Linux KernelOperating system · Linux

CVE-2024-53195

MEDIUM · 5.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-12-27

Fix available

A fix is available. Upgrade to 6.6.64 / 6.11.11 or later.

See remediation →

57/100

Remediation priority · Elevated

Zero-click Patch available

Official description

NVD · unedited

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: arm64: Get rid of userspace_irqchip_in_use Improper use of userspace_irqchip_in_use led to syzbot hitting the following WARN_ON() in kvm_timer_update_irq(): WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 3281 at arch/arm64/kvm/arch_timer.c:459 kvm_timer_update_irq+0x21c/0x394 Call trace: kvm_timer_update_irq+0x21c/0x394 arch/arm64/kvm/arch_timer.c:459 kvm_timer_vcpu_reset+0x158/0x684 arch/arm64/kvm/arch_timer.c:968 kvm_reset_vcpu+0x3b4/0x560 arch/arm64/kvm/reset.c:264 kvm_vcpu_set_target arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c:1553 [inline] kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl_vcpu_init arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c:1573 [inline] kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl+0x112c/0x1b3c arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c:1695 kvm_vcpu_ioctl+0x4ec/0xf74 virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:4658 vfs_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:51 [inline] __do_sys_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:907 [inline] __se_sys_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:893 [inline] __arm64_sys_ioctl+0x108/0x184 fs/ioctl.c:893 __invoke_syscall arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:35 [inline] invoke_syscall+0x78/0x1b8 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:49 el0_svc_common+0xe8/0x1b0 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:132 do_el0_svc+0x40/0x50 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:151 el0_svc+0x54/0x14c arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:712 el0t_64_sync_handler+0x84/0xfc arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:730 el0t_64_sync+0x190/0x194 arch/arm64/kernel/entry.S:598 The following sequence led to the scenario: - Userspace creates a VM and a vCPU. - The vCPU is initialized with KVM_ARM_VCPU_PMU_V3 during KVM_ARM_VCPU_INIT. - Without any other setup, such as vGIC or vPMU, userspace issues KVM_RUN on the vCPU. Since the vPMU is requested, but not setup, kvm_arm_pmu_v3_enable() fails in kvm_arch_vcpu_run_pid_change(). As a result, KVM_RUN returns after enabling the timer, but before incrementing 'userspace_irqchip_in_use': kvm_arch_vcpu_run_pid_change() ret = kvm_arm_pmu_v3_enable() if (!vcpu->arch.pmu.created) return -EINVAL; if (ret) return ret; [...] if (!irqchip_in_kernel(kvm)) static_branch_inc(&userspace_irqchip_in_use); - Userspace ignores the error and issues KVM_ARM_VCPU_INIT again. Since the timer is already enabled, control moves through the following flow, ultimately hitting the WARN_ON(): kvm_timer_vcpu_reset() if (timer->enabled) kvm_timer_update_irq() if (!userspace_irqchip()) ret = kvm_vgic_inject_irq() ret = vgic_lazy_init() if (unlikely(!vgic_initialized(kvm))) if (kvm->arch.vgic.vgic_model != KVM_DEV_TYPE_ARM_VGIC_V2) return -EBUSY; WARN_ON(ret); Theoretically, since userspace_irqchip_in_use's functionality can be simply replaced by '!irqchip_in_kernel()', get rid of the static key to avoid the mismanagement, which also helps with the syzbot issue.

Technical summary

dbcve analysis

A detailed technical summary for this CVE is being prepared.

Affected products & versions

NVD · CPE data

Linux KernelOperating system

Affected:< 6.6.64>= 6.7, < 6.11.11>= 6.12, < 6.12.2

CVSS breakdown

From the vector

Attack vector: Local
Complexity: Low
Privileges: Low
User interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: None
Integrity: None
Availability: High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Remediation

dbcve · scoped

Upgrade available Upgrade to 6.6.64 / 6.11.11 / 6.12.2 or later

Fixed in 6.6.646.11.116.12.2

Vendor patch git.kernel.org →

Recommended fix High confidence

6.6.64 / 6.11.11 / 6.12.2 (choose the appropriate stable branch for your deployment)

Upgrade the Linux kernel to version 6.6.64 or later if using the 6.6.x stable branch
Alternatively, upgrade to version 6.11.11 or later if using the 6.7-6.11 stable branch
Alternatively, upgrade to version 6.12.2 or later if using the 6.12 stable branch

Caveat Kernel upgrades may require system reboot; ensure compatibility with existing userspace tools and verify KVM/arm64 functionality after upgrade

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

We can perform the upgrade in your staging environment and verify nothing breaks — typical engagement from $1,600. Get the upgrade done

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References

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2024-53195 in production — separate from our analysis above.

Notes0 Guidelines

Know something about CVE-2024-53195?

The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.

The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
A config change or rule that shut the vector down
A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here

Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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At a glance

A fix existsUpgrade to 6.6.64 / 6.11.11 or later

Severity 5.5 Medium

Exploit likelihood EPSS, next 30 days 0.2%

Affects: Linux Kernel

Remediation

Need this fixed?

Get a fix

Estimated effortfrom ~9 hrs

ComplexityModerate

Typical engagementfrom $1,600

What a fix involves

We scope it with you and confirm a fixed quote
A specialist builds a reviewed fix
You deploy it to staging first
Optional re-test once it’s live

We specialise in CVE remediation. Send your environment and we’ll scope CVE-2024-53195 and return a fixed quote.

You’ll deal with our team directly and deploy the reviewed fix to staging first — never straight to production.

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

Scan for this in your stack

References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Practitioner notes

No notes yet

Official description

Technical summary

Affected products & versions

CVSS breakdown

Remediation

References