KVM: Reject attempts to consume or refresh inactive gfn_to_pfn_cache
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: 1 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: Reject attempts to consume or refresh inactive gfn_to_pfn_cache Reject kvm_gpc_check() and kvm_gpc_refresh() if the cache is inactive. Not checking the active flag during refresh is particularly egregious, as KVM can end up with a valid, inactive cache, which can lead to a variety of use-after-free bugs, e.g. consuming a NULL kernel pointer or missing an mmu_notifier invalidation due to the cache not being on the list of gfns to invalidate. Note, "active" needs to be set if and only if the cache is on the list of caches, i.e. is reachable via mmu_notifier events. If a relevant mmu_notifier event occurs while the cache is "active" but not on the list, KVM will not acquire the cache's lock and so will not serailize the mmu_notifier event with active users and/or kvm_gpc_refresh(). A race between KVM_XEN_ATTR_TYPE_SHARED_INFO and KVM_XEN_HVM_EVTCHN_SEND can be exploited to trigger the bug. 1. Deactivate shinfo cache: kvm_xen_hvm_set_attr case KVM_XEN_ATTR_TYPE_SHARED_INFO kvm_gpc_deactivate kvm_gpc_unmap gpc->valid = false gpc->khva = NULL gpc->active = false Result: active = false, valid = false 2. Cause cache refresh: kvm_arch_vm_ioctl case KVM_XEN_HVM_EVTCHN_SEND kvm_xen_hvm_evtchn_send kvm_xen_set_evtchn kvm_xen_set_evtchn_fast kvm_gpc_check return -EWOULDBLOCK because !gpc->valid kvm_xen_set_evtchn_fast return -EWOULDBLOCK kvm_gpc_refresh hva_to_pfn_retry gpc->valid = true gpc->khva = not NULL Result: active = false, valid = true 3. Race ioctl KVM_XEN_HVM_EVTCHN_SEND against ioctl KVM_XEN_ATTR_TYPE_SHARED_INFO: kvm_arch_vm_ioctl case KVM_XEN_HVM_EVTCHN_SEND kvm_xen_hvm_evtchn_send kvm_xen_set_evtchn kvm_xen_set_evtchn_fast read_lock gpc->lock kvm_xen_hvm_set_attr case KVM_XEN_ATTR_TYPE_SHARED_INFO mutex_lock kvm->lock kvm_xen_shared_info_init kvm_gpc_activate gpc->khva = NULL kvm_gpc_check [ Check passes because gpc->valid is still true, even though gpc->khva is already NULL. ] shinfo = gpc->khva pending_bits = shinfo->evtchn_pending CRASH: test_and_set_bit(..., pending_bits)
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 | 5.17 and later | 6.0.8, 6.1 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.17 and later Fixed in 6.0.8, 6.1 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 4
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.17 to before 6.0.8 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.17 to before 6.0.8 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.0.8, 6.1
Red Hat 1 advisory
- RHSA-2023:6583 Released 2023-11-07 · Red Hat rating Importantkernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) kernel-tools-libs-devel-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, libperf-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) kernel-64k-debug-devel-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-64k-devel-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3 +11
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) bpftool-7.2.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-64k-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3 +29
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-rt-core-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-rt-debug-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3 +9
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-rt-core-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-rt-debug-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3 +11
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 4 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2022-49882
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-crgv-wqmc-m2wr
- 2026-10-16 CISA SSVC decision points changed
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-2022-49882 · CVE Program
- CVE-2022-49882 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-crgv-wqmc-m2wr · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2022-49882 · 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