CVE-2023-46840

Guest-domain integrity loss via stale VT-d assignment

Published Mar 20, 2024 · Updated Nov 4, 2025

Improper device quarantine in Xen 4.17 and later allows guest OS users to retain access after a passed-through PCI device is removed. In the Intel VT-d IOMMU path, a misplaced preprocessor branch makes device-removal logic skip quarantine when CONFIG_HVM is disabled. Exposure requires x86 hardware with an Intel-compatible VT-d IOMMU and PCI passthrough to an untrusted or semi-trusted guest; the removed device retains access to its former domain.

CVSS severity4.1
Medium
EPSS probability0.26%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper device quarantine in Xen 4.17 and later allows guest OS users to retain access after a passed-through PCI device is removed. In the Intel VT-d IOMMU path, a misplaced preprocessor branch makes device-removal logic skip quarantine when CONFIG_HVM is disabled. Exposure requires x86 hardware with an Intel-compatible VT-d IOMMU and PCI passthrough to an untrusted or semi-trusted guest; the removed device retains access to its former domain.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-46840
Published
Mar 20, 2024
Updated
Nov 4, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-670, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 20, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 4, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

4.1CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/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.

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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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-670Always-Incorrect Control Flow Implementation
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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