// For flags

CVE-2022-49781

perf/x86/amd: Fix crash due to race between amd_pmu_enable_all, perf NMI and throttling

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: perf/x86/amd: Fix crash due to race between amd_pmu_enable_all, perf NMI and throttling amd_pmu_enable_all() does: if (!test_bit(idx, cpuc->active_mask)) continue; amd_pmu_enable_event(cpuc->events[idx]); A perf NMI of another event can come between these two steps. Perf NMI
handler internally disables and enables _all_ events, including the one
which nmi-intercepted amd_pmu_enable_all() was in process of enabling.
If that unintentionally enabled event has very low sampling period and
causes immediate successive NMI, causing the event to be throttled,
cpuc->events[idx] and cpuc->active_mask gets cleared by x86_pmu_stop().
This will result in amd_pmu_enable_event() getting called with event=NULL
when amd_pmu_enable_all() resumes after handling the NMIs. This causes a
kernel crash: BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000198 #PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode #PF: error_code(0x0000) - not-present page [...] Call Trace: <TASK> amd_pmu_enable_all+0x68/0xb0 ctx_resched+0xd9/0x150 event_function+0xb8/0x130 ? hrtimer_start_range_ns+0x141/0x4a0 ? perf_duration_warn+0x30/0x30 remote_function+0x4d/0x60 __flush_smp_call_function_queue+0xc4/0x500 flush_smp_call_function_queue+0x11d/0x1b0 do_idle+0x18f/0x2d0 cpu_startup_entry+0x19/0x20 start_secondary+0x121/0x160 secondary_startup_64_no_verify+0xe5/0xeb </TASK> amd_pmu_disable_all()/amd_pmu_enable_all() calls inside perf NMI handler
were recently added as part of BRS enablement but I'm not sure whether
we really need them. We can just disable BRS in the beginning and enable
it back while returning from NMI. This will solve the issue by not
enabling those events whose active_masks are set but are not yet enabled
in hw pmu.

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: perf/x86/amd: Fix crash due to race between amd_pmu_enable_all, perf NMI and throttling amd_pmu_enable_all() does: if (!test_bit(idx, cpuc->active_mask)) continue; amd_pmu_enable_event(cpuc->events[idx]); A perf NMI of another event can come between these two steps. Perf NMI handler internally disables and enables _all_ events, including the one which nmi-intercepted amd_pmu_enable_all() was in process of enabling. If that unintentionally enabled event has very low sampling period and causes immediate successive NMI, causing the event to be throttled, cpuc->events[idx] and cpuc->active_mask gets cleared by x86_pmu_stop(). This will result in amd_pmu_enable_event() getting called with event=NULL when amd_pmu_enable_all() resumes after handling the NMIs. This causes a kernel crash: BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000198 #PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode #PF: error_code(0x0000) - not-present page [...] Call Trace: <TASK> amd_pmu_enable_all+0x68/0xb0 ctx_resched+0xd9/0x150 event_function+0xb8/0x130 ? hrtimer_start_range_ns+0x141/0x4a0 ? perf_duration_warn+0x30/0x30 remote_function+0x4d/0x60 __flush_smp_call_function_queue+0xc4/0x500 flush_smp_call_function_queue+0x11d/0x1b0 do_idle+0x18f/0x2d0 cpu_startup_entry+0x19/0x20 start_secondary+0x121/0x160 secondary_startup_64_no_verify+0xe5/0xeb </TASK> amd_pmu_disable_all()/amd_pmu_enable_all() calls inside perf NMI handler were recently added as part of BRS enablement but I'm not sure whether we really need them. We can just disable BRS in the beginning and enable it back while returning from NMI. This will solve the issue by not enabling those events whose active_masks are set but are not yet enabled in hw pmu.

*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
Medium
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
Complete
* Common Vulnerability Scoring System
SSVC
  • Decision:-
Exploitation
-
Automatable
-
Tech. Impact
-
* Organization's Worst-case Scenario
Timeline
  • 2025-04-16 CVE Reserved
  • 2025-05-01 CVE Published
  • 2025-05-01 CVE Updated
  • 2025-05-02 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"
>= 5.19 < 6.0.10
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 5.19 < 6.0.10"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 5.19 < 6.1
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 5.19 < 6.1"
en
Affected