CVE-2023-53663

KVM: nSVM: Check instead of asserting on nested TSC scaling support

MEDIUM
5.5
CVSS Score
Published: October 7, 2025 at 03:21 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 06:45 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
MEDIUM5.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.1%

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: nSVM: Check instead of asserting on nested TSC scaling support Check for nested TSC scaling support on nested SVM VMRUN instead of asserting that TSC scaling is exposed to L1 if L1's MSR_AMD64_TSC_RATIO has diverged from KVM's default. Userspace can trigger the WARN at will by writing the MSR and then updating guest CPUID to hide the feature (modifying guest CPUID is allowed anytime before KVM_RUN). E.g. hacking KVM's state_test selftest to do vcpu_set_msr(vcpu, MSR_AMD64_TSC_RATIO, 0); vcpu_clear_cpuid_feature(vcpu, X86_FEATURE_TSCRATEMSR); after restoring state in a new VM+vCPU yields an endless supply of: ------------[ cut here ]------------ WARNING: CPU: 164 PID: 62565 at arch/x86/kvm/svm/nested.c:699 nested_vmcb02_prepare_control+0x3d6/0x3f0 [kvm_amd] Call Trace: <TASK> enter_svm_guest_mode+0x114/0x560 [kvm_amd] nested_svm_vmrun+0x260/0x330 [kvm_amd] vmrun_interception+0x29/0x30 [kvm_amd] svm_invoke_exit_handler+0x35/0x100 [kvm_amd] svm_handle_exit+0xe7/0x180 [kvm_amd] kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl_run+0x1eab/0x2570 [kvm] kvm_vcpu_ioctl+0x4c9/0x5b0 [kvm] __se_sys_ioctl+0x7a/0xc0 __x64_sys_ioctl+0x21/0x30 do_syscall_64+0x41/0x90 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd RIP: 0033:0x45ca1b Note, the nested #VMEXIT path has the same flaw, but needs a different fix and will be handled separately.

Affected

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

5.16 ≤ v < 6.1.545.16 ≤ v < 6.5.45.16 ≤ v < 6.66.2 ≤ v < 6.5.45.165228eb96a4875f8cf5d61d486e3795ac14df8904
Vendor states this is fixed in 02b24270568f65dd607c4a848512dc8055b4491b (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6c1ecfea1daf6e75c46e295aad99dfbafd878897 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7cafe9b8e22bb3d77f130c461aedf6868c4aaf58 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.16 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.1.54 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.5.4 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.6 (unaffected)

CVSS

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

Quick Info

StatusANALYZED
CWE
NVD-CWE-noinfo

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