CVE Vulnerabilities

CVE-2025-37957

Published: May 20, 2025 | Modified: May 22, 2025
CVSS 3.x
N/A
Source:
NVD
CVSS 2.x
RedHat/V2
RedHat/V3
7 MODERATE
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Ubuntu
MEDIUM
root.io minimus.io echohq.com

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

KVM: SVM: Forcibly leave SMM mode on SHUTDOWN interception

Previously, commit ed129ec9057f (KVM: x86: forcibly leave nested mode on vCPU reset) addressed an issue where a triple fault occurring in nested mode could lead to use-after-free scenarios. However, the commit did not handle the analogous situation for System Management Mode (SMM).

This omission results in triggering a WARN when KVM forces a vCPU INIT after SHUTDOWN interception while the vCPU is in SMM. This situation was reprodused using Syzkaller by:

  1. Creating a KVM VM and vCPU
  2. Sending a KVM_SMI ioctl to explicitly enter SMM
  3. Executing invalid instructions causing consecutive exceptions and eventually a triple fault

The issue manifests as follows:

WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 25506 at arch/x86/kvm/x86.c:12112 kvm_vcpu_reset+0x1d2/0x1530 arch/x86/kvm/x86.c:12112 Modules linked in: CPU: 0 PID: 25506 Comm: syz-executor.0 Not tainted 6.1.130-syzkaller-00157-g164fe5dde9b6 #0 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.12.0-1 04/01/2014 RIP: 0010:kvm_vcpu_reset+0x1d2/0x1530 arch/x86/kvm/x86.c:12112 Call Trace: shutdown_interception+0x66/0xb0 arch/x86/kvm/svm/svm.c:2136 svm_invoke_exit_handler+0x110/0x530 arch/x86/kvm/svm/svm.c:3395 svm_handle_exit+0x424/0x920 arch/x86/kvm/svm/svm.c:3457 vcpu_enter_guest arch/x86/kvm/x86.c:10959 [inline] vcpu_run+0x2c43/0x5a90 arch/x86/kvm/x86.c:11062 kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl_run+0x50f/0x1cf0 arch/x86/kvm/x86.c:11283 kvm_vcpu_ioctl+0x570/0xf00 arch/x86/kvm/../../../virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:4122 vfs_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:51 [inline] __do_sys_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:870 [inline] __se_sys_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:856 [inline] __x64_sys_ioctl+0x19a/0x210 fs/ioctl.c:856 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:51 [inline] do_syscall_64+0x35/0x80 arch/x86/entry/common.c:81 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x6e/0xd8

Architecturally, INIT is blocked when the CPU is in SMM, hence KVMs WARN() in kvm_vcpu_reset() to guard against KVM bugs, e.g. to detect improper emulation of INIT. SHUTDOWN on SVM is a weird edge case where KVM needs to do something sane with the VMCB, since its technically undefined, and INIT is the least awful choice given KVMs ABI.

So, double down on stuffing INIT on SHUTDOWN, and force the vCPU out of SMM to avoid any weirdness (and the WARN).

Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with Syzkaller.

[sean: massage changelog, make it clear this isnt architectural behavior]

Affected Software

Name Vendor Start Version End Version
Linux Ubuntu jammy *
Linux Ubuntu noble *
Linux Ubuntu oracular *
Linux Ubuntu plucky *
Linux Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-allwinner-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-allwinner-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws Ubuntu devel *
Linux-aws Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-aws Ubuntu noble *
Linux-aws Ubuntu oracular *
Linux-aws Ubuntu plucky *
Linux-aws Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.0 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-aws-5.0 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-aws-5.0 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.11 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-aws-5.11 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-aws-5.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.13 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-aws-5.13 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-aws-5.13 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.15 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-aws-5.15 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-aws-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-aws-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.3 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-aws-5.3 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-aws-5.3 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-5.8 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-aws-5.8 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-aws-5.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-aws-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-aws-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-6.8 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-aws-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-fips Ubuntu fips-preview/jammy *
Linux-aws-fips Ubuntu fips-updates/jammy *
Linux-aws-fips Ubuntu trusty *
Linux-aws-fips Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-aws-fips Ubuntu xenial *
Linux-aws-hwe Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-azure Ubuntu devel *
Linux-azure Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-azure Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-azure Ubuntu noble *
Linux-azure Ubuntu oracular *
Linux-azure Ubuntu plucky *
Linux-azure Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-4.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-5.11 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-azure-5.11 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-azure-5.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-5.13 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-azure-5.13 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-azure-5.13 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-5.15 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-azure-5.15 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-azure-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-azure-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-5.3 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-azure-5.3 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-azure-5.3 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-5.8 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-azure-5.8 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-azure-5.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-6.11 Ubuntu noble *
Linux-azure-6.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-azure-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-azure-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-6.8 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-azure-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-edge Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-azure-edge Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-azure-edge Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-fde Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-azure-fde Ubuntu focal *
Linux-azure-fde Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-azure-fde Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-fde-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-fde-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-azure-fde-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-fde-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-azure-fde-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-fips Ubuntu fips-preview/jammy *
Linux-azure-fips Ubuntu fips-updates/jammy *
Linux-azure-fips Ubuntu trusty *
Linux-azure-fips Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-azure-fips Ubuntu xenial *
Linux-azure-nvidia Ubuntu noble *
Linux-azure-nvidia Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-bluefield Ubuntu bluefield/jammy *
Linux-bluefield Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-fips Ubuntu fips-preview/jammy *
Linux-fips Ubuntu fips-updates/jammy *
Linux-fips Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-gcp Ubuntu devel *
Linux-gcp Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-gcp Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-gcp Ubuntu noble *
Linux-gcp Ubuntu oracular *
Linux-gcp Ubuntu plucky *
Linux-gcp Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-4.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-5.11 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gcp-5.11 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gcp-5.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-5.13 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gcp-5.13 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gcp-5.13 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-5.15 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gcp-5.15 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gcp-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-gcp-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-5.3 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-gcp-5.3 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-gcp-5.3 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-5.8 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gcp-5.8 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gcp-5.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-6.11 Ubuntu noble *
Linux-gcp-6.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-gcp-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-gcp-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-6.8 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-gcp-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-fips Ubuntu fips-preview/jammy *
Linux-gcp-fips Ubuntu fips-updates/jammy *
Linux-gcp-fips Ubuntu trusty *
Linux-gcp-fips Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gcp-fips Ubuntu xenial *
Linux-gke Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gke Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gke Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-gke Ubuntu noble *
Linux-gke Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gke Ubuntu xenial *
Linux-gke-4.15 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-gke-4.15 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-gke-4.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gke-5.15 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gke-5.15 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gke-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gke-5.4 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-gke-5.4 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-gke-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gkeop Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gkeop Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gkeop Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-gkeop Ubuntu noble *
Linux-gkeop Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gkeop-5.15 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-gkeop-5.15 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-gkeop-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-gkeop-5.4 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-gkeop-5.4 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-gkeop-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-hwe Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-hwe Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-5.11 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-hwe-5.11 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-hwe-5.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-5.13 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-hwe-5.13 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-hwe-5.13 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-5.15 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-hwe-5.15 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-hwe-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-hwe-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-5.8 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-hwe-5.8 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-hwe-5.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-6.11 Ubuntu noble *
Linux-hwe-6.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-hwe-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-hwe-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-6.8 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-hwe-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-edge Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-hwe-edge Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-hwe-edge Ubuntu esm-infra/xenial *
Linux-hwe-edge Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-hwe-edge Ubuntu xenial *
Linux-ibm Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-ibm Ubuntu noble *
Linux-ibm Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-ibm-5.15 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-ibm-5.15 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-ibm-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-ibm-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-ibm-6.8 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-ibm-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-intel Ubuntu noble *
Linux-intel Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-intel-5.13 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-intel-5.13 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-intel-5.13 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-intel-iot-realtime Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-intel-iot-realtime Ubuntu realtime/jammy *
Linux-intel-iot-realtime Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-intel-iotg Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-intel-iotg Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-intel-iotg-5.15 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-intel-iotg-5.15 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-intel-iotg-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-iot Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-kvm Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-kvm Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lowlatency Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-lowlatency Ubuntu noble *
Linux-lowlatency Ubuntu oracular *
Linux-lowlatency Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 Ubuntu noble *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-lts-xenial Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-nvidia Ubuntu noble *
Linux-nvidia Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-nvidia-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-nvidia-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-6.8 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-nvidia-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-lowlatency Ubuntu noble *
Linux-nvidia-lowlatency Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-tegra Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-nvidia-tegra Ubuntu noble *
Linux-nvidia-tegra Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-nvidia-tegra-igx Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-nvidia-tegra-igx Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-oem Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-oem Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem Ubuntu xenial *
Linux-oem-5.10 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oem-5.10 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oem-5.10 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-5.13 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oem-5.13 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oem-5.13 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-5.14 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oem-5.14 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oem-5.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-5.17 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-oem-5.17 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-5.6 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oem-5.6 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oem-5.6 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-6.0 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-oem-6.0 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-6.1 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-oem-6.1 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-6.11 Ubuntu noble *
Linux-oem-6.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-6.14 Ubuntu noble *
Linux-oem-6.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-oem-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oem-6.8 Ubuntu noble *
Linux-oem-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle Ubuntu devel *
Linux-oracle Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-oracle Ubuntu noble *
Linux-oracle Ubuntu oracular *
Linux-oracle Ubuntu plucky *
Linux-oracle Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-5.0 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-oracle-5.0 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-oracle-5.0 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-5.11 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oracle-5.11 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oracle-5.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-5.13 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oracle-5.13 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oracle-5.13 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-5.15 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oracle-5.15 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oracle-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-5.3 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-oracle-5.3 Ubuntu esm-infra/bionic *
Linux-oracle-5.3 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-5.8 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-oracle-5.8 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-oracle-5.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-oracle-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-oracle-6.8 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-oracle-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-raspi Ubuntu devel *
Linux-raspi Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-raspi Ubuntu noble *
Linux-raspi Ubuntu oracular *
Linux-raspi Ubuntu plucky *
Linux-raspi Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-raspi-5.4 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-raspi-realtime Ubuntu noble *
Linux-raspi-realtime Ubuntu realtime/noble *
Linux-raspi-realtime Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-raspi2 Ubuntu bionic *
Linux-raspi2 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-raspi2 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-raspi2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-raspi2 Ubuntu xenial *
Linux-realtime Ubuntu devel *
Linux-realtime Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-realtime Ubuntu noble *
Linux-realtime Ubuntu oracular *
Linux-realtime Ubuntu plucky *
Linux-realtime Ubuntu realtime/jammy *
Linux-realtime Ubuntu realtime/noble *
Linux-realtime Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv Ubuntu devel *
Linux-riscv Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-riscv Ubuntu focal *
Linux-riscv Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-riscv Ubuntu noble *
Linux-riscv Ubuntu oracular *
Linux-riscv Ubuntu plucky *
Linux-riscv Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv-5.11 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-riscv-5.11 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-riscv-5.11 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv-5.15 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-riscv-5.15 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-riscv-5.15 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-riscv-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv-5.8 Ubuntu esm-infra/focal *
Linux-riscv-5.8 Ubuntu focal *
Linux-riscv-5.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv-6.14 Ubuntu noble *
Linux-riscv-6.14 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-riscv-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-riscv-6.8 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-riscv-6.8 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-starfive-5.19 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-starfive-5.19 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-starfive-6.2 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-starfive-6.2 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-starfive-6.5 Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-starfive-6.5 Ubuntu upstream *
Linux-xilinx-zynqmp Ubuntu jammy *
Linux-xilinx-zynqmp Ubuntu upstream *

References