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 kernel-livepatch-6.1.140-154.222Upgrade perf6.12-debuginfoUpgrade perf-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-livepatch-6.12.29-33.102Upgrade kernel-tools-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-tools-develUpgrade python3-perf6.12Upgrade kernel-modules-extra-commonUpgrade kernel-develUpgrade kernel-debuginfo-common-aarch64Upgrade kernel-libbpf-debuginfoUpgrade perfUpgrade kernel6.12Upgrade python3-perfUpgrade bpftoolUpgrade kernel-modules-extraUpgrade kernel-toolsUpgrade bpftool-debuginfoUpgrade perf6.12Upgrade python3-perf-debuginfoUpgrade kernel6.12-debuginfo-common-aarch64Upgrade kernel6.12-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64Upgrade kernel6.12-debuginfo-common-x86_64Upgrade kernel-libbpfUpgrade python3-perf6.12-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-libbpf-staticUpgrade kernel-headersUpgrade kernel-libbpf-develUpgrade kernel-debuginfoUpgrade kernel6.12-modules-extraUpgrade kernel | 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 dtb-amlogicUpgrade kernel-azure-extraUpgrade kernel-default-baseUpgrade kernel-kvmsmallUpgrade kernel-kvmsmall-vdsoUpgrade kernel-rt_debug-vdsoUpgrade kernel-64kb-optionalUpgrade kernel-zfcpdumpUpgrade kernel-obs-buildUpgrade reiserfs-kmp-64kbUpgrade cluster-md-kmp-defaultUpgrade dtb-marvellUpgrade kernel-rt-optionalUpgrade kernel-azureUpgrade gfs2-kmp-rtUpgrade kernel-rt-extraUpgrade kernel-rt_debugUpgrade kernel-64kbUpgrade dlm-kmp-azureUpgrade kernel-docs-htmlUpgrade dtb-appleUpgrade kernel-defaultUpgrade kernel-default-extraUpgrade kernel-debug-develUpgrade dtb-broadcomUpgrade dlm-kmp-defaultUpgrade dtb-amdUpgrade ocfs2-kmp-rtUpgrade kernel-debug-vdsoUpgrade kernel-syms-rtUpgrade kernel-default-livepatchUpgrade dtb-freescaleUpgrade reiserfs-kmp-rtUpgrade kernel-rt-livepatch-develUpgrade kernel-macrosUpgrade kernel-default-livepatch-develUpgrade kernel-azure-develUpgrade kernel-azure-vdsoUpgrade dtb-renesasUpgrade kselftests-kmp-defaultUpgrade dlm-kmp-rtUpgrade kselftests-kmp-azureUpgrade dtb-amazonUpgrade ocfs2-kmp-64kbUpgrade dtb-apmUpgrade kernel-rt-vdsoUpgrade dtb-socionextUpgrade kernel-default-develUpgrade kernel-docsUpgrade kernel-source-rtUpgrade kselftests-kmp-rtUpgrade kernel-obs-qaUpgrade cluster-md-kmp-rtUpgrade dtb-alteraUpgrade kernel-devel-azureUpgrade kernel-default-vdsoUpgrade dtb-allwinnerUpgrade ocfs2-kmp-azureUpgrade kernel-rtUpgrade reiserfs-kmp-azureUpgrade dtb-xilinxUpgrade ocfs2-kmp-defaultUpgrade kernel-64kb-develUpgrade kselftests-kmp-64kbUpgrade kernel-azure-optionalUpgrade gfs2-kmp-defaultUpgrade reiserfs-kmp-defaultUpgrade kernel-source-azureUpgrade dtb-sprdUpgrade gfs2-kmp-azureUpgrade cluster-md-kmp-64kbUpgrade dtb-rockchipUpgrade dlm-kmp-64kbUpgrade kernel-debugUpgrade gfs2-kmp-64kbUpgrade dtb-lgUpgrade dtb-caviumUpgrade kernel-rt_debug-develUpgrade kernel-default-optionalUpgrade kernel-kvmsmall-develUpgrade kernel-develUpgrade dtb-nvidiaUpgrade kernel-rt-develUpgrade kernel-default-base-rebuildUpgrade dtb-armUpgrade kernel-source-vanillaUpgrade dtb-qcomUpgrade dtb-mediatekUpgrade dtb-hisiliconUpgrade cluster-md-kmp-azureUpgrade kernel-symsUpgrade kernel-devel-rtUpgrade dtb-exynosUpgrade kernel-64kb-extraUpgrade kernel-syms-azureUpgrade kernel-source | Dec 5, 2025 | Jul 8, 2025 |
| Ubuntu | — | Upgrade linux-image-generic-64k-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1047-gcpUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-nvidiaUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1047-gcp-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-2037-raspi-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-xilinx-zynqmpUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1010-azureUpgrade linux-image-oracleUpgrade linux-image-fipsUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-oem-24.04aUpgrade linux-image-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-virtual-hwe-24.04Upgrade linux-image-generic-64k-hwe-24.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-100-generic-64kUpgrade linux-image-intel-iotgUpgrade linux-image-azure-fips-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-azure-fipsUpgrade linux-image-oem-6.14Upgrade linux-image-realtime-6.14Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-64k-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-aws-64k-6.14Upgrade linux-image-gcpUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatency-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-lowlatency-64k-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1011-gcpUpgrade linux-image-aws-64kUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gcp-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-aws-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-lowlatency-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-aws-fips-6.8Upgrade linux-image-oem-22.04dUpgrade linux-image-intel-iot-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-generic-64k-6.14Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-aws-64kUpgrade linux-image-virtualUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-nvidia-64kUpgrade linux-image-awsUpgrade linux-image-oem-24.04Upgrade linux-image-gkeUpgrade linux-image-aws-64k-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-raspi-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-realtime-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-gcp-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-xilinxUpgrade linux-image-oem-24.04cUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-100-fipsUpgrade linux-image-fips-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-100-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-kvmUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1007-oemUpgrade linux-image-gcp-64k-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1009-raspiUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-azure-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gcp-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1030-gkeopUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-100-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-ibm-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-azureUpgrade linux-image-genericUpgrade linux-image-generic-6.14Upgrade linux-image-gcp-fipsUpgrade linux-image-gcp-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1047-gcp-fipsUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1006-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-ibm-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-generic-lpaeUpgrade linux-image-gcp-64k-6.14Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1023-xilinxUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1009-awsUpgrade linux-image-oracle-64k-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-6.14.0-24-generic-64kUpgrade linux-image-oem-22.04bUpgrade linux-image-oem-22.04cUpgrade linux-image-raspi-realtime-6.8Upgrade linux-image-generic-6.8Upgrade linux-image-oracle-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gke-6.8Upgrade linux-image-generic-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-nvidia-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-oracle-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-ibm-classicUpgrade linux-image-realtime-6.8.1Upgrade linux-image-generic-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-aws-fipsUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1047-raspiUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1044-ibmUpgrade linux-image-oracle-64k-6.14Upgrade linux-image-oem-22.04aUpgrade linux-image-gkeop-6.8Upgrade linux-image-ibmUpgrade linux-image-gkeopUpgrade linux-image-generic-hwe-24.04Upgrade linux-image-generic-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1051-azureUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1011-gcp-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.1-1041-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1043-oracle-64kUpgrade linux-image-gcp-6.14Upgrade linux-image-aws-6.14Upgrade linux-image-oem-22.04Upgrade linux-image-oracle-6.14Upgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1009-aws-64kUpgrade linux-image-realtime-hwe-24.04Upgrade linux-image-raspi-6.8Upgrade linux-image-raspi-6.14Upgrade linux-image-virtual-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1043-gke-64kUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-6.8Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-6.8Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatency-6.8Upgrade linux-image-azure-fipsUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-aws-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-aws-fipsUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-24-genericUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1009-oracle-64kUpgrade linux-image-oracle-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-nvidiaUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-azure-6.14Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-awsUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1043-oracleUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1043-gkeUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1009-oracleUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-100-genericUpgrade linux-image-raspiUpgrade linux-image-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-gke-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gcp-fips-6.8Upgrade linux-image-virtual-6.14Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-64kUpgrade linux-image-azure-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-gke-64kUpgrade linux-image-azureUpgrade linux-image-aws-6.8Upgrade linux-image-xilinx-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-nvidia-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-virtual-6.8Upgrade linux-image-oracle-64k | 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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