KVM: SEV: Reject attempts to sync VMSA of an already-launched/encrypted vCPU
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 4 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: SEV: Reject attempts to sync VMSA of an already-launched/encrypted vCPU Reject synchronizing vCPU state to its associated VMSA if the vCPU has already been launched, i.e. if the VMSA has already been encrypted. On a host with SNP enabled, accessing guest-private memory generates an RMP #PF and panics the host. BUG: unable to handle page fault for address: ff1276cbfdf36000 #PF: supervisor write access in kernel mode #PF: error_code(0x80000003) - RMP violation PGD 5a31801067 P4D 5a31802067 PUD 40ccfb5063 PMD 40e5954063 PTE 80000040fdf36163 SEV-SNP: PFN 0x40fdf36, RMP entry: [0x6010fffffffff001 - 0x000000000000001f] Oops: Oops: 0003 [#1] SMP NOPTI CPU: 33 UID: 0 PID: 996180 Comm: qemu-system-x86 Tainted: G OE Tainted: [O]=OOT_MODULE, [E]=UNSIGNED_MODULE Hardware name: Dell Inc. PowerEdge R7625/0H1TJT, BIOS 1.5.8 07/21/2023 RIP: 0010:sev_es_sync_vmsa+0x54/0x4c0 [kvm_amd] Call Trace: <TASK> snp_launch_update_vmsa+0x19d/0x290 [kvm_amd] snp_launch_finish+0xb6/0x380 [kvm_amd] sev_mem_enc_ioctl+0x14e/0x720 [kvm_amd] kvm_arch_vm_ioctl+0x837/0xcf0 [kvm] kvm_vm_ioctl+0x3fd/0xcc0 [kvm] __x64_sys_ioctl+0xa3/0x100 x64_sys_call+0xfe0/0x2350 do_syscall_64+0x81/0x10f0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e RIP: 0033:0x7ffff673287d </TASK> Note, the KVM flaw has been present since commit ad73109ae7ec ("KVM: SVM: Provide support to launch and run an SEV-ES guest"), but has only been actively dangerous for the host since SNP support was added. With SEV-ES, KVM would "just" clobber guest state, which is totally fine from a host kernel perspective since userspace can clobber guest state any time before sev_launch_update_vmsa().
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 | 6.11 and later | 6.12.83, 6.18.24, 6.19.14, 7.0.1, 7.1 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.11 and later Fixed in 6.12.83, 6.18.24, 6.19.14, 7.0.1, 7.1 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.11 to before 6.12.83; 6.13 to before 6.18.24; 6.19 to before 6.19.14; 7.0 to before 7.0.1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.11 to before 6.12.83; 6.13 to before 6.18.24; 6.19 to before 6.19.14; 7.0 to before 7.0.1 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.12.83, 6.18.24, 6.19.14, 7.0.1, 7.1
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-31593
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-jp87-j2ph-wv29
- 2026-11-06 CISA SSVC decision points changed
References
Patch 5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c9609847ae65ca36233077c2b6cb2bc0fb37c77a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/692fdf05e55fa03960a1278afdc2478c12daea13
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6ef109e01e1d35199e1a97ea68bdfd3cf3fbf9ab
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8f85a4885eee8cb495961ffa371a91828afb9445
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9b9f7962e3e879d12da2bf47e02a24ec51690e3d
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- 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-2026-31593 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-31593 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-jp87-j2ph-wv29 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-31593 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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