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 kernel6.12-debuginfoUpgrade kernel6.12-debuginfo-common-aarch64Upgrade perf6.12Upgrade kernelUpgrade bpftool-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-libbpf-develUpgrade python3-perf6.12-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-libbpfUpgrade kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64Upgrade kernel-headersUpgrade kernel6.12-debuginfo-common-x86_64Upgrade kernel6.12-modules-extraUpgrade kernel-libbpf-staticUpgrade kernel-debuginfoUpgrade python3-perf-debuginfoUpgrade perf-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-debuginfo-common-aarch64Upgrade perfUpgrade bpftoolUpgrade python3-perfUpgrade kernel-livepatch-6.1.140-154.222Upgrade perf6.12-debuginfoUpgrade kernel6.12Upgrade kernel-libbpf-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-develUpgrade kernel-modules-extra-commonUpgrade python3-perf6.12Upgrade kernel-tools-develUpgrade kernel-tools-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-livepatch-6.12.29-33.102Upgrade kernel-modules-extraUpgrade kernel-tools | Sep 9, 2025 | May 20, 2025 |
| Debian | — | Upgrade linuxUpgrade linux-6.1 | May 28, 2025 | May 20, 2025 |
| Redhat_linux | — | No solution exists | Jul 9, 2025 | May 20, 2025 |
| Suse | — | Upgrade gfs2-kmp-64kbUpgrade kernel-debugUpgrade cluster-md-kmp-64kbUpgrade dtb-sprdUpgrade gfs2-kmp-azureUpgrade kernel-64kb-develUpgrade reiserfs-kmp-defaultUpgrade ocfs2-kmp-defaultUpgrade kselftests-kmp-64kbUpgrade kernel-devel-rtUpgrade kernel-kvmsmall-develUpgrade kernel-develUpgrade dlm-kmp-64kbUpgrade kernel-source-azureUpgrade dtb-rockchipUpgrade dtb-caviumUpgrade kernel-rt_debug-develUpgrade kernel-default-optionalUpgrade cluster-md-kmp-azureUpgrade dtb-armUpgrade kernel-devel-azureUpgrade dtb-exynosUpgrade ocfs2-kmp-azureUpgrade reiserfs-kmp-azureUpgrade dtb-allwinnerUpgrade dtb-hisiliconUpgrade kernel-default-vdsoUpgrade kernel-rtUpgrade kernel-symsUpgrade kernel-sourceUpgrade dtb-alteraUpgrade kernel-64kb-extraUpgrade kernel-syms-azureUpgrade dtb-qcomUpgrade dtb-nvidiaUpgrade kernel-default-base-rebuildUpgrade kernel-rt-develUpgrade kernel-source-vanillaUpgrade gfs2-kmp-defaultUpgrade cluster-md-kmp-rtUpgrade dtb-mediatekUpgrade dtb-xilinxUpgrade kernel-azure-optionalUpgrade dtb-lgUpgrade kernel-rt-livepatch-develUpgrade kernel-docs-htmlUpgrade kernel-default-livepatchUpgrade kernel-syms-rtUpgrade ocfs2-kmp-rtUpgrade kernel-obs-buildUpgrade gfs2-kmp-rtUpgrade dtb-renesasUpgrade cluster-md-kmp-defaultUpgrade reiserfs-kmp-64kbUpgrade dtb-amdUpgrade dtb-marvellUpgrade dlm-kmp-azureUpgrade kernel-docsUpgrade kernel-default-develUpgrade dtb-socionextUpgrade dtb-freescaleUpgrade kernel-macrosUpgrade kernel-azure-extraUpgrade kernel-64kb-optionalUpgrade kernel-rt_debug-vdsoUpgrade kernel-kvmsmall-vdsoUpgrade kernel-kvmsmallUpgrade kernel-default-baseUpgrade dtb-amlogicUpgrade kernel-zfcpdumpUpgrade kselftests-kmp-rtUpgrade kernel-source-rtUpgrade kernel-obs-qaUpgrade kernel-64kbUpgrade dtb-broadcomUpgrade kernel-rt_debugUpgrade kernel-rt-extraUpgrade kernel-defaultUpgrade kernel-azure-vdsoUpgrade kernel-rt-optionalUpgrade kernel-azureUpgrade kernel-default-extraUpgrade dlm-kmp-rtUpgrade reiserfs-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 kernel-debug-develUpgrade dlm-kmp-defaultUpgrade dtb-appleUpgrade kernel-debug-vdso | Dec 5, 2025 | Jul 8, 2025 |
| Ubuntu | — | Upgrade linux-image-oem-24.04Upgrade linux-image-oem-6.14Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1047-gcpUpgrade linux-image-virtualUpgrade linux-image-generic-64k-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-generic-64k-hwe-24.04Upgrade linux-image-gcp-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-100-generic-64kUpgrade linux-image-oem-22.04dUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1010-azureUpgrade linux-image-oem-24.04aUpgrade linux-image-oracleUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-64k-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-virtual-hwe-24.04Upgrade linux-image-aws-64k-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-azure-fipsUpgrade linux-image-azure-fips-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gcpUpgrade linux-image-generic-64k-6.14Upgrade linux-image-gkeUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-intel-iotgUpgrade linux-image-gcp-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-nvidia-64kUpgrade linux-image-aws-fips-6.8Upgrade linux-image-aws-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-nvidiaUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-100-fipsUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1009-raspiUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1007-oemUpgrade linux-image-oem-24.04cUpgrade linux-image-gcp-64k-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-aws-64k-6.14Upgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1011-gcpUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatency-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1030-gkeopUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-100-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-aws-64kUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-64k-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-kvmUpgrade linux-image-realtime-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-xilinxUpgrade linux-image-awsUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-realtime-6.14Upgrade linux-image-intel-iot-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-xilinx-zynqmpUpgrade linux-image-aws-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-2037-raspi-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-fipsUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1047-gcp-64kUpgrade linux-image-azure-6.8Upgrade linux-image-fips-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gcp-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-raspi-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1043-gkeUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1043-oracleUpgrade linux-image-gcp-fips-6.8Upgrade linux-image-raspiUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1009-aws-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1043-oracle-64kUpgrade linux-image-aws-6.14Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-azureUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-24-generic-64kUpgrade linux-image-oem-22.04bUpgrade linux-image-ibm-classicUpgrade linux-image-oracle-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-oracle-64k-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-virtual-6.8Upgrade linux-image-oem-22.04aUpgrade linux-image-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-ibm-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-generic-6.14Upgrade linux-image-gcp-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1006-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-awsUpgrade linux-image-genericUpgrade linux-image-gke-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1009-oracleUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-64kUpgrade linux-image-azureUpgrade linux-image-gke-64kUpgrade linux-image-aws-6.8Upgrade linux-image-virtual-6.14Upgrade linux-image-xilinx-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gcp-fipsUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1047-gcp-fipsUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-nvidia-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-100-genericUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatency-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1009-oracle-64kUpgrade linux-image-oracle-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-azure-fipsUpgrade linux-image-aws-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-aws-fipsUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-24-genericUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1046-nvidia-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-azure-6.14Upgrade linux-image-gcp-64k-6.14Upgrade linux-image-generic-6.8Upgrade linux-image-ibm-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gke-6.8Upgrade linux-image-oracle-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-100-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-raspi-realtime-6.8Upgrade linux-image-generic-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1023-xilinxUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1009-awsUpgrade linux-image-generic-hwe-24.04Upgrade linux-image-virtual-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-generic-lpaeUpgrade linux-image-ibmUpgrade linux-image-generic-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1051-azureUpgrade linux-image-6.14.0-1011-gcp-64kUpgrade linux-image-realtime-hwe-24.04Upgrade linux-image-raspi-6.8Upgrade linux-image-raspi-6.14Upgrade linux-image-oem-22.04Upgrade linux-image-nvidiaUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gkeopUpgrade linux-image-oracle-64k-6.14Upgrade linux-image-gkeop-6.8Upgrade linux-image-oracle-64kUpgrade linux-image-generic-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1044-ibmUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1047-raspiUpgrade linux-image-realtime-6.8.1Upgrade linux-image-aws-fipsUpgrade linux-image-azure-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-oem-22.04cUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1043-gke-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.1-1041-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-gcp-6.14Upgrade linux-image-oracle-6.14 | 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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