7.8
HIGH
CVE-2021-47639
KVM Linux Kernel Use-After-Free Vulnerability
Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: x86/mmu: Zap _all_ roots when unmapping gfn range in TDP MMU Zap both valid and invalid roots when zapping/unmapping a gfn range, as KVM must ensure it holds no references to the freed page after returning from the unmap operation. Most notably, the TDP MMU doesn't zap invalid roots in mmu_notifier callbacks. This leads to use-after-free and other issues if the mmu_notifier runs to completion while an invalid root zapper yields as KVM fails to honor the requirement that there must be _no_ references to the page after the mmu_notifier returns. The bug is most easily reproduced by hacking KVM to cause a collision between set_nx_huge_pages() and kvm_mmu_notifier_release(), but the bug exists between kvm_mmu_notifier_invalidate_range_start() and memslot updates as well. Invalidating a root ensures pages aren't accessible by the guest, and KVM won't read or write page data itself, but KVM will trigger e.g. kvm_set_pfn_dirty() when zapping SPTEs, and thus completing a zap of an invalid root _after_ the mmu_notifier returns is fatal. WARNING: CPU: 24 PID: 1496 at arch/x86/kvm/../../../virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:173 [kvm] RIP: 0010:kvm_is_zone_device_pfn+0x96/0xa0 [kvm] Call Trace: <TASK> kvm_set_pfn_dirty+0xa8/0xe0 [kvm] __handle_changed_spte+0x2ab/0x5e0 [kvm] __handle_changed_spte+0x2ab/0x5e0 [kvm] __handle_changed_spte+0x2ab/0x5e0 [kvm] zap_gfn_range+0x1f3/0x310 [kvm] kvm_tdp_mmu_zap_invalidated_roots+0x50/0x90 [kvm] kvm_mmu_zap_all_fast+0x177/0x1a0 [kvm] set_nx_huge_pages+0xb4/0x190 [kvm] param_attr_store+0x70/0x100 module_attr_store+0x19/0x30 kernfs_fop_write_iter+0x119/0x1b0 new_sync_write+0x11c/0x1b0 vfs_write+0x1cc/0x270 ksys_write+0x5f/0xe0 do_syscall_64+0x38/0xc0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae </TASK>

INFO

Published Date :

Feb. 26, 2025, 6:37 a.m.

Last Modified :

March 24, 2025, 5:47 p.m.

Source :

416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67

Remotely Exploitable :

No

Impact Score :

5.9

Exploitability Score :

1.8
Affected Products

The following products are affected by CVE-2021-47639 vulnerability. Even if cvefeed.io is aware of the exact versions of the products that are affected, the information is not represented in the table below.

ID Vendor Product Action
1 Linux linux_kernel
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools

We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).

Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.

The following list is the news that have been mention CVE-2021-47639 vulnerability anywhere in the article.

The following table lists the changes that have been made to the CVE-2021-47639 vulnerability over time.

Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.

  • Initial Analysis by [email protected]

    Mar. 24, 2025

    Action Type Old Value New Value
    Added CPE Configuration OR *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 5.17 up to (excluding) 5.17.2 *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 5.16 up to (excluding) 5.16.19 *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 5.13 up to (excluding) 5.15.33
    Added Reference Type kernel.org: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0c8a8da182d4333d9bbb9131d765145568c847b2 Types: Patch
    Added Reference Type kernel.org: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8cf6f98ab1d16d5e607635a0c21c4231eb15367e Types: Patch
    Added Reference Type kernel.org: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/af47248407c0c5ae52a752af1ab5ce5b0db91502 Types: Patch
    Added Reference Type kernel.org: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d62007edf01f5c11f75d0f4b1e538fc52a5b1982 Types: Patch
  • CVE Modified by 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0

    Feb. 27, 2025

    Action Type Old Value New Value
    Added CVSS V3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
    Added CWE CWE-416
  • New CVE Received by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67

    Feb. 26, 2025

    Action Type Old Value New Value
    Added Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: x86/mmu: Zap _all_ roots when unmapping gfn range in TDP MMU Zap both valid and invalid roots when zapping/unmapping a gfn range, as KVM must ensure it holds no references to the freed page after returning from the unmap operation. Most notably, the TDP MMU doesn't zap invalid roots in mmu_notifier callbacks. This leads to use-after-free and other issues if the mmu_notifier runs to completion while an invalid root zapper yields as KVM fails to honor the requirement that there must be _no_ references to the page after the mmu_notifier returns. The bug is most easily reproduced by hacking KVM to cause a collision between set_nx_huge_pages() and kvm_mmu_notifier_release(), but the bug exists between kvm_mmu_notifier_invalidate_range_start() and memslot updates as well. Invalidating a root ensures pages aren't accessible by the guest, and KVM won't read or write page data itself, but KVM will trigger e.g. kvm_set_pfn_dirty() when zapping SPTEs, and thus completing a zap of an invalid root _after_ the mmu_notifier returns is fatal. WARNING: CPU: 24 PID: 1496 at arch/x86/kvm/../../../virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:173 [kvm] RIP: 0010:kvm_is_zone_device_pfn+0x96/0xa0 [kvm] Call Trace: <TASK> kvm_set_pfn_dirty+0xa8/0xe0 [kvm] __handle_changed_spte+0x2ab/0x5e0 [kvm] __handle_changed_spte+0x2ab/0x5e0 [kvm] __handle_changed_spte+0x2ab/0x5e0 [kvm] zap_gfn_range+0x1f3/0x310 [kvm] kvm_tdp_mmu_zap_invalidated_roots+0x50/0x90 [kvm] kvm_mmu_zap_all_fast+0x177/0x1a0 [kvm] set_nx_huge_pages+0xb4/0x190 [kvm] param_attr_store+0x70/0x100 module_attr_store+0x19/0x30 kernfs_fop_write_iter+0x119/0x1b0 new_sync_write+0x11c/0x1b0 vfs_write+0x1cc/0x270 ksys_write+0x5f/0xe0 do_syscall_64+0x38/0xc0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae </TASK>
    Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0c8a8da182d4333d9bbb9131d765145568c847b2
    Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8cf6f98ab1d16d5e607635a0c21c4231eb15367e
    Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/af47248407c0c5ae52a752af1ab5ce5b0db91502
    Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d62007edf01f5c11f75d0f4b1e538fc52a5b1982
EPSS is a daily estimate of the probability of exploitation activity being observed over the next 30 days. Following chart shows the EPSS score history of the vulnerability.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration

While CVE identifies specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2021-47639 is associated with the following CWEs:

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC) stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2021-47639 weaknesses.

CVSS31 - Vulnerability Scoring System
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Latest DB Update: Apr. 25, 2025 9:01