kernel: x86: nested NMI handler and espfix64 interaction privilege escalation
Published Aug 31, 2015
7.2
HIGHCVSS 2.0
EPSS 1.10%
Description
arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S in the Linux kernel before 4.1.6 on the x86_64 platform improperly relies on espfix64 during nested NMI processing, which allows local users to gain privileges by triggering an NMI within a certain instruction window.
Affected products
No data.
- < 3.12.47
- ≥ 3.13 · < 3.14.54
- ≥ 3.15 · < 3.16.35
- ≥ 3.17 · < 3.18.22
- ≥ 3.19 · < 4.1.6
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
kernel
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
kernel
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel-rt
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2
realtime-kernel
Not affected
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | kernel | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | kernel | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel-rt | Not affected | 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 not affect the Linux kernel packages as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 and 6 since they did not backport the nested NMI handler and espfix64 functionalities. This issue does not affect the Linux kernel packages as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 and Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2 since they did not backport the espfix64 functionality and also did not backport upstream commit e00b12e64be9a3 that allowed an unprivileged local user to re-enable NMIs from the NMI handler.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
No CVSS v3.1 score for this CVE.
No CVSS v3.0 score for this CVE.
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/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 (9 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 1.10% (0.01103) | 64.52th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 1.11% (0.01113) | 61.60th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 0.93% (0.00933) | 74.54th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.15% (0.00153) | 52.95th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Feb 6, 2024 | 0.15% (0.00153) | 51.55th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.04% (0.00042) | 0.50th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 3.53% (0.03534) | 84.88th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 3.53% (0.03534) | 83.33th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 3.53% (0.03534) | 66.49th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
References (18)
- http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=9b6e6a8334d56354853f9c255d1395c2ba570e0a x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2015-08/msg00011.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSEThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- http://www.debian.org/security/2015/dsa-3313 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_DEBIANThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.1.6 x_refsource_CONFIRMVendor Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/07/22/7 mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing List
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/08/04/8 mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing List
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/76004 vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2687-1 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2688-1 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2689-1 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2690-1 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2691-1 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2015-3290 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1243465 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue Tracking
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/9b6e6a8334d56354853f9c255d1395c2ba570e0a x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-3290
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2015-3290
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/37722/ exploitx_refsource_EXPLOIT-DBThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.