Kernel: KVM: nVMX: use after free in posted interrupt processing
Published Jan 3, 2019
8.8
HIGHCVSS 3.1
EPSS 0.36%
Description
A use-after-free issue was found in the way the Linux kernel's KVM hypervisor processed posted interrupts when nested(=1) virtualization is enabled. In nested_get_vmcs12_pages(), in case of an error while processing posted interrupt address, it unmaps the 'pi_desc_page' without resetting 'pi_desc' descriptor address, which is later used in pi_test_and_clear_on(). A guest user/process could use this flaw to crash the host kernel resulting in DoS or potentially gain privileged access to a system. Kernel versions before 4.14.91 and before 4.19.13 are vulnerable.
Affected products
-
- Version before 4.14.91StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version before 4.19.13StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Linux Foundation | Kernel: | n/a |
|
Configuration 1
- ≥ 4.14 · < 4.14.91
- ≥ 4.15 · < 4.19.13
Configuration 2
- 14.04
- 16.04
- 18.04
- 18.10
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-alt
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel-rt
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
kernel
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
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-alt | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel-rt | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | kernel | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | kernel-rt | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2 | realtime-kernel | Not affected | n/a |
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
No remediation recorded yet.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:H
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
2021–2026- EPSS v1
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Percentile over time
- EPSS v1
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Table of values (14 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 0.36% (0.00360) | 27.43th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 0.36% (0.00360) | 27.64th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 0.05% (0.00047) | 11.54th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.06% (0.00064) | 30.08th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Dec 28, 2023 | 0.06% (0.00064) | 26.55th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.05% (0.00046) | 14.04th | 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) |
| Feb 3, 2022 | 2.88% (0.02880) | 63.65th | v1 |
| Jan 6, 2022 | 2.88% (0.02880) | 63.31th | v1 |
| Sep 1, 2021 | 2.88% (0.02880) | 80.71th | v1 |
| Apr 14, 2021 | 2.88% (0.02880) | 0.00th | v1 |
References (17)
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106254 vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2018-16882 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1660604 Issue Tracking
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-16882 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory
- https://lwn.net/Articles/775720/ x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
- https://lwn.net/Articles/775721/ x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
- https://marc.info/?l=kvm&m=154514994222809&w=2 x_refsource_MISCPatchThird Party Advisory
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-16882
- https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K80557033 x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3871-1/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3871-3/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3871-4/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3871-5/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3872-1/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3878-1/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3878-2/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-16882
| Link | Providers | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106254 | vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry | |
| https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2018-16882 | Vendor Advisory | |
| https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1660604 | Issue Tracking | |
| https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-16882 | x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory | |
| https://lwn.net/Articles/775720/ | x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory | |
| https://lwn.net/Articles/775721/ | x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory | |
| https://marc.info/?l=kvm&m=154514994222809&w=2 | x_refsource_MISCPatchThird Party Advisory | |
| https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-16882 | ||
| https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K80557033 | x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory | |
| https://usn.ubuntu.com/3871-1/ | vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory | |
| https://usn.ubuntu.com/3871-3/ | vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory | |
| https://usn.ubuntu.com/3871-4/ | vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory | |
| https://usn.ubuntu.com/3871-5/ | vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory | |
| https://usn.ubuntu.com/3872-1/ | vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory | |
| https://usn.ubuntu.com/3878-1/ | vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory | |
| https://usn.ubuntu.com/3878-2/ | vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory | |
| https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-16882 |
Change history (6)
- MITRE
- CVSS severity changed from HIGH to
MEDIUM HIGH → MEDIUM
- CVSS vector changed from CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H to
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:H CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H → CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:H
- CVSS score changed from 7.5 to
6.1 7.5 → 6.1
- CVSS severity changed from HIGH to
MEDIUM
- REDHAT
- CVSS severity changed from MEDIUM to
HIGH MEDIUM → HIGH
- CVSS vector changed from CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:H to
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:H → CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CVSS score changed from 6.1 to
7.5 6.1 → 7.5
- CVSS severity changed from MEDIUM to
HIGH