CVE-2024-26990: KVM: x86/mmu: Write-protect L2 SPTEs in TDP MMU when clearing dirty status

Published May 1, 2024
·
Updated

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

KVM: x86/mmu: Write-protect L2 SPTEs in TDP MMU when clearing dirty status

Check kvmmmupageadneedwriteprotect() when deciding whether to write-protect or clear D-bits on TDP MMU SPTEs, so that the TDP MMU accounts for any role-specific reasons for disabling D-bit dirty logging.

Specifically, TDP MMU SPTEs must be write-protected when the TDP MMU is being used to run an L2 (i.e. L1 has disabled EPT) and PML is enabled. KVM always disables PML when running L2, even when L1 and L2 GPAs are in the some domain, so failing to write-protect TDP MMU SPTEs will cause writes made by L2 to not be reflected in the dirty log.

[sean: massage shortlog and changelog, tweak ternary op formatting]

Other sources

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

KVM: x86/mmu: Write-protect L2 SPTEs in TDP MMU when clearing dirty status

The Linux kernel CVE team has assigned CVE-2024-26990 to this issue.

Upstream advisory: https://lore.kernel.org/linux-cve-announce/2024050143-CVE-2024-26990-0a1f@gregkh/T

Red Hat

Affected Software

10 affected componentsFixes available
debian/linux
5.10.223-15.10.234-16.1.129-16.1.135-16.12.25-16.12.27-1
redhat/kernel<6.6.29
6.6.29
redhat/kernel<6.8.8
6.8.8
redhat/kernel<6.9
6.9
Linux Linux kernel>=6.4<6.6.29
Linux Linux kernel>=6.7<6.8.8
Linux Linux kernel=6.9-rc1
Linux Linux kernel=6.9-rc2
Linux Linux kernel=6.9-rc3
Linux Linux kernel=6.9-rc4

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade debian/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 5.10.223-1Fixed in 5.10.234-1Fixed in 6.1.129-1Fixed in 6.1.135-1Fixed in 6.12.25-1Fixed in 6.12.27-1
  2. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/kernel to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.6.29
  3. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/kernel to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.8
  4. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/kernel to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.9

Event History

May 1, 2024
CVE Published
via MITRE·05:27 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·05:27 AM
DescriptionSeverity
Data Sourced
via NVD·06:15 AM
Description
Data Sourced
via NVD·06:15 AM
RemedySeverityAffected Software
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·07:13 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Jul 11, 2024
Data Sourced
via Launchpad·07:45 PM
Description
Dec 2, 2024
Data Sourced
via Ubuntu·08:15 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2024-26990?

CVE-2024-26990 is classified with moderate severity due to its potential impact on system security regarding memory management.

2

How do I fix CVE-2024-26990?

To fix CVE-2024-26990, update your kernel to version 6.6.29 or later for Red Hat systems, or to 5.10.223-1, 5.10.226-1, 6.1.119-1, 6.1.123-1, 6.12.10-1, or 6.12.11-1 for Debian systems.

3

Which systems are affected by CVE-2024-26990?

CVE-2024-26990 affects various versions of the Linux kernel across both Red Hat and Debian distributions.

4

What is the nature of the vulnerability in CVE-2024-26990?

CVE-2024-26990 is a vulnerability in the Linux kernel’s KVM component affecting the handling of write-protect status on TDP MMU SPTEs.

5

Is there a workaround for CVE-2024-26990?

There are no known workarounds for CVE-2024-26990; patching the kernel is the recommended action.

Contact

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