CVE-2019-3016

Memory disclosure via lost deferred TLB flushes

Published Jan 31, 2020 · Updated Sep 30, 2024

Information disclosure in Linux KVM allows local users in a guest kernel to read memory belonging to another process in that guest. A race can let KVM clear or acknowledge a deferred PV-TLB flush while a new request is pending, leaving a stale vCPU address translation usable. Reachability requires PV TLB exposure to a guest running Linux 4.16 or later on a host running Linux 4.10 or later; the feature is not enabled by default.

CVSS severity6.2
Medium
EPSS probability0.62%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Information disclosure in Linux KVM allows local users in a guest kernel to read memory belonging to another process in that guest. A race can let KVM clear or acknowledge a deferred PV-TLB flush while a new request is pending, leaving a stale vCPU address translation usable. Reachability requires PV TLB exposure to a guest running Linux 4.16 or later on a host running Linux 4.10 or later; the feature is not enabled by default.

The record

CVE
CVE-2019-3016
Published
Jan 31, 2020
Updated
Sep 30, 2024
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-362, CWE-200
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 31, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 30, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=4.10 to 5.6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=4.10 to 5.6

Published CVSS scores

2.5Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
1.9NVDAV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
4.7NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
6.2OracleCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-362Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition')
CWE-200Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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