How severe is CVE-2017-12188?

CVE-2017-12188 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2017-12188 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (35th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-12188?

CVE-2017-12188 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-12188?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2017-12188 published?

CVE-2017-12188 was published on 2017-10-11 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-12188

CVE-2017-12188 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. 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-121.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 6.9
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (35th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-121
Affected product: Linux Linux Kernel
Published: 2017-10-11
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

arch/x86/kvm/mmu.c in the Linux kernel through 4.13.5, when nested virtualisation is used, does not properly traverse guest pagetable entries to resolve a guest virtual address, which allows L1 guest OS users to execute arbitrary code on the host OS or cause a denial of service (incorrect index during page walking, and host OS crash), aka an "MMU potential stack buffer overrun."

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-12188?: arch/x86/kvm/mmu.c in the Linux kernel through 4.13.5, when nested virtualisation is used, does not properly traverse guest pagetable entries to resolve a guest virtual address, which allows L1 guest OS users to execute arbitrary code on the host OS or cause a denial of service (incorrect index during page walking, and host OS crash), aka an "MMU potential stack buffer overrun."
How severe is CVE-2017-12188?: CVE-2017-12188 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2017-12188 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (35th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-12188?: CVE-2017-12188 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-12188?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2017-12188 published?: CVE-2017-12188 was published on 2017-10-11 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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

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