CVE-2023-4155: Sev-es / sev-snp vmgexit double fetch vulnerability

Published Jun 9, 2023
·
Updated

A flaw was found in KVM AMD Secure Encrypted Virtualization (SEV) in the Linux kernel. A KVM guest using SEV-ES or SEV-SNP with multiple vCPUs can trigger a double fetch race condition vulnerability and invoke the VMGEXIT handler recursively. If an attacker manages to call the handler multiple times, they can trigger a stack overflow and cause a denial of service or potentially guest-to-host escape in kernel configurations without stack guard pages (CONFIGVMAPSTACK).

Other sources

A KVM guest using SEV-ES or SEV-SNP with multiple vCPUs can trigger a double fetch race condition vulnerability and invoke the VMGEXIT handler recursively. If an attacker manages to call the handler multiple times, they can theoretically trigger a stack overflow and cause a denial-of-service or potentially guest-to-host escape in kernel configurations without stack guard pages (CONFIGVMAPSTACK).

Red Hat

Linux Kernel is vulnerable to a denial of service, caused by a race condition in KVM AMD Secure Encrypted Virtualization (SEV). By sending a specially crafted request using the VMGEXIT handler recursively, a local authenticated attacker could exploit this vulnerability to cause a denial of service condition.

IBM

Affected Software

8 affected componentsFixes available
Linux Linux kernel
redhat Enterprise Linux=8.0
redhat Enterprise Linux=9.0
Fedoraproject Fedora=37
Fedoraproject Fedora=38
IBM Security Verify Governance, Identity Manager software component<=ISVG 10.0.2
IBM Security Verify Governance, Identity Manager virtual appliance component<=ISVG 10.0.2
debian/linux
5.10.223-15.10.234-16.1.129-16.1.135-16.12.25-16.12.27-1

Event History

Jun 9, 2023
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·12:51 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Aug 4, 2023
CVE Published
12:00 AM
Data Sourced
12:00 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeakness
Sep 13, 2023
CVE Published
via MITRE·04:11 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·04:11 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Jan 12, 2024
Data Sourced
via Launchpad·12:25 AM
Description
Apr 28, 2025
Data Sourced
via Ubuntu·02:14 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Data Sourced
via Debian·02:17 PM
DescriptionAffected Software

Parent advisories

This vulnerability appears in the following advisories.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2023-4155?

CVE-2023-4155 is classified as high severity due to the potential for a double fetch race condition vulnerability.

2

How do I fix CVE-2023-4155?

To fix CVE-2023-4155, you should update to the latest kernel version provided by your distribution that includes the patches for this vulnerability.

3

What systems are affected by CVE-2023-4155?

CVE-2023-4155 affects KVM guests using SEV-ES or SEV-SNP in several Linux distributions, including specific versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Fedora.

4

What impact does CVE-2023-4155 have on my system?

CVE-2023-4155 can allow an attacker to invoke the VMGEXIT handler recursively, potentially leading to denial of service or unauthorized access.

5

How can I determine if my system is vulnerable to CVE-2023-4155?

To determine if your system is vulnerable to CVE-2023-4155, check if you are using a susceptible version of the Linux kernel with SEV-ES or SEV-SNP configurations.

Contact

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