How severe is CVE-2014-8481?

CVE-2014-8481 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 4.9, rated medium severity.

Is CVE-2014-8481 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (43rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2014-8481?

CVE-2014-8481 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2014-8481?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2014-8481 published?

CVE-2014-8481 was published on 2014-11-10 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2014-8481

CVE-2014-8481 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 4.9. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-399.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 2.0 base score 4.9)
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (43rd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-399
Affected product: Linux Linux Kernel
Published: 2014-11-10
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The instruction decoder in arch/x86/kvm/emulate.c in the KVM subsystem in the Linux kernel before 3.18-rc2 does not properly handle invalid instructions, which allows guest OS users to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and host OS crash) via a crafted application that triggers (1) an improperly fetched instruction or (2) an instruction that occupies too many bytes. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2014-8480.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2014-8481?: The instruction decoder in arch/x86/kvm/emulate.c in the KVM subsystem in the Linux kernel before 3.18-rc2 does not properly handle invalid instructions, which allows guest OS users to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and host OS crash) via a crafted application that triggers (1) an improperly fetched instruction or (2) an instruction that occupies too many bytes. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2014-8480.
How severe is CVE-2014-8481?: CVE-2014-8481 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 4.9, rated medium severity.
Is CVE-2014-8481 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (43rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2014-8481?: CVE-2014-8481 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2014-8481?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2014-8481 published?: CVE-2014-8481 was published on 2014-11-10 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*

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