x86/mm: Eliminate window where TLB flushes may be inadvertently skipped
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 2 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: x86/mm: Eliminate window where TLB flushes may be inadvertently skipped tl;dr: There is a window in the mm switching code where the new CR3 is set and the CPU should be getting TLB flushes for the new mm. But should_flush_tlb() has a bug and suppresses the flush. Fix it by widening the window where should_flush_tlb() sends an IPI. Long Version: === History === There were a few things leading up to this. First, updating mm_cpumask() was observed to be too expensive, so it was made lazier. But being lazy caused too many unnecessary IPIs to CPUs due to the now-lazy mm_cpumask(). So code was added to cull mm_cpumask() periodically[2]. But that culling was a bit too aggressive and skipped sending TLB flushes to CPUs that need them. So here we are again. === Problem === The too-aggressive code in should_flush_tlb() strikes in this window: // Turn on IPIs for this CPU/mm combination, but only // if should_flush_tlb() agrees: cpumask_set_cpu(cpu, mm_cpumask(next)); next_tlb_gen = atomic64_read(&next->context.tlb_gen); choose_new_asid(next, next_tlb_gen, &new_asid, &need_flush); load_new_mm_cr3(need_flush); // ^ After 'need_flush' is set to false, IPIs *MUST* // be sent to this CPU and not be ignored. this_cpu_write(cpu_tlbstate.loaded_mm, next); // ^ Not until this point does should_flush_tlb() // become true! should_flush_tlb() will suppress TLB flushes between load_new_mm_cr3() and writing to 'loaded_mm', which is a window where they should not be suppressed. Whoops. === Solution === Thankfully, the fuzzy "just about to write CR3" window is already marked with loaded_mm==LOADED_MM_SWITCHING. Simply checking for that state in should_flush_tlb() is sufficient to ensure that the CPU is targeted with an IPI. This will cause more TLB flush IPIs. But the window is relatively small and I do not expect this to cause any kind of measurable performance impact. Update the comment where LOADED_MM_SWITCHING is written since it grew yet another user. Peter Z also raised a concern that should_flush_tlb() might not observe 'loaded_mm' and 'is_lazy' in the same order that switch_mm_irqs_off() writes them. Add a barrier to ensure that they are observed in the order they are written.
Why it matters now
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 5.15.179 to before 5.15.183; 6.1.129 to before 6.1.139; 6.6.79 to before 6.6.91; 6.12.16 to before 6.12.29; 6.13.4 to before 6.14 | 5.15.183, 6.1.139, 6.6.91, 6.12.29, 6.14 | Patch available | CNA |
| Linux | Linux | 6.14 and later | 5.15.183, 6.1.139, 6.6.91, 6.12.29, 6.14.7, 6.15 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.15.179 to before 5.15.183; 6.1.129 to before 6.1.139; 6.6.79 to before 6.6.91; 6.12.16 to before 6.12.29; 6.13.4 to before 6.14 Fixed in 5.15.183, 6.1.139, 6.6.91, 6.12.29, 6.14 Patch available CNA
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.14 and later Fixed in 5.15.183, 6.1.139, 6.6.91, 6.12.29, 6.14.7, 6.15 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 7
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.15.179 to before 5.15.183; 6.1.129 to before 6.1.139; 6.6.79 to before 6.6.91; 6.12.16 to before 6.12.29; 6.13.4 to before 6.14.7 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.15 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.15 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.15 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.15 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.15 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:11.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 11.0 | Vulnerable | Debian |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.15.179 to before 5.15.183; 6.1.129 to before 6.1.139; 6.6.79 to before 6.6.91; 6.12.16 to before 6.12.29; 6.13.4 to before 6.14.7 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.15 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.15 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.15 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.15 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.15 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:11.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 11.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.15.183, 6.1.139, 6.6.91, 6.12.29, 6.14
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.15.183, 6.1.139, 6.6.91, 6.12.29, 6.14.7, 6.15
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
Not affected: 3 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-37964
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-xxw2-vx44-7cv6
References
Patch 6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/12f703811af043d32b1c8a30001b2fa04d5cd0ac
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/02ad4ce144bd27f71f583f667fdf3b3ba0753477
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d41072906abec8bb8e01ed16afefbaa558908c89
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d87392094f96e162fa5fa5a8640d70cc0952806f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/399ec9ca8fc4999e676ff89a90184ec40031cf59
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fea4e317f9e7e1f449ce90dedc27a2d2a95bee5a
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Sources
- CVE-2025-37964 · CVE Program
- CVE-2025-37964 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-xxw2-vx44-7cv6 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2025-37964 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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