CVE-2024-58083

CVE-2024-58083 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-416.

Key facts

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: Explicitly verify target vCPU is online in kvm_get_vcpu() Explicitly verify the target vCPU is fully online _prior_ to clamping the index in kvm_get_vcpu(). If the index is "bad", the nospec clamping will generate '0', i.e. KVM will return vCPU0 instead of NULL. In practice, the bug is unlikely to cause problems, as it will only come into play if userspace or the guest is buggy or misbehaving, e.g. KVM may send interrupts to vCPU0 instead of dropping them on the floor. However, returning vCPU0 when it shouldn't exist per online_vcpus is problematic now that KVM uses an xarray for the vCPUs array, as KVM needs to insert into the xarray before publishing the vCPU to userspace (see commit c5b077549136 ("KVM: Convert the kvm->vcpus array to a xarray")), i.e. before vCPU creation is guaranteed to succeed. As a result, incorrectly providing access to vCPU0 will trigger a use-after-free if vCPU0 is dereferenced and kvm_vm_ioctl_create_vcpu() bails out of vCPU creation due to an error and frees vCPU0. Commit afb2acb2e3a3 ("KVM: Fix vcpu_array[0] races") papered over that issue, but in doing so introduced an unsolvable teardown conundrum. Preventing accesses to vCPU0 before it's fully online will allow reverting commit afb2acb2e3a3, without re-introducing the vcpu_array[0] UAF race.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2024-58083?
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: Explicitly verify target vCPU is online in kvm_get_vcpu() Explicitly verify the target vCPU is fully online _prior_ to clamping the index in kvm_get_vcpu(). If the index is "bad", the nospec clamping will generate '0', i.e. KVM will return vCPU0 instead of NULL. In practice, the bug is unlikely to cause problems, as it will only come into play if userspace or the guest is buggy or misbehaving, e.g. KVM may send interrupts to vCPU0 instead of dropping them on the floor. However, returning vCPU0 when it shouldn't exist per online_vcpus is problematic now that KVM uses an xarray for the vCPUs array, as KVM needs to insert into the xarray before publishing the vCPU to userspace (see commit c5b077549136 ("KVM: Convert the kvm->vcpus array to a xarray")), i.e. before vCPU creation is guaranteed to succeed. As a result, incorrectly providing access to vCPU0 will trigger a use-after-free if vCPU0 is dereferenced and kvm_vm_ioctl_create_vcpu() bails out of vCPU creation due to an error and frees vCPU0. Commit afb2acb2e3a3 ("KVM: Fix vcpu_array[0] races") papered over that issue, but in doing so introduced an unsolvable teardown conundrum. Preventing accesses to vCPU0 before it's fully online will allow reverting commit afb2acb2e3a3, without re-introducing the vcpu_array[0] UAF race.
How severe is CVE-2024-58083?
CVE-2024-58083 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2024-58083 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (11th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2024-58083?
CVE-2024-58083 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2024-58083?
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.
Does CVE-2024-58083 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2024-58083 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2024-54016.
When was CVE-2024-58083 published?
CVE-2024-58083 was published on 2025-03-06 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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