Skip to main content

Boteraser | Website and Server Security Solutions

🛡️ CVE-2024-53196 — kernel

🟡 CVSS 5.5 — Medium ✅ No Known Exploit NVD
5.5
CVSS Score
0 Low4 Medium7 High9 Critical10

Description

KVM: arm64: Don't retire aborted MMIO instruction

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

KVM: arm64: Don't retire aborted MMIO instruction

Returning an abort to the guest for an unsupported MMIO access is a

documented feature of the KVM UAPI. Nevertheless, it's clear that this

plumbing has seen limited testing, since userspace can trivially cause a

WARN in the MMIO return:

WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 30558 at arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_emulate.h:536 kvm_handle_mmio_return+0x46c/0x5c4 arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_emulate.h:536

Call trace:

kvm_handle_mmio_return+0x46c/0x5c4 arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_emulate.h:536

kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl_run+0x98/0x15b4 arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c:1133

kvm_vcpu_ioctl+0x75c/0xa78 virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:4487

__do_sys_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:51 [inline]

__se_sys_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:893 [inline]

__arm64_sys_ioctl+0x14c/0x1c8 fs/ioctl.c:893

__invoke_syscall arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:35 [inline]

invoke_syscall+0x98/0x2b8 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:49

el0_svc_common+0x1e0/0x23c arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:132

do_el0_svc+0x48/0x58 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:151

el0_svc+0x38/0x68 arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:712

el0t_64_sync_handler+0x90/0xfc arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:730

el0t_64_sync+0x190/0x194 arch/arm64/kernel/entry.S:598

The splat is complaining that KVM is advancing PC while an exception is

pending, i.e. that KVM is retiring the MMIO instruction despite a

pending synchronous external abort. Womp womp.

Fix the glaring UAPI bug by skipping over all the MMIO emulation in

case there is a pending synchronous exception. Note that while userspace

is capable of pending an asynchronous exception (SError, IRQ, or FIQ),

it is still safe to retire the MMIO instruction in this case as (1) they

are by definition asynchronous, and (2) KVM relies on hardware support

for pending/delivering these exceptions instead of the software state

machine for advancing PC.

How this vulnerability can be exploited

This issue can be reached with local access to the system, attack complexity is low, an attacker needs low-level privileges on the target. No user interaction is required. The scope is unchanged, so the impact stays within the vulnerable component. Rated impact: confidentiality none, integrity none, availability high.

CVSS metrics in full

The score comes from this vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

  • Attack vector: Local — a local account, shell or session on the host is needed.
  • Attack complexity: Low — the attack works reliably, with no preparation.
  • Privileges required: Low — an ordinary user account is enough.
  • User interaction: None — nobody has to be tricked into anything.
  • Scope: Unchanged — the damage stays inside the vulnerable component.
  • Confidentiality impact: None.
  • Integrity impact: None.
  • Availability impact: High — total loss, or loss the attacker controls.

Affected software

CVE-2024-53196 is recorded against 2 packages.

  • kernel (from 6.12.0 up to 6.12.2)
  • linux-kernel (from 6.12 up to 6.12.2)

Timeline and source

Published on 27 December 2024 and last revised on 12 August 2026. No public exploit is currently recorded for this entry. A vendor advisory or fix has been published. Record sourced from NVD.

References

git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
lists.debian.org (Web)
github.com (Advisory)
nvd.nist.gov (Advisory)
git.kernel.org (Package)

Other advisories for this package

kernel has other advisories on record. If you are patching this one, these are worth checking on the same host:

Details

Severity Medium
CVSS Score 5.5
CVSS Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CWE N/A
Public Exploit ✅ No
Source NVD
Published 2024-12-27
Updated 2026-08-20
Modified 2026-08-12

Affected Packages

Software From version Fixed in
kernel 6.12.0 6.12.2
linux-kernel 6.12 6.12.2

Similar Threats

Vulnerability Monitoring

Track new vulnerabilities in kernel

CVE-2024-53196 is rated CVSS 5.5 Medium. BotEraser monitors your WordPress installation and notifies you when software you use appears in our vulnerability database.

Set Up Free Alerts →

No credit card required  ·  Results in minutes

ⓘ Data Notice: The information presented above has been compiled from publicly available internet sources. Boteraser aggregates this data solely for informational purposes and does not independently classify, evaluate, or endorse any findings about the vulnerabilities listed. The accuracy and completeness of this information is the sole responsibility of the original publishers. Boteraser and its operators accept no liability for any decisions made based on this data.

Browse related advisories

All advisoriesCVECVE 2024
✓