CVE-2024-39483: KVM: SVM: WARN on vNMI + NMI window iff NMIs are outright masked

Published Jul 5, 2024
·
Updated

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

KVM: SVM: WARN on vNMI + NMI window iff NMIs are outright masked

When requesting an NMI window, WARN on vNMI support being enabled if and only if NMIs are actually masked, i.e. if the vCPU is already handling an NMI. KVM's ABI for NMIs that arrive simultanesouly (from KVM's point of view) is to inject one NMI and pend the other. When using vNMI, KVM pends the second NMI simply by setting VNMIPENDING, and lets the CPU do the rest (hardware automatically sets VNMIBLOCKING when an NMI is injected).

However, if KVM can't immediately inject an NMI, e.g. because the vCPU is in an STI shadow or is running with GIF=0, then KVM will request an NMI window and trigger the WARN (but still function correctly).

Whether or not the GIF=0 case makes sense is debatable, as the intent of KVM's behavior is to provide functionality that is as close to real hardware as possible. E.g. if two NMIs are sent in quick succession, the probability of both NMIs arriving in an STI shadow is infinitesimally low on real hardware, but significantly larger in a virtual environment, e.g. if the vCPU is preempted in the STI shadow. For GIF=0, the argument isn't as clear cut, because the window where two NMIs can collide is much larger in bare metal (though still small).

That said, KVM should not have divergent behavior for the GIF=0 case based on whether or not vNMI support is enabled. And KVM has allowed simultaneous NMIs with GIF=0 for over a decade, since commit 7460fb4a3400 ("KVM: Fix simultaneous NMIs"). I.e. KVM's GIF=0 handling shouldn't be modified without a really good reason to do so, and if KVM's behavior were to be modified, it should be done irrespective of vNMI support.

Affected Software

6 affected componentsFixes available
Linux Linux kernel<6.4
Linux Linux kernel>=6.6<6.6.34
Linux Linux kernel>=6.9<6.9.5
Linux Linux kernel=6.10.0-rc1
Linux Linux kernel=6.10.0-rc2
debian/linux
5.10.223-15.10.234-16.1.129-16.1.135-1

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 6.1.135-1

Event History

Jul 5, 2024
CVE Published
via MITRE·06:55 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·06:55 AM
DescriptionSeverity
Data Sourced
via NVD·07:15 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·09:22 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Nov 30, 2024
Data Sourced
via Ubuntu·04:44 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2024-39483?

The severity of CVE-2024-39483 is categorized as important due to potential privilege escalation in the Linux kernel.

2

How do I fix CVE-2024-39483?

To fix CVE-2024-39483, update your Linux kernel to version 6.6.34 or later, or apply available security patches.

3

Which Linux kernel versions are affected by CVE-2024-39483?

CVE-2024-39483 affects Linux kernel versions prior to 6.5 and includes specific release candidates like 6.10.0-rc1 and 6.10.0-rc2.

4

What systems are vulnerable to CVE-2024-39483?

Systems running vulnerable versions of the Linux kernel, including Debian distributions that have not been updated, are at risk from CVE-2024-39483.

5

Is there a public exploit for CVE-2024-39483?

As of now, there are no known public exploits for CVE-2024-39483, but it is advisable to apply fixes promptly to mitigate risks.

Contact

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