CVE-2023-53319

KVM: arm64: Handle kvm_arm_init failure correctly in finalize_pkvm

MEDIUM
5.5
CVSS Score
Published: September 16, 2025 at 04:11 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 06:44 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
MEDIUM5.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.1%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: arm64: Handle kvm_arm_init failure correctly in finalize_pkvm Currently there is no synchronisation between finalize_pkvm() and kvm_arm_init() initcalls. The finalize_pkvm() proceeds happily even if kvm_arm_init() fails resulting in the following warning on all the CPUs and eventually a HYP panic: | kvm [1]: IPA Size Limit: 48 bits | kvm [1]: Failed to init hyp memory protection | kvm [1]: error initializing Hyp mode: -22 | | <snip> | | WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 0 at arch/arm64/kvm/pkvm.c:226 _kvm_host_prot_finalize+0x30/0x50 | Modules linked in: | CPU: 0 PID: 0 Comm: swapper/0 Not tainted 6.4.0 #237 | Hardware name: FVP Base RevC (DT) | pstate: 634020c5 (nZCv daIF +PAN -UAO +TCO +DIT -SSBS BTYPE=--) | pc : _kvm_host_prot_finalize+0x30/0x50 | lr : __flush_smp_call_function_queue+0xd8/0x230 | | Call trace: | _kvm_host_prot_finalize+0x3c/0x50 | on_each_cpu_cond_mask+0x3c/0x6c | pkvm_drop_host_privileges+0x4c/0x78 | finalize_pkvm+0x3c/0x5c | do_one_initcall+0xcc/0x240 | do_initcall_level+0x8c/0xac | do_initcalls+0x54/0x94 | do_basic_setup+0x1c/0x28 | kernel_init_freeable+0x100/0x16c | kernel_init+0x20/0x1a0 | ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20 | Failed to finalize Hyp protection: -22 | dtb=fvp-base-revc.dtb | kvm [95]: nVHE hyp BUG at: arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/nvhe/mem_protect.c:540! | kvm [95]: nVHE call trace: | kvm [95]: [<ffff800081052984>] __kvm_nvhe_hyp_panic+0xac/0xf8 | kvm [95]: [<ffff800081059644>] __kvm_nvhe_handle_host_mem_abort+0x1a0/0x2ac | kvm [95]: [<ffff80008105511c>] __kvm_nvhe_handle_trap+0x4c/0x160 | kvm [95]: [<ffff8000810540fc>] __kvm_nvhe___skip_pauth_save+0x4/0x4 | kvm [95]: ---[ end nVHE call trace ]--- | kvm [95]: Hyp Offset: 0xfffe8db00ffa0000 | Kernel panic - not syncing: HYP panic: | PS:a34023c9 PC:0000f250710b973c ESR:00000000f2000800 | FAR:ffff000800cb00d0 HPFAR:000000000880cb00 PAR:0000000000000000 | VCPU:0000000000000000 | CPU: 3 PID: 95 Comm: kworker/u16:2 Tainted: G W 6.4.0 #237 | Hardware name: FVP Base RevC (DT) | Workqueue: rpciod rpc_async_schedule | Call trace: | dump_backtrace+0xec/0x108 | show_stack+0x18/0x2c | dump_stack_lvl+0x50/0x68 | dump_stack+0x18/0x24 | panic+0x138/0x33c | nvhe_hyp_panic_handler+0x100/0x184 | new_slab+0x23c/0x54c | ___slab_alloc+0x3e4/0x770 | kmem_cache_alloc_node+0x1f0/0x278 | __alloc_skb+0xdc/0x294 | tcp_stream_alloc_skb+0x2c/0xf0 | tcp_sendmsg_locked+0x3d0/0xda4 | tcp_sendmsg+0x38/0x5c | inet_sendmsg+0x44/0x60 | sock_sendmsg+0x1c/0x34 | xprt_sock_sendmsg+0xdc/0x274 | xs_tcp_send_request+0x1ac/0x28c | xprt_transmit+0xcc/0x300 | call_transmit+0x78/0x90 | __rpc_execute+0x114/0x3d8 | rpc_async_schedule+0x28/0x48 | process_one_work+0x1d8/0x314 | worker_thread+0x248/0x474 | kthread+0xfc/0x184 | ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20 | SMP: stopping secondary CPUs | Kernel Offset: 0x57c5cb460000 from 0xffff800080000000 | PHYS_OFFSET: 0x80000000 | CPU features: 0x00000000,1035b7a3,ccfe773f | Memory Limit: none | ---[ end Kernel panic - not syncing: HYP panic: | PS:a34023c9 PC:0000f250710b973c ESR:00000000f2000800 | FAR:ffff000800cb00d0 HPFAR:000000000880cb00 PAR:0000000000000000 | VCPU:0000000000000000 ]--- Fix it by checking for the successfull initialisation of kvm_arm_init() in finalize_pkvm() before proceeding any futher.

Affected

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

6.4 ≤ v < 6.4.86.4 ≤ v < 6.56.46.5 rc16.5 rc287727ba2bb05cc3cb4233231faa7ab4c7eeb6c73
Vendor states this is fixed in 91450dec0445f4d12f960ba68d8d05c3cb2ab5b8 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in fa729bc7c9c8c17a2481358c841ef8ca920485d3 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.4 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.4.8 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.5 (unaffected)

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

References (2)

Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/91450dec0445f4d12f960ba68d8d05c3cb2ab5b8
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fa729bc7c9c8c17a2481358c841ef8ca920485d3

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatablePartial impact

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

CVSS

5.5MEDIUMCISA-ADP
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
NVD-CWE-noinfo

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