KVM: Fix a data race on last_boosted_vcpu in kvm_vcpu_on_spin()
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Low · Low · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: Fix a data race on last_boosted_vcpu in kvm_vcpu_on_spin() Use {READ,WRITE}_ONCE() to access kvm->last_boosted_vcpu to ensure the loads and stores are atomic. In the extremely unlikely scenario the compiler tears the stores, it's theoretically possible for KVM to attempt to get a vCPU using an out-of-bounds index, e.g. if the write is split into multiple 8-bit stores, and is paired with a 32-bit load on a VM with 257 vCPUs: CPU0 CPU1 last_boosted_vcpu = 0xff; (last_boosted_vcpu = 0x100) last_boosted_vcpu[15:8] = 0x01; i = (last_boosted_vcpu = 0x1ff) last_boosted_vcpu[7:0] = 0x00; vcpu = kvm->vcpu_array[0x1ff]; As detected by KCSAN: BUG: KCSAN: data-race in kvm_vcpu_on_spin [kvm] / kvm_vcpu_on_spin [kvm] write to 0xffffc90025a92344 of 4 bytes by task 4340 on cpu 16: kvm_vcpu_on_spin (arch/x86/kvm/../../../virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:4112) kvm handle_pause (arch/x86/kvm/vmx/vmx.c:5929) kvm_intel vmx_handle_exit (arch/x86/kvm/vmx/vmx.c:? arch/x86/kvm/vmx/vmx.c:6606) kvm_intel vcpu_run (arch/x86/kvm/x86.c:11107 arch/x86/kvm/x86.c:11211) kvm kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl_run (arch/x86/kvm/x86.c:?) kvm kvm_vcpu_ioctl (arch/x86/kvm/../../../virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:?) kvm __se_sys_ioctl (fs/ioctl.c:52 fs/ioctl.c:904 fs/ioctl.c:890) __x64_sys_ioctl (fs/ioctl.c:890) x64_sys_call (arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:33) do_syscall_64 (arch/x86/entry/common.c:?) entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe (arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:130) read to 0xffffc90025a92344 of 4 bytes by task 4342 on cpu 4: kvm_vcpu_on_spin (arch/x86/kvm/../../../virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:4069) kvm handle_pause (arch/x86/kvm/vmx/vmx.c:5929) kvm_intel vmx_handle_exit (arch/x86/kvm/vmx/vmx.c:? arch/x86/kvm/vmx/vmx.c:6606) kvm_intel vcpu_run (arch/x86/kvm/x86.c:11107 arch/x86/kvm/x86.c:11211) kvm kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl_run (arch/x86/kvm/x86.c:?) kvm kvm_vcpu_ioctl (arch/x86/kvm/../../../virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:?) kvm __se_sys_ioctl (fs/ioctl.c:52 fs/ioctl.c:904 fs/ioctl.c:890) __x64_sys_ioctl (fs/ioctl.c:890) x64_sys_call (arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:33) do_syscall_64 (arch/x86/entry/common.c:?) entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe (arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:130) value changed: 0x00000012 -> 0x00000000
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
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 | 2.6.39 and later | 4.19.323, 5.4.285, 5.10.228, 5.15.169, 6.1.96, 6.6.36, 6.9.7, 6.10 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 2.6.39 and later Fixed in 4.19.323, 5.4.285, 5.10.228, 5.15.169, 6.1.96, 6.6.36, 6.9.7, 6.10 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 5
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.39 to before 4.19.323; 4.20 to before 5.4.285; 5.5 to before 5.10.228; 5.11 to before 5.15.169; 5.16 to before 6.1.96; 6.2 to before 6.6.36; 6.7 to before 6.9.7 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.10:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.10 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.10:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.10 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.10:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.10 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.10:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.10 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.39 to before 4.19.323; 4.20 to before 5.4.285; 5.5 to before 5.10.228; 5.11 to before 5.15.169; 5.16 to before 6.1.96; 6.2 to before 6.6.36; 6.7 to before 6.9.7 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.10:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.10 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.10:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.10 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.10:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.10 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.10:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.10 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 4.19.323, 5.4.285, 5.10.228, 5.15.169, 6.1.96, 6.6.36, 6.9.7, 6.10
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
Not affected: 4 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2024-40953
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-j7wr-633c-vhmr
References
Patch 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/11a772d5376aa6d3e2e69b5b5c585f79b60c0e17
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4c141136a28421b78f34969b25a4fa32e06e2180
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/71fbc3af3dacb26c3aa2f30bb3ab05c44d082c84
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/82bd728a06e55f5b5f93d10ce67f4fe7e689853a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/92c77807d938145c7c3350c944ef9f39d7f6017c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a937ef951bba72f48d2402451419d725d70dba20
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/95c8dd79f3a14df96b3820b35b8399bd91b2be60
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/49f683b41f28918df3e51ddc0d928cb2e934ccdb
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- 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-2024-40953 · CVE Program
- CVE-2024-40953 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-j7wr-633c-vhmr · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2024-40953 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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