In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
perf/x86/intel: KVM: Mask PEBS_ENABLE loaded for guest with vCPU's value.
When generating the MSR_IA32_PEBS_ENABLE value that will be loaded on VM-Entry to a KVM guest, mask the value with the vCPU's desired PEBS_ENABLE value. Consulting only the host kernel's host vs. guest masks results in running the guest with PEBS enabled even when the guest doesn't want to use PEBS. Because KVM uses perf events to proxy the guest virtual PMU, simply looking at exclude_host can't differentiate between events created by host userspace, and events created by KVM on behalf of the guest.
Running the guest with PEBS unexpectedly enabled typically manifests as crashes due to a near-infinite stream of #PFs. E.g. if the guest hasn't written MSR_IA32_DS_AREA, the CPU will hit page faults on address '0' when trying to record PEBS events.
The issue is most easily reproduced by running `perf kvm top` from before commit 7b100989b4f6 ("perf evlist: Remove __evlist__add_default") (after which, `perf kvm top` effectively stopped using PEBS). The userspace side of perf creates a guest-only PEBS event, which intel_guest_get_msrs() misconstrues a guest-*owned* PEBS event.
Arguably, this is a userspace bug, as enabling PEBS on guest-only events simply cannot work, and userspace can kill VMs in many other ways (there is no danger to the host). However, even if this is considered to be bad userspace behavior, there's zero downside to perf/KVM restricting PEBS to guest-owned events.
Note, commit 854250329c02 ("KVM: x86/pmu: Disable guest PEBS temporarily in two rare situations") fixed the case where host userspace is profiling KVM *and* userspace, but missed the case where userspace is profiling only KVM.
CVSS Details
- CVSS 3.1 Base Score: 8.7
- CVSS 3.1 Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:H)
Covered by Rapid7
| Product | Vendor Advisory | Solution File | Added | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon_linux_2023 | — | Upgrade python3-perf-debuginfoUpgrade kernel6.12-debuginfoUpgrade kernel6.12-modules-extraUpgrade kernel-libbpf-develUpgrade kernel-headersUpgrade kernel6.12-debuginfo-common-aarch64Upgrade bpftool-debuginfoUpgrade kernelUpgrade kernel-debuginfoUpgrade kernel6.12-debuginfo-common-x86_64Upgrade python3-perf6.12-debuginfoUpgrade perf6.12Upgrade kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64Upgrade kernel-libbpfUpgrade kernel-libbpf-staticUpgrade kernel-modules-extraUpgrade kernel-livepatch-6.1.140-154.222Upgrade kernel-modules-extra-commonUpgrade perf-debuginfoUpgrade python3-perf6.12Upgrade kernel-tools-develUpgrade kernel-libbpf-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-develUpgrade kernel6.12Upgrade perf6.12-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-toolsUpgrade kernel-tools-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-livepatch-6.12.29-33.102Upgrade bpftoolUpgrade python3-perfUpgrade perfUpgrade kernel-debuginfo-common-aarch64 | Sep 9, 2025 | May 20, 2025 |
| Debian | — | Upgrade linux-6.1Upgrade linux | May 28, 2025 | May 20, 2025 |
| Redhat_linux | — | No solution exists | Jul 9, 2025 | May 20, 2025 |
| Suse | — | Upgrade kernel-default-base-rebuildUpgrade kernel-rt-develUpgrade kernel-64kb-extraUpgrade dtb-sprdUpgrade kernel-64kb-develUpgrade gfs2-kmp-azureUpgrade reiserfs-kmp-azureUpgrade kernel-kvmsmall-develUpgrade kselftests-kmp-64kbUpgrade kernel-devel-rtUpgrade ocfs2-kmp-defaultUpgrade kernel-source-azureUpgrade reiserfs-kmp-defaultUpgrade kernel-develUpgrade kernel-azure-optionalUpgrade dtb-nvidiaUpgrade gfs2-kmp-defaultUpgrade kernel-rtUpgrade dtb-caviumUpgrade kernel-rt_debug-develUpgrade dtb-armUpgrade dtb-exynosUpgrade cluster-md-kmp-azureUpgrade dtb-hisiliconUpgrade dtb-rockchipUpgrade dlm-kmp-64kbUpgrade dtb-lgUpgrade dtb-mediatekUpgrade gfs2-kmp-64kbUpgrade kernel-debugUpgrade cluster-md-kmp-64kbUpgrade cluster-md-kmp-rtUpgrade dtb-qcomUpgrade dtb-xilinxUpgrade kernel-symsUpgrade ocfs2-kmp-azureUpgrade dtb-allwinnerUpgrade kernel-syms-azureUpgrade kernel-default-vdsoUpgrade kernel-source-vanillaUpgrade kernel-default-optionalUpgrade kernel-sourceUpgrade kernel-devel-azureUpgrade dtb-alteraUpgrade dtb-amlogicUpgrade kernel-azureUpgrade kernel-rt_debug-vdsoUpgrade kernel-zfcpdumpUpgrade kernel-64kb-optionalUpgrade kernel-kvmsmallUpgrade kernel-default-baseUpgrade kernel-azure-extraUpgrade kernel-kvmsmall-vdsoUpgrade kernel-debug-vdsoUpgrade kernel-syms-rtUpgrade kernel-rt-livepatch-develUpgrade ocfs2-kmp-rtUpgrade kernel-default-livepatchUpgrade kselftests-kmp-rtUpgrade kernel-source-rtUpgrade kernel-docsUpgrade kernel-default-develUpgrade dtb-freescaleUpgrade dtb-socionextUpgrade kernel-obs-qaUpgrade kernel-macrosUpgrade kernel-rt-optionalUpgrade reiserfs-kmp-rtUpgrade dlm-kmp-rtUpgrade ocfs2-kmp-64kbUpgrade kselftests-kmp-defaultUpgrade kselftests-kmp-azureUpgrade kernel-rt-vdsoUpgrade kernel-default-livepatch-develUpgrade kernel-azure-develUpgrade dtb-apmUpgrade dtb-amazonUpgrade gfs2-kmp-rtUpgrade kernel-obs-buildUpgrade dtb-marvellUpgrade dtb-renesasUpgrade dlm-kmp-azureUpgrade reiserfs-kmp-64kbUpgrade dtb-amdUpgrade kernel-debug-develUpgrade kernel-default-extraUpgrade dtb-appleUpgrade dlm-kmp-defaultUpgrade kernel-64kbUpgrade dtb-broadcomUpgrade kernel-rt_debugUpgrade kernel-docs-htmlUpgrade kernel-defaultUpgrade kernel-azure-vdsoUpgrade kernel-rt-extraUpgrade cluster-md-kmp-default | Dec 5, 2025 | Jul 8, 2025 |
| Ubuntu | — | Upgrade linux-image-aws-6.14Upgrade linux-image-gcp-6.14Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-azureUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-6.8Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-64kUpgrade linux-image-oracle-6.14Upgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1009-aws-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1043-gke-64kUpgrade linux-image-gke-64kUpgrade linux-image-virtual-6.14Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1043-oracle-64kUpgrade linux-image-azureUpgrade linux-image-generic-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-ibm-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gke-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-azure-6.14Upgrade linux-image-oracle-64k-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-oracle-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1009-awsUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-100-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-gcp-64k-6.14Upgrade linux-image-ibmUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-6.8Upgrade linux-image-oem-22.04Upgrade linux-image-6.14.0-24-generic-64kUpgrade linux-image-realtime-hwe-24.04Upgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1011-gcp-64kUpgrade linux-image-virtual-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-oem-22.04bUpgrade linux-image-generic-64kUpgrade linux-image-generic-hwe-24.04Upgrade linux-image-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1051-azureUpgrade linux-image-gkeopUpgrade linux-image-generic-lpaeUpgrade linux-image-raspi-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.1-1041-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1006-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1047-gcp-fipsUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1043-gkeUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-awsUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-100-genericUpgrade linux-image-gcp-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1043-oracleUpgrade linux-image-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-virtual-6.8Upgrade linux-image-xilinx-6.8Upgrade linux-image-ibm-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-nvidia-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-raspiUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1009-oracleUpgrade linux-image-oracle-64kUpgrade linux-image-aws-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-nvidia-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-gke-6.8Upgrade linux-image-oracle-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-gcp-fipsUpgrade linux-image-realtime-6.8.1Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1044-ibmUpgrade linux-image-raspi-realtime-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gcp-fips-6.8Upgrade linux-image-oem-22.04aUpgrade linux-image-oracle-64k-6.14Upgrade linux-image-generic-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1047-raspiUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1009-oracle-64kUpgrade linux-image-aws-fipsUpgrade linux-image-gkeop-6.8Upgrade linux-image-genericUpgrade linux-image-azure-fipsUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-aws-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatency-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1023-xilinxUpgrade linux-image-generic-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-aws-fipsUpgrade linux-image-oracle-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.14.0-24-genericUpgrade linux-image-generic-6.14Upgrade linux-image-azure-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-raspi-6.14Upgrade linux-image-nvidiaUpgrade linux-image-ibm-classicUpgrade linux-image-oem-22.04cUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatency-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1030-gkeopUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-100-fipsUpgrade linux-image-aws-64kUpgrade linux-image-azure-fips-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1007-oemUpgrade linux-image-gcp-64k-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-lowlatency-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1011-gcpUpgrade linux-image-generic-64k-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-generic-64k-hwe-24.04Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1047-gcpUpgrade linux-image-oem-6.14Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-fipsUpgrade linux-image-realtime-6.14Upgrade linux-image-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-nvidiaUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-2037-raspi-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1047-gcp-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1010-azureUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-xilinx-zynqmpUpgrade linux-image-intel-iot-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-oracleUpgrade linux-image-gcp-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-gcpUpgrade linux-image-generic-64k-6.14Upgrade linux-image-gkeUpgrade linux-image-oem-24.04cUpgrade linux-image-fips-6.8Upgrade linux-image-awsUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1009-raspiUpgrade linux-image-azure-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gcp-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-oem-24.04Upgrade linux-image-oem-22.04dUpgrade linux-image-kvmUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-100-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-realtime-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-raspi-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-xilinxUpgrade linux-image-aws-64k-6.14Upgrade linux-image-aws-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-oem-24.04aUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-azure-fipsUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-100-generic-64kUpgrade linux-image-aws-64k-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-virtual-hwe-24.04Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-64k-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-gcp-6.8Upgrade linux-image-lowlatency-64k-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-nvidia-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-aws-64kUpgrade linux-image-aws-fips-6.8Upgrade linux-image-virtualUpgrade linux-image-intel-iotg | Jun 26, 2025 | May 20, 2025 |
| Vmware Photon_os | — | Use 'tdnf update' to upgrade all packages to the latest version. | Oct 8, 2025 | May 20, 2025 |
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