Use-after-free in Linux kernel KVM nested guest TLB invalidation
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: 3 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
Linux kernel versions from 4.20 are affected in the KVM PowerPC Book3S HV code. The kvmhv_emulate_tlbie_all_lpid() function drops the MMU lock while it still uses a nested guest pointer that it holds no reference to, so a concurrent request can free that structure first. This causes a use-after-free. A local user with low privileges can trigger it, and the impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability is high.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
Description from the CNA
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: PPC: Book3S HV: fix use-after-free in kvmhv_emulate_tlbie_all_lpid() kvmhv_emulate_tlbie_all_lpid() iterates the nested-guest IDR and drops mmu_lock before calling kvmhv_emulate_tlbie_lpid(), but does not hold a reference on the kvm_nested_guest pointer obtained from the IDR. A concurrent vCPU issuing a single-LPID tlbie (is=2, ric=2) can race through kvmhv_flush_nested() -> kvmhv_remove_nested() -> idr_remove / --refcnt -> kvmhv_release_nested() -> kfree(gp) in that window, leaving the iterating vCPU with a dangling pointer. The subsequent mutex_lock(&gp->tlb_lock) and accesses to gp->shadow_pgtable, gp->shadow_lpid and gp->l1_host all touch freed memory. The free path is fully L1-controlled. Fix this by incrementing gp->refcnt inside the loop before dropping mmu_lock, mirroring what kvmhv_get_nested() does, and releasing the reference with kvmhv_put_nested() after the per-guest work completes. This is the same get/put discipline already used at every other call site that drops mmu_lock while holding a nested-guest pointer.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Upgrade to Linux kernel 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8 or 7.3, matching the branch in use. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 and Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 are affected, and Red Hat lists no fix plan for them.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8, 7.3
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 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Affected | No fix yet |
Not affected: 5 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5
Timeline
- 2026-10-06 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98283
- 2026-10-06 Alias added: GHSA-f6vc-5ch2-5vxm
- 2026-10-07 CVSS score added · CNA
- 2026-10-11 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-11 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-30 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4d8f7b1f586375df8bce23a0909566ad5e852259
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e37fba1ba69385cff2d0e60b371ee19e7d1852d1
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/24b634852413229bb8340d908b115c3365f3a247
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fbf69b7d0555ee83c871f58750770f74b7179ad1
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ec2d7a52b3996ae81131617b4afc0af31583c1b4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/51938dfa8a51a4f85328413fca9b6e21f9d2d088
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98283 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98283 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-f6vc-5ch2-5vxm · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98283 · 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