KVM: x86: Ignore -EBUSY when checking nested events from vcpu_block()
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: 3 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: x86: Ignore -EBUSY when checking nested events from vcpu_block() Ignore -EBUSY when checking nested events after exiting a blocking state while L2 is active, as exiting to userspace will generate a spurious userspace exit, usually with KVM_EXIT_UNKNOWN, and likely lead to the VM's demise. Continuing with the wakeup isn't perfect either, as *something* has gone sideways if a vCPU is awakened in L2 with an injected event (or worse, a nested run pending), but continuing on gives the VM a decent chance of surviving without any major side effects. As explained in the Fixes commits, it _should_ be impossible for a vCPU to be put into a blocking state with an already-injected event (exception, IRQ, or NMI). Unfortunately, userspace can stuff MP_STATE and/or injected events, and thus put the vCPU into what should be an impossible state. Don't bother trying to preserve the WARN, e.g. with an anti-syzkaller Kconfig, as WARNs can (hopefully) be added in paths where _KVM_ would be violating x86 architecture, e.g. by WARNing if KVM attempts to inject an exception or interrupt while the vCPU isn't running.
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 | 6.1 and later | 6.1.167, 6.6.130, 6.12.77, 6.18.17, 6.19.6, 7.0 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.1 and later Fixed in 6.1.167, 6.6.130, 6.12.77, 6.18.17, 6.19.6, 7.0 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 to before 6.1.167; 6.2 to before 6.6.130; 6.7 to before 6.12.77; 6.13 to before 6.18.17; 6.19 to before 6.19.6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 to before 6.1.167; 6.2 to before 6.6.130; 6.7 to before 6.12.77; 6.13 to before 6.18.17; 6.19 to before 6.19.6 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.1.167, 6.6.130, 6.12.77, 6.18.17, 6.19.6, 7.0
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. 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 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 2 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-43265
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-p7j5-r5cq-h6qj
- 2026-11-06 CISA SSVC decision points changed
References
Patch 6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/78265cd066d73a5cb41c088fcae4a2515e480d97
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ec3be7dc9391085a2d96700e159d66d1328b7ff6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2657439265d34a911886b916ba8be97ecc117d51
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1e88b5f854bdb469424132e0bb44793ad7a7c20a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1c957773063ed3264953597e32990a748381caf6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ead63640d4e72e6f6d464f4e31f7fecb79af8869
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-2026-43265 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-43265 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-p7j5-r5cq-h6qj · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-43265 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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