CVE-2017-2596

Kernel: kvm: page reference leakage in handle_vmon

Severity Score

6.5

*CVSS v3

Exploit Likelihood

*EPSS

Affected Versions

*CPE

Public Exploits

*Multiple Sources

Exploited in Wild

*KEV

Decision

*SSVC

Descriptions

The nested_vmx_check_vmptr function in arch/x86/kvm/vmx.c in the Linux kernel through 4.9.8 improperly emulates the VMXON instruction, which allows KVM L1 guest OS users to cause a denial of service (host OS memory consumption) by leveraging the mishandling of page references.

La función nested_vmx_check_vmptr en arch/x86/kvm/vmx.c en el kernel de Linux hasta la versión 4.9.8 emula indebidamente la instrucción VMXON, lo que permite a usuarios del SO invitado KVM L1 provocar una denegación de servicio (consumo de memoria del SO anfitrión) aprovechando el manejo incorrecto de referencia de páginas.

Linux kernel built with the KVM visualization support (CONFIG_KVM), with nested visualization(nVMX) feature enabled(nested=1), is vulnerable to host memory leakage issue. It could occur while emulating VMXON instruction in 'handle_vmon'. An L1 guest user could use this flaw to leak host memory potentially resulting in DoS.

USN-3358-1 fixed vulnerabilities in the Linux kernel for Ubuntu 17.04. This update provides the corresponding updates for the Linux Hardware Enablement kernel from Ubuntu 17.04 for Ubuntu 16.04 LTS. Please note that this update changes the Linux HWE kernel to the 4.10 based kernel from Ubuntu 17.04, superseding the 4.8 based HWE kernel from Ubuntu 16.10. Ben Harris discovered that the Linux kernel would strip extended privilege attributes of files when performing a failed unprivileged system call. A local attacker could use this to cause a denial of service. Various other issues were also addressed.

*Credits: N/A

CVSS Scores

Attack Vector

Local

Attack Complexity

Low

Privileges Required

Low

User Interaction

None

Scope

Changed

Confidentiality

None

Integrity

None

Availability

High

Attack Vector

Adjacent

Attack Complexity

High

Privileges Required

Low

User Interaction

None

Scope

Changed

Confidentiality

None

Integrity

None

Availability

High

Attack Vector

Local

Attack Complexity

Low

Authentication

None

Confidentiality

None

Integrity

None

Availability

Complete

Attack Vector

Adjacent

Attack Complexity

High

Authentication

Single

Confidentiality

None

Integrity

None

Availability

Complete

* Common Vulnerability Scoring System

SSVC

Decision:-

Exploitation

Automatable

Tech. Impact

* Organization's Worst-case Scenario

Timeline

2016-12-01 CVE Reserved
2017-02-06 CVE Published
2024-08-05 CVE Updated
2025-03-29 EPSS Updated
---------- Exploited in Wild
---------- KEV Due Date
---------- First Exploit

CWE

CWE-772: Missing Release of Resource after Effective Lifetime

CAPEC

References (7)

URL	Tag	Source
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95878	Third Party Advisory

URL	Date	SRC

URL	Date	SRC
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/01/31/4	2023-02-12
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1417812	2017-08-01

URL	Date	SRC
http://www.debian.org/security/2017/dsa-3791	2023-02-12
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:1842	2023-02-12
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:2077	2023-02-12
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2017-2596	2017-08-01

Affected Vendors, Products, and Versions

Vendor		Product				Version		Other		Status
Vendor	Product	Version	Other	Status	<-- -->	Vendor	Product	Version	Other	Status
Linux Search vendor "Linux"		Linux Kernel Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"				<= 4.9.8 Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " <= 4.9.8"		-		Affected