kernel: kvm: vmx: invalid host cr4 handling across vm entries
Published Nov 10, 2014
5.5
MEDIUMCVSS 3.1
EPSS 0.52%
Description
arch/x86/kvm/vmx.c in the KVM subsystem in the Linux kernel before 3.17.2 on Intel processors does not ensure that the value in the CR4 control register remains the same after a VM entry, which allows host OS users to kill arbitrary processes or cause a denial of service (system disruption) by leveraging /dev/kvm access, as demonstrated by PR_SET_TSC prctl calls within a modified copy of QEMU.
Affected products
No data.
Configuration 1
- < 3.17.2
Configuration 2
- 12.0
- 11
- 12.0
- 11.4
- 11
- 12
- 12
Configuration 3
- 5.0
Configuration 4
- 7.0
Configuration 5
- 12.04
- 14.04
- 14.10
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
kernel-0:2.6.32-504.16.2.el6
Fixed · RHSA-2015:0864
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.5 Extended Update Support
kernel-0:2.6.32-431.53.2.el6
Fixed · RHSA-2015:0782
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel-0:3.10.0-229.el7
Fixed · RHSA-2015:0290
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
kvm
Will not fix
Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2
realtime-kernel
Not affected
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | kernel-0:2.6.32-504.16.2.el6 | Fixed | RHSA-2015:0864 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.5 Extended Update Support | kernel-0:2.6.32-431.53.2.el6 | Fixed | RHSA-2015:0782 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel-0:3.10.0-229.el7 | Fixed | RHSA-2015:0290 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | kvm | Will not fix | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2 | realtime-kernel | Not affected | n/a |
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
Red Hat statement
This issue does affects the Linux kernel packages as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 and 7. Future updates may address this issue in the respective Red Hat Enterprise Linux releases. This issue does affect the kvm packages as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5, even though the impact is limited. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 is now in Production 3 Phase of the support and maintenance life cycle. This has been rated as having Moderate security impact and is not currently planned to be addressed in future updates. For additional information, refer to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux Life Cycle: https://access.redhat.com/support/policy/updates/errata/.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
No CVSS v3.0 score for this CVE.
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
No CISA SSVC assessment for this CVE yet.
Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 1, 2026.
Score over time
2022–2026- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Percentile over time
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Table of values (10 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 0.52% (0.00515) | 41.67th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 0.52% (0.00515) | 39.50th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 0.02% (0.00022) | 3.34th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.06% (0.00064) | 30.08th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jun 21, 2024 | 0.06% (0.00064) | 28.17th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.06% (0.00064) | 26.16th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 1.55% (0.01547) | 74.98th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 23, 2023 | 1.55% (0.01547) | 74.94th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 1.55% (0.01547) | 72.92th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 1.55% (0.01547) | 51.82th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
References (25)
- http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=d974baa398f34393db76be45f7d4d04fbdbb4a0a x_refsource_CONFIRM
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2015-01/msg00035.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSEMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2015-03/msg00010.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSEMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2015-03/msg00025.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSEMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2015-04/msg00015.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSEMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2015-0290.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2015-0782.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2015-0864.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- http://secunia.com/advisories/60174 third-party-advisoryx_refsource_SECUNIABroken Link
- http://www.debian.org/security/2014/dsa-3060 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_DEBIANThird Party Advisory
- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v3.x/ChangeLog-3.17.2 x_refsource_CONFIRMMailing ListPatchVendor Advisory
- http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2015:058 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_MANDRIVABroken Link
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2014/10/21/4 mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListPatchThird Party Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2014/10/29/7 mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListPatchThird Party Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/70691 vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2417-1 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2418-1 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2419-1 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2420-1 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2421-1 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2014-3690 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1153322 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/d974baa398f34393db76be45f7d4d04fbdbb4a0a x_refsource_CONFIRMPatchThird Party Advisory
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-3690
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2014-3690
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.