kernel: x86/nmi: malicious userspace programs can cause the kernel to skip NMIs
Published Aug 31, 2015
2.1
LOWCVSS 2.0
EPSS 0.40%
Description
arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S in the Linux kernel before 4.1.6 on the x86_64 platform does not properly determine when nested NMI processing is occurring, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (skipped NMI) by modifying the rsp register, issuing a syscall instruction, and triggering an NMI.
Affected products
No data.
- ≤ 4.1.5
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
kernel
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
kernel
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel
Will not fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel-rt
Will not fix
Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2
realtime-kernel
Will not fix
| 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 | Will not fix | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel-rt | Will not fix | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2 | realtime-kernel | Will not fix | 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 as they did not backport the nested NMI handler functionality. This issue does affect the Linux kernel packages as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 and Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2. This has been rated as having Low security impact and is not currently planned to be addressed in future updates.
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:N/I:N/A:P
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 | 0.40% (0.00397) | 31.43th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 0.40% (0.00397) | 31.20th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 0.08% (0.00083) | 21.86th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.04% (0.00042) | 5.07th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.04% (0.00042) | 5.63th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 1.28% (0.01282) | 68.34th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 22, 2023 | 1.28% (0.01282) | 68.05th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 1.28% (0.01282) | 65.91th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 1.28% (0.01282) | 41.72th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
References (15)
- http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=810bc075f78ff2c221536eb3008eac6a492dba2d x_refsource_CONFIRM
- http://www.debian.org/security/2015/dsa-3313 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_DEBIAN
- 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_MLIST
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/76003 vdb-entryx_refsource_BID
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2687-1 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTU
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2688-1 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTU
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2689-1 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTU
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2690-1 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTU
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2691-1 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTU
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2015-3291 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1243489 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue Tracking
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/810bc075f78ff2c221536eb3008eac6a492dba2d x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-3291
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2015-3291
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.