// For flags

CVE-2022-49559

KVM: x86: Drop WARNs that assert a triple fault never "escapes" from L2

Severity Score

5.5
*CVSS v3

Exploit Likelihood

*EPSS

Affected Versions

*CPE

Public Exploits

0
*Multiple Sources

Exploited in Wild

-
*KEV

Decision

-
*SSVC
Descriptions

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: x86: Drop WARNs that assert a triple fault never "escapes" from L2 Remove WARNs that sanity check that KVM never lets a triple fault for L2
escape and incorrectly end up in L1. In normal operation, the sanity
check is perfectly valid, but it incorrectly assumes that it's impossible
for userspace to induce KVM_REQ_TRIPLE_FAULT without bouncing through
KVM_RUN (which guarantees kvm_check_nested_state() will see and handle
the triple fault). The WARN can currently be triggered if userspace injects a machine check
while L2 is active and CR4.MCE=0. And a future fix to allow save/restore
of KVM_REQ_TRIPLE_FAULT, e.g. so that a synthesized triple fault isn't
lost on migration, will make it trivially easy for userspace to trigger
the WARN. Clearing KVM_REQ_TRIPLE_FAULT when forcibly leaving guest mode is
tempting, but wrong, especially if/when the request is saved/restored,
e.g. if userspace restores events (including a triple fault) and then
restores nested state (which may forcibly leave guest mode). Ignoring
the fact that KVM doesn't currently provide the necessary APIs, it's
userspace's responsibility to manage pending events during save/restore. ------------[ cut here ]------------ WARNING: CPU: 7 PID: 1399 at arch/x86/kvm/vmx/nested.c:4522 nested_vmx_vmexit+0x7fe/0xd90 [kvm_intel] Modules linked in: kvm_intel kvm irqbypass CPU: 7 PID: 1399 Comm: state_test Not tainted 5.17.0-rc3+ #808 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS 0.0.0 02/06/2015 RIP: 0010:nested_vmx_vmexit+0x7fe/0xd90 [kvm_intel] Call Trace: <TASK> vmx_leave_nested+0x30/0x40 [kvm_intel] vmx_set_nested_state+0xca/0x3e0 [kvm_intel] kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl+0xf49/0x13e0 [kvm] kvm_vcpu_ioctl+0x4b9/0x660 [kvm] __x64_sys_ioctl+0x83/0xb0 do_syscall_64+0x3b/0xc0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae </TASK> ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]---

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: x86: Drop WARNs that assert a triple fault never "escapes" from L2 Remove WARNs that sanity check that KVM never lets a triple fault for L2 escape and incorrectly end up in L1. In normal operation, the sanity check is perfectly valid, but it incorrectly assumes that it's impossible for userspace to induce KVM_REQ_TRIPLE_FAULT without bouncing through KVM_RUN (which guarantees kvm_check_nested_state() will see and handle the triple fault). The WARN can currently be triggered if userspace injects a machine check while L2 is active and CR4.MCE=0. And a future fix to allow save/restore of KVM_REQ_TRIPLE_FAULT, e.g. so that a synthesized triple fault isn't lost on migration, will make it trivially easy for userspace to trigger the WARN. Clearing KVM_REQ_TRIPLE_FAULT when forcibly leaving guest mode is tempting, but wrong, especially if/when the request is saved/restored, e.g. if userspace restores events (including a triple fault) and then restores nested state (which may forcibly leave guest mode). Ignoring the fact that KVM doesn't currently provide the necessary APIs, it's userspace's responsibility to manage pending events during save/restore. ------------[ cut here ]------------ WARNING: CPU: 7 PID: 1399 at arch/x86/kvm/vmx/nested.c:4522 nested_vmx_vmexit+0x7fe/0xd90 [kvm_intel] Modules linked in: kvm_intel kvm irqbypass CPU: 7 PID: 1399 Comm: state_test Not tainted 5.17.0-rc3+ #808 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS 0.0.0 02/06/2015 RIP: 0010:nested_vmx_vmexit+0x7fe/0xd90 [kvm_intel] Call Trace: <TASK> vmx_leave_nested+0x30/0x40 [kvm_intel] vmx_set_nested_state+0xca/0x3e0 [kvm_intel] kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl+0xf49/0x13e0 [kvm] kvm_vcpu_ioctl+0x4b9/0x660 [kvm] __x64_sys_ioctl+0x83/0xb0 do_syscall_64+0x3b/0xc0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae </TASK> ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]---

*Credits: N/A
CVSS Scores
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
Complete
* Common Vulnerability Scoring System
SSVC
  • Decision:-
Exploitation
-
Automatable
-
Tech. Impact
-
* Organization's Worst-case Scenario
Timeline
  • 2025-02-26 CVE Reserved
  • 2025-02-26 CVE Published
  • 2025-02-26 CVE Updated
  • 2025-02-27 EPSS Updated
  • ---------- Exploited in Wild
  • ---------- KEV Due Date
  • ---------- First Exploit
CWE
CAPEC
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"
>= 5.13 < 5.15.45
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 5.13 < 5.15.45"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 5.13 < 5.17.13
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 5.13 < 5.17.13"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 5.13 < 5.18.2
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 5.13 < 5.18.2"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 5.13 < 5.19
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 5.13 < 5.19"
en
Affected