CVE-2021-47255

kvm: LAPIC: Restore guard to prevent illegal APIC register access

HIGH
7.1
CVSS Score
Published: May 21, 2024 at 02:19 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 04:17 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

Using Linux by Linux?

Get instant alerts when new vulnerabilities affect Linux - before attackers find them.

Real-time alertsTrack your software stackFree plan available
Severity
HIGH7.1
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: kvm: LAPIC: Restore guard to prevent illegal APIC register access Per the SDM, "any access that touches bytes 4 through 15 of an APIC register may cause undefined behavior and must not be executed." Worse, such an access in kvm_lapic_reg_read can result in a leak of kernel stack contents. Prior to commit 01402cf81051 ("kvm: LAPIC: write down valid APIC registers"), such an access was explicitly disallowed. Restore the guard that was removed in that commit.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

5.11 ≤ v < 5.12.135.3 ≤ v < 5.10.465.3 ≤ v < 5.12.135.3 ≤ v < 5.135.3 ≤ v < 5.4.1285.5 ≤ v < 5.10.461402cf81051f796dac7c60ca11d6147153ca46a5.13 rc15.13 rc25.13 rc35.13 rc45.13 rc55.13 rc6
Vendor states this is fixed in 018685461a5b9a9a70e664ac77aef0d7415a3fd5 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 218bf772bddd221489c38dde6ef8e917131161f6 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in a2aff09807fbe4018c269d3773a629949058b210 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in bf99ea52970caeb4583bdba1192c1f9b53b12c84 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.10.46 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.12.13 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.13 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.3 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.4.128 (unaffected)

References (4)

Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/018685461a5b9a9a70e664ac77aef0d7415a3fd5
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/218bf772bddd221489c38dde6ef8e917131161f6
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a2aff09807fbe4018c269d3773a629949058b210
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bf99ea52970caeb4583bdba1192c1f9b53b12c84

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatablePartial impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusANALYZED
CWE
NVD-CWE-Other

Get alerted

Stop reading CVE feeds looking for your own stack

Track the products you run and VulnTracker tells you when a new CVE affects them — with what is known about fixing it, and nothing about the rest.

Free plan, no card