CVE-2025-71202: iommu/sva: invalidate stale IOTLB entries for kernel address space
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
iommu/sva: invalidate stale IOTLB entries for kernel address space
Introduce a new IOMMU interface to flush IOTLB paging cache entries for the CPU kernel address space. This interface is invoked from the x86 architecture code that manages combined user and kernel page tables, specifically before any kernel page table page is freed and reused.
This addresses the main issue with vfree() which is a common occurrence and can be triggered by unprivileged users. While this resolves the primary problem, it doesn't address some extremely rare case related to memory unplug of memory that was present as reserved memory at boot, which cannot be triggered by unprivileged users. The discussion can be found at the link below.
Enable SVA on x86 architecture since the IOMMU can now receive notification to flush the paging cache before freeing the CPU kernel page table pages.
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2025-71202?
The severity of CVE-2025-71202 is rated high with a CVSS score of 8.8.
What systems are affected by CVE-2025-71202?
CVE-2025-71202 affects the Linux kernel software.
How do I fix CVE-2025-71202?
To fix CVE-2025-71202, update your Linux kernel to the latest available version that addresses this vulnerability.
What is the nature of CVE-2025-71202?
CVE-2025-71202 involves the inability to invalidate stale IOTLB entries for the kernel address space in the Linux kernel.
Why is CVE-2025-71202 considered a risk?
CVE-2025-71202 is considered a risk because it can lead to potential information disclosure and system compromise through invalid IOTLB entries.