🛡️ CVE-2025-23141 — debian-linux
Description
KVM: x86: Acquire SRCU in KVM_GET_MP_STATE to protect guest memory accesses
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
KVM: x86: Acquire SRCU in KVM_GET_MP_STATE to protect guest memory accesses
Acquire a lock on kvm->srcu when userspace is getting MP state to handle a
rather extreme edge case where "accepting" APIC events, i.e. processing
pending INIT or SIPI, can trigger accesses to guest memory. If the vCPU
is in L2 with INIT *and* a TRIPLE_FAULT request pending, then getting MP
state will trigger a nested VM-Exit by way of ->check_nested_events(), and
emuating the nested VM-Exit can access guest memory.
The splat was originally hit by syzkaller on a Google-internal kernel, and
reproduced on an upstream kernel by hacking the triple_fault_event_test
selftest to stuff a pending INIT, store an MSR on VM-Exit (to generate a
memory access on VMX), and do vcpu_mp_state_get() to trigger the scenario.
=============================
WARNING: suspicious RCU usage
6.14.0-rc3-b112d356288b-vmx/pi_lockdep_false_pos-lock #3 Not tainted
-----------------------------
include/linux/kvm_host.h:1058 suspicious rcu_dereference_check() usage!
other info that might help us debug this:
rcu_scheduler_active = 2, debug_locks = 1
1 lock held by triple_fault_ev/1256:
#0: ffff88810df5a330 (&vcpu->mutex){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: kvm_vcpu_ioctl+0x8b/0x9a0 [kvm]
stack backtrace:
CPU: 11 UID: 1000 PID: 1256 Comm: triple_fault_ev Not tainted 6.14.0-rc3-b112d356288b-vmx #3
Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS 0.0.0 02/06/2015
Call Trace:
<TASK>
dump_stack_lvl+0x7f/0x90
lockdep_rcu_suspicious+0x144/0x190
kvm_vcpu_gfn_to_memslot+0x156/0x180 [kvm]
kvm_vcpu_read_guest+0x3e/0x90 [kvm]
read_and_check_msr_entry+0x2e/0x180 [kvm_intel]
__nested_vmx_vmexit+0x550/0xde0 [kvm_intel]
kvm_check_nested_events+0x1b/0x30 [kvm]
kvm_apic_accept_events+0x33/0x100 [kvm]
kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl_get_mpstate+0x30/0x1d0 [kvm]
kvm_vcpu_ioctl+0x33e/0x9a0 [kvm]
__x64_sys_ioctl+0x8b/0xb0
do_syscall_64+0x6c/0x170
entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x4b/0x53
</TASK>
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 high, integrity high, availability high.
Affected software
CVE-2025-23141 is recorded against 3 packages.
- debian-linux
- kernel (from 6.14.0 up to 6.14.3)
- linux-kernel
Timeline and source
Published on 1 May 2025 and last revised on 30 July 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
git.kernel.org
git.kernel.org
git.kernel.org
git.kernel.org
git.kernel.org
git.kernel.org
lists.debian.org
CVE-2025-23141 on other distributions
Each distribution ships its own build and its own fixed version. Pick the one you run:
Details
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Affected Packages
| Software | From version | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| debian-linux | — | — |
| kernel | 6.14.0 | 6.14.3 |
| linux-kernel | — | — |
References
Similar Threats
- Critical CVE-2022-0194
- High CVE-2022-0367
- Medium CVE-2022-0171
- High CVE-2022-0135
- High CVE-2022-0204
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