RHSA-2018:1653: Important: libvirt security update
The libvirt library contains a C API for managing and interacting with the virtualization capabilities of Linux and other operating systems. In addition, libvirt provides tools for remote management of virtualized systems.Security Fix(es): An industry-wide issue was found in the way many modern microprocessor designs have implemented speculative execution of Load & Store instructions (a commonly used performance optimization). It relies on the presence of a precisely-defined instruction sequence in the privileged code as well as the fact that memory read from address to which a recent memory write has occurred may see an older value and subsequently cause an update into the microprocessor's data cache even for speculatively executed instructions that never actually commit (retire). As a result, an unprivileged attacker could use this flaw to read privileged memory by conducting targeted cache side-channel attacks. (CVE-2018-3639) Note: This is the libvirt side of the CVE-2018-3639 mitigation.Red Hat would like to thank Ken Johnson (Microsoft Security Response Center) and Jann Horn (Google Project Zero) for reporting this issue.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of RHSA-2018:1653?
The severity of RHSA-2018:1653 is classified as important.
How do I fix RHSA-2018:1653?
To fix RHSA-2018:1653, you should update the libvirt packages to version 2.0.0-10.el7_3.12 or later.
What software is affected by RHSA-2018:1653?
RHSA-2018:1653 affects the libvirt, libvirt-client, and libvirt-daemon packages among others.
Is there a workaround for RHSA-2018:1653?
There are no official workarounds for the vulnerabilities fixed by RHSA-2018:1653; updating is recommended.
Can I continue using my system without addressing RHSA-2018:1653?
It is not advisable to continue using your system without addressing RHSA-2018:1653 as it poses security risks.