ references to the page after the mmu_notifier returns. The bug is most easily reproduced by hacking KVM to cause a collision between set_nx_huge_pages() and kvm_mmu_notifier_release(), but the bug exists between kvm_mmu_notifier_invalidate_range_start() and memslot updates as well. Invalidating a root ensures pages aren't accessible by the guest, and KVM won't read or write page data itself, but KVM will trigger e.g. kvm_set_pfn_dirty() when zapping SPTEs, and thus completing a zap of an invalid root _after_ the mmu_notifier returns is fatal. WARNING: CPU: 24 PID: 1496 at arch/x86/kvm/../../../virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:173 [kvm] RIP: 0010:kvm_is_zone_device_pfn+0x96/0xa0 [kvm] Call Trace: <TASK> kvm_set_pfn_dirty+0xa8/0xe0 [kvm] __handle_changed_spte+0x2ab/0x5e0 [kvm] __handle_changed_spte+0x2ab/0x5e0 [kvm] __handle_changed_spte+0x2ab/0x5e0 [kvm] zap_gfn_range+0x1f3/0x310 [kvm] kvm_tdp_mmu_zap_invalidated_roots+0x50/0x90 [kvm] kvm_mmu_zap_all_fast+0x177/0x1a0 [kvm] set_nx_huge_pages+0xb4/0x190 [kvm] param_attr_store+0x70/0x100 module_attr_store+0x19/0x30 kernfs_fop_write_iter+0x119/0x1b0 new_sync_write+0x11c/0x1b0 vfs_write+0x1cc/0x270 ksys_write+0x5f/0xe0 do_syscall_64+0x38/0xc0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae </TASK>
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 5.13 and later | 5.15.33, 5.16.19, 5.17.2, 5.18 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.13 and later Fixed in 5.15.33, 5.16.19, 5.17.2, 5.18 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.13 to before 5.15.33; 5.16 to before 5.16.19; 5.17 to before 5.17.2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.13 to before 5.15.33; 5.16 to before 5.16.19; 5.17 to before 5.17.2 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.15.33, 5.16.19, 5.17.2, 5.18
Red Hat 2 advisories
- RHSA-2022:8267 Released 2022-11-15 · Red Hat rating Moderatekernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) kernel-tools-libs-devel-5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) kernel-debug-devel-5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, kernel-debug-devel-matched-5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, kernel-devel-5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1 +5
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) bpftool-5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, kernel-5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, kernel-abi-stablelists-5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1 +14
- RHSA-2022:7683 Released 2022-11-08 · Red Hat rating Moderatekernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 8) kernel-tools-libs-devel-4.18.0-425.3.1.el8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) bpftool-4.18.0-425.3.1.el8, kernel-4.18.0-425.3.1.el8, kernel-abi-stablelists-4.18.0-425.3.1.el8 +19
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2022:7683 |
| Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2022:8267 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2022:8267 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2022:7683 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2022:8267 |
Not affected: 3 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2021-47639
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-7fq4-85x5-74rc
- 2026-11-07 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
More Linux Kernel vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2021-47639 · CVE Program
- CVE-2021-47639 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-7fq4-85x5-74rc · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2021-47639 · 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