RHSA-2018:1662: Important: qemu-kvm security update
Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) is a full virtualization solution for Linux on a variety of architectures. The qemu-kvm packages provide the user-space component for running virtual machines that use KVM.<br>Security Fix(es):<br><li> 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)</li> Note: This is the qemu-kvm side of the CVE-2018-3639 mitigation.<br>Red Hat would like to thank Ken Johnson (Microsoft Security Response Center) and Jann Horn (Google Project Zero) for reporting this issue.
Affected Software
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Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of RHSA-2018:1662?
The severity of RHSA-2018:1662 is categorized as critical due to potential vulnerabilities in the qemu-kvm packages.
How do I fix RHSA-2018:1662?
To fix RHSA-2018:1662, update the qemu-kvm, qemu-img, and related packages to version 1.5.3-126.el7_3.14 or higher.
What software is affected by RHSA-2018:1662?
The affected software for RHSA-2018:1662 includes qemu-kvm, qemu-img, and several associated packages on Red Hat systems.
What vulnerabilities are addressed in RHSA-2018:1662?
RHSA-2018:1662 addresses vulnerabilities affecting the Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) used for virtualization solutions.
Is a reboot required after applying the RHSA-2018:1662 fix?
Yes, a reboot is recommended to ensure that the security updates from RHSA-2018:1662 take effect properly.