CVE-2023-53663

CVE-2023-53663 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: nSVM: Check instead of asserting on nested TSC scaling support Check for nested TSC scaling support on nested SVM VMRUN instead of asserting that TSC scaling is exposed to L1 if L1's MSR_AMD64_TSC_RATIO has diverged from KVM's default. Userspace can trigger the WARN at will by writing the MSR and then updating guest CPUID to hide the feature (modifying guest CPUID is allowed anytime before KVM_RUN). E.g. hacking KVM's state_test selftest to do vcpu_set_msr(vcpu, MSR_AMD64_TSC_RATIO, 0); vcpu_clear_cpuid_feature(vcpu, X86_FEATURE_TSCRATEMSR); after restoring state in a new VM+vCPU yields an endless supply of: ------------[ cut here ]------------ WARNING: CPU: 164 PID: 62565 at arch/x86/kvm/svm/nested.c:699 nested_vmcb02_prepare_control+0x3d6/0x3f0 [kvm_amd] Call Trace: <TASK> enter_svm_guest_mode+0x114/0x560 [kvm_amd] nested_svm_vmrun+0x260/0x330 [kvm_amd] vmrun_interception+0x29/0x30 [kvm_amd] svm_invoke_exit_handler+0x35/0x100 [kvm_amd] svm_handle_exit+0xe7/0x180 [kvm_amd] kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl_run+0x1eab/0x2570 [kvm] kvm_vcpu_ioctl+0x4c9/0x5b0 [kvm] __se_sys_ioctl+0x7a/0xc0 __x64_sys_ioctl+0x21/0x30 do_syscall_64+0x41/0x90 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd RIP: 0033:0x45ca1b Note, the nested #VMEXIT path has the same flaw, but needs a different fix and will be handled separately.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-53663?
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: nSVM: Check instead of asserting on nested TSC scaling support Check for nested TSC scaling support on nested SVM VMRUN instead of asserting that TSC scaling is exposed to L1 if L1's MSR_AMD64_TSC_RATIO has diverged from KVM's default. Userspace can trigger the WARN at will by writing the MSR and then updating guest CPUID to hide the feature (modifying guest CPUID is allowed anytime before KVM_RUN). E.g. hacking KVM's state_test selftest to do vcpu_set_msr(vcpu, MSR_AMD64_TSC_RATIO, 0); vcpu_clear_cpuid_feature(vcpu, X86_FEATURE_TSCRATEMSR); after restoring state in a new VM+vCPU yields an endless supply of: ------------[ cut here ]------------ WARNING: CPU: 164 PID: 62565 at arch/x86/kvm/svm/nested.c:699 nested_vmcb02_prepare_control+0x3d6/0x3f0 [kvm_amd] Call Trace: <TASK> enter_svm_guest_mode+0x114/0x560 [kvm_amd] nested_svm_vmrun+0x260/0x330 [kvm_amd] vmrun_interception+0x29/0x30 [kvm_amd] svm_invoke_exit_handler+0x35/0x100 [kvm_amd] svm_handle_exit+0xe7/0x180 [kvm_amd] kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl_run+0x1eab/0x2570 [kvm] kvm_vcpu_ioctl+0x4c9/0x5b0 [kvm] __se_sys_ioctl+0x7a/0xc0 __x64_sys_ioctl+0x21/0x30 do_syscall_64+0x41/0x90 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd RIP: 0033:0x45ca1b Note, the nested #VMEXIT path has the same flaw, but needs a different fix and will be handled separately.
How severe is CVE-2023-53663?
CVE-2023-53663 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2023-53663 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (3rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-53663?
CVE-2023-53663 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2023-53663?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
Does CVE-2023-53663 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2023-53663 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2025-31965.
When was CVE-2023-53663 published?
CVE-2023-53663 was published on 2025-10-07 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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