CVE-2024-56761

x86/fred: Clear WFE in missing-ENDBRANCH #CPs

MEDIUM
5.5
CVSS Score
Published: January 6, 2025 at 04:20 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 08:12 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: x86/fred: Clear WFE in missing-ENDBRANCH #CPs An indirect branch instruction sets the CPU indirect branch tracker (IBT) into WAIT_FOR_ENDBRANCH (WFE) state and WFE stays asserted across the instruction boundary. When the decoder finds an inappropriate instruction while WFE is set ENDBR, the CPU raises a #CP fault. For the "kernel IBT no ENDBR" selftest where #CPs are deliberately triggered, the WFE state of the interrupted context needs to be cleared to let execution continue. Otherwise when the CPU resumes from the instruction that just caused the previous #CP, another missing-ENDBRANCH #CP is raised and the CPU enters a dead loop. This is not a problem with IDT because it doesn't preserve WFE and IRET doesn't set WFE. But FRED provides space on the entry stack (in an expanded CS area) to save and restore the WFE state, thus the WFE state is no longer clobbered, so software must clear it. Clear WFE to avoid dead looping in ibt_clear_fred_wfe() and the !ibt_fatal code path when execution is allowed to continue. Clobbering WFE in any other circumstance is a security-relevant bug. [ dhansen: changelog rewording ]

Affected

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

6.6 ≤ v < 6.12.86.6 ≤ v < 6.136.6 ≤ v < 6.6.706.13 rc16.13 rc26.13 rc36.13 rc4a5f6c2ace9974adf92ce65dacca8126d90adabfe
Vendor states this is fixed in 151447859d6fb0dcce8259f0971c6e94fb801661 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in b939f108e86b76119428a6fa4e92491e09ac7867 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in dc81e556f2a017d681251ace21bf06c126d5a192 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.12.8 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.13 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.6 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.6.70 (unaffected)

Remediation

No guide yet

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

References (3)

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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