CVE-2024-53196

KVM: arm64: Don't retire aborted MMIO instruction

MEDIUM
5.5
CVSS Score
Published: December 27, 2024 at 01:49 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 08:08 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
MEDIUM5.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: arm64: Don't retire aborted MMIO instruction Returning an abort to the guest for an unsupported MMIO access is a documented feature of the KVM UAPI. Nevertheless, it's clear that this plumbing has seen limited testing, since userspace can trivially cause a WARN in the MMIO return: WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 30558 at arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_emulate.h:536 kvm_handle_mmio_return+0x46c/0x5c4 arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_emulate.h:536 Call trace: kvm_handle_mmio_return+0x46c/0x5c4 arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_emulate.h:536 kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl_run+0x98/0x15b4 arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c:1133 kvm_vcpu_ioctl+0x75c/0xa78 virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:4487 __do_sys_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:51 [inline] __se_sys_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:893 [inline] __arm64_sys_ioctl+0x14c/0x1c8 fs/ioctl.c:893 __invoke_syscall arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:35 [inline] invoke_syscall+0x98/0x2b8 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:49 el0_svc_common+0x1e0/0x23c arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:132 do_el0_svc+0x48/0x58 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:151 el0_svc+0x38/0x68 arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:712 el0t_64_sync_handler+0x90/0xfc arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:730 el0t_64_sync+0x190/0x194 arch/arm64/kernel/entry.S:598 The splat is complaining that KVM is advancing PC while an exception is pending, i.e. that KVM is retiring the MMIO instruction despite a pending synchronous external abort. Womp womp. Fix the glaring UAPI bug by skipping over all the MMIO emulation in case there is a pending synchronous exception. Note that while userspace is capable of pending an asynchronous exception (SError, IRQ, or FIQ), it is still safe to retire the MMIO instruction in this case as (1) they are by definition asynchronous, and (2) KVM relies on hardware support for pending/delivering these exceptions instead of the software state machine for advancing PC.

Affected

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

5.5 ≤ v < 6.1.1205.5 ≤ v < 6.11.115.5 ≤ v < 6.12.25.5 ≤ v < 6.135.5 ≤ v < 6.6.666.12 ≤ v < 6.12.26.2 ≤ v < 6.6.666.7 ≤ v < 6.11.115.5da345174ceca052469e4775e4ae263b5f27a9355
Vendor states this is fixed in 1e46460efe1ef9a31748de7675ff8fe0d8601af2 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6af853cf5f897d55f42e9166f4db50e84e404fb3 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in d0571c3add987bcb69c2ffd7a70c998bf8ce60fb (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in e735a5da64420a86be370b216c269b5dd8e830e2 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in ea6b5d98fea4ee8cb443ea98fda520909e90d30e (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.5 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.1.120 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.11.11 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.12.2 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.13 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.6.66 (unaffected)

References (6)

Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1e46460efe1ef9a31748de7675ff8fe0d8601af2
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6af853cf5f897d55f42e9166f4db50e84e404fb3
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d0571c3add987bcb69c2ffd7a70c998bf8ce60fb
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e735a5da64420a86be370b216c269b5dd8e830e2
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ea6b5d98fea4ee8cb443ea98fda520909e90d30e
Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/03/msg00001.html

CVSS

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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