Kernel: kvm: vmx: incorrect state update leading to MSR access
Published Jun 27, 2016
7.8
HIGHCVSS 3.1
EPSS 0.36%
Description
arch/x86/kvm/vmx.c in the Linux kernel through 4.6.3 mishandles the APICv on/off state, which allows guest OS users to obtain direct APIC MSR access on the host OS, and consequently cause a denial of service (host OS crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code on the host OS, via x2APIC mode.
Affected products
No data.
- ≥ 4.5 · < 4.7
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 versions of the kernel package as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5, 6, 7 and Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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 2, 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 2, 2026 | 0.36% (0.00365) | 28.05th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 0.36% (0.00365) | 28.13th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 0.12% (0.00124) | 29.08th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.06% (0.00061) | 27.70th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jun 6, 2024 | 0.06% (0.00061) | 25.59th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.06% (0.00061) | 23.56th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 1.40% (0.01404) | 72.03th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 23, 2023 | 1.40% (0.01404) | 71.98th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 1.40% (0.01404) | 69.90th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 1.40% (0.01404) | 45.81th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
References (7)
- http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=3ce424e45411cf5a13105e0386b6ecf6eeb4f66f x_refsource_CONFIRMVendor Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/05/20/2 mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing List
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2016-4440 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1337806 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue Tracking
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/3ce424e45411cf5a13105e0386b6ecf6eeb4f66f x_refsource_CONFIRMVendor Advisory
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-4440
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-4440
| Link | Providers | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=3ce424e45411cf5a13105e0386b6ecf6eeb4f66f | x_refsource_CONFIRMVendor Advisory | |
| http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/05/20/2 | mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing List | |
| https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2016-4440 | Vendor Advisory | |
| https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1337806 | x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue Tracking | |
| https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/3ce424e45411cf5a13105e0386b6ecf6eeb4f66f | x_refsource_CONFIRMVendor Advisory | |
| https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-4440 | ||
| https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-4440 |
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.