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CVE-2026-98283
KVM: PPC: Book3S HV: fix use-after-free in kvmhv_emulate_tlbie_all_lpid()
Published 2026-10-06 (13 days ago) by the Linux kernel CNA. Subsystem arch/powerpc. Debian urgency: not yet assigned.
What to do, per Debian release
Debian's own status for CVE-2026-98283 in every release this site tracks, and what each one means in practice. Every status below is the one the Debian Security Team publishes for this CVE. source
| Release | Status | Version | What this means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 12bookworm | fixedDLA-4841-1 · 2026-10-17 · text | 6.1.190-1 | Update the kernel and reboot. DLA-4841-1 shipped the fix on 2026-10-17, in 6.1.190-1. A running kernel keeps the old code until the machine restarts. |
| Debian 13trixie | fixedDSA-6568-1 · 2026-10-16 · text | 6.12.113-1 | Update the kernel and reboot. DSA-6568-1 shipped the fix on 2026-10-16, in 6.12.113-1. A running kernel keeps the old code until the machine restarts. |
| Debian 14forky | fixed | 7.2.8-1 | Update the kernel and reboot. Fixed in 7.2.8-1. A running kernel keeps the old code until the machine restarts. |
| Debian unstablesid | fixed | 7.2.8-1 | Update the kernel and reboot. Fixed in 7.2.8-1. A running kernel keeps the old code until the machine restarts. |
The vulnerability
What the bug is
kvmhv_emulate_tlbie_all_lpid() iterates the nested-guest IDR and drops mmu_lock before calling kvmhv_emulate_tlbie_lpid(), but does not hold a reference on the kvm_nested_guest pointer obtained from the IDR. A concurrent vCPU issuing a single-LPID tlbie (is=2, ric=2) can race through kvmhv_flush_nested() -> kvmhv_remove_nested() -> idr_remove / --refcnt -> kvmhv_release_nested() -> kfree(gp) in that window, leaving the iterating vCPU with a dangling pointer. The subsequent mutex_lock(&gp->tlb_lock) and accesses to gp->shadow_pgtable, gp->shadow_lpid and gp->l1_host all touch freed memory. The free path is fully L1-controlled. Fix this by incrementing gp->refcnt inside the loop before dropping mmu_lock, mirroring what kvmhv_get_nested() does, and releasing the reference with kvmhv_put_nested() after the per-guest work completes. This is the same get/put discipline already used at every other call site that drops mmu_lock while holding a nested-guest pointer.
Where it lives
The fix touches these files. If the subsystem is one you do not use, the practical exposure is lower, though the package is still the vulnerable one.
arch/powerpc/kvm/book3s_hv_nested.c
- What this is
- KERNEL VIRTUAL MACHINE FOR POWERPC (KVM/powerpc)MAINTAINERS section matched on arch/powerpc/kvm/ · linuxppc-dev@lists.ozlabs.org · Maintained (Book3S 64-bit HV)
- Kernel module
- kvm_hv
Check it on the machine
grep -wE 'CONFIG_KVM|CONFIG_KVM_BOOK3S_64_HV' /boot/config-$(uname -r)Reads the booted kernel's own configuration, on the machine and nowhere else. =y is built in, =m is a module, and an is not set line means the code is not there.
lsmod | grep -w kvm_hvPrints a line if that module is loaded right now, and nothing if it is not. One that is not loaded can still be loaded later by anything that needs it.
Show whether Debian builds this, per release
Debian builds this, but not on every flavour. At least one release below builds the code on some of its kernel flavours and not on others, so the answer depends on the architecture and flavour installed.
- bookwormMnot built on amd64/amd64, amd64/cloud-amd64, amd64/rt/amd64, arm64/arm64, arm64/cloud-arm64, arm64/rt/arm64, armhf/armmp, armhf/armmp-lpae, armhf/rt/armmp, i386/686, i386/686-pae, i386/rt/686-pae
- trixieMnot built on amd64/amd64, amd64/cloud-amd64, amd64/rt/amd64, arm64/arm64, arm64/arm64-16k, arm64/cloud-arm64, arm64/rt/arm64, armel/rpi, armhf/armmp, armhf/armmp-lpae, armhf/rt/armmp, riscv64/riscv64, s390x/s390x
- forky, sidMnot built on amd64/amd64, amd64/cloud-amd64, amd64/rt-amd64, arm64/arm64, arm64/arm64-16k, arm64/cloud-arm64, arm64/rt-arm64, armhf/armmp, armhf/armmp-lpae, loong64/loong64, riscv64/riscv64, s390x/s390x
- M
- a module where it is built at all; some flavours do not build it
- Build switches
- CONFIG_KVM, CONFIG_KVM_BOOK3S_64_HV
- Reads as
- all on means the file is compiled; any one off means it is not.
From the configuration Debian publishes for every kernel flavour it builds. It covers only the architectures Debian ships a linux-config package for, and nothing about a kernel you built yourself. Debian's own status above stays authoritative about the source package.MAINTAINERS kbuild Makefiles Debian linux-config packages
Signals
- Published
- 2026-10-06 (13 days ago)source
- CVSS
- 8.8 high
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:Hsource recompute it - Attack vector
- local (AV:L)source
- EPSS
- 0.14%, higher than 2.6% of all CVEssource
- CISA KEV
- not listedthe KEV catalogue
- Debian urgency
- not yet assignedsource
- Subsystem
- arch/powerpc
Upstream fixes
The versions the CNA records as introducing and fixing this, and the commit for each. source
| Introduced | Fixed in | Commit |
|---|---|---|
| 4.20 | 6.1.189 | 4d8f7b1f5863 |
| 4.20 | 6.6.158 | e37fba1ba693 |
| 4.20 | 6.12.112 | 24b634852413 |
| 4.20 | 6.18.54 | fbf69b7d0555 |
| 4.20 | 7.2.8 | ec2d7a52b399 |
| 4.20 | 7.3 | 51938dfa8a51 |
Debian advisories
| Advisory | Date | Shipped to | Debian |
|---|---|---|---|
| DLA-4841-1 | 2026-10-17 | bookworm 6.1.190-1 | tracker |
| DSA-6568-1 | 2026-10-16 | trixie 6.12.113-1 | tracker |
Why the CNA scored it this way
Quoted from the kernel CNA's own scoring file, word for word. A highlighted metric carries the most severe value CVSS v3.1 defines for it, which is what pushes the score up. source
- AV:LAttack vector, local
- The trigger is the H_TLB_INVALIDATE hcall made by code running inside an L1 guest on the POWER KVM-HV host, via kvmppc_pseries_do_hcall -> kvmhv_do_nested_tlbie -> kvmhv_emulate_priv_tlbie -> kvmhv_emulate_tlbie_all_lpid. No network protocol carries the input; the attacker needs code execution in a local guest.
- AC:LAttack complexity, low
- The L1 controls both sides of the race: one vCPU issues tlbie is=3 (all-LPID walk), another issues is=2 ric=2 after zeroing its own partition-table entry so kvmhv_flush_nested() calls kvmhv_remove_nested() and kfree(gp). Contention on gp->tlb_lock widens the window and the attempt can be repeated. The only outside requirement is the VMM enabling KVM_CAP_PPC_NESTED_HV.
- PR:LPrivileges required, low
- The attacker needs kernel/hypervisor-mode code in a nested-enabled L1 guest, which an ordinary tenant owns, but holds no privilege on the L0 host. The nesting_enabled() check is the only gate before kvmhv_do_nested_tlbie().
- UI:NUser interaction, none
- The L1 guest issues every hcall and controls every partition-table entry involved. No host operator or other user has to do anything.
- S:CScope, changed
- A guest-controlled vulnerability corrupts memory in the L0 host kernel (the kfree'd kvm_nested_guest object), which crosses the guest-to-host boundary.
- C:HConfidentiality impact, high
- After the free, kvmhv_emulate_tlbie_lpid() reads gp->shadow_pgtable, gp->shadow_lpid and gp->l1_host from the dangling object. A reclaimed object lets the guest steer host page-table walks and host data reads.
- I:HIntegrity impact, high
- The freed gp is used for mutex_lock(&gp->tlb_lock), kvmppc_free_pgtable_radix() on gp->shadow_pgtable, and kvmhv_flush_nested()/kvmhv_put_nested() refcount writes. With a reclaimed object, these become host-kernel write and free primitives the guest controls.
- A:HAvailability impact, high
- Using the freed kvm_nested_guest in the host can oops or panic the L0 host kernel, taking down every guest on the machine. The L1 can trigger it again at will.