Host kernel compromise via unlocked KVM memslot read
Published Sep 27, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Use-after-free in the Linux KVM x86 subsystem allows local users to read or corrupt host kernel memory through /dev/kvm ioctls. KVM_SET_VCPU_EVENTS can force nested VMX or SVM exit and read guest memory without holding kvm->srcu, allowing a concurrent memslot update to free data still being traversed. Access to /dev/kvm and control of the racing VM operations are required; successful exploitation can disclose or corrupt kernel memory or panic the host.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in the Linux KVM x86 subsystem allows local users to read or corrupt host kernel memory through /dev/kvm ioctls. KVM_SET_VCPU_EVENTS can force nested VMX or SVM exit and read guest memory without holding kvm->srcu, allowing a concurrent memslot update to free data still being traversed. Access to /dev/kvm and control of the racing VM operations are required; successful exploitation can disclose or corrupt kernel memory or panic the host.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-46830
- Published
- Sep 27, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 27, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 5, 2026Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=080dbe7e9b86a0392d8dffc00d9971792afc121f
- Affected versionversion=5.10.97 <5.11
- Affected versionversion=5.15.19 <5.15.198
- Affected versionversion=5.16.5 <5.17
- Affected versionversion=5.17
- Affected versionversion=b4c0d89c92e957ecccce12e66b63875d0cc7af7e
- Affected versionversion=e302786233e6bc512986d007c96458ccf5ca21c7 <5f35099fa3d59caf10bda88b033538e90086684e
- Affected versionversion=f7e570780efc5cec9b2ed1e0472a7da14e864fdb <4bcdd831d9d01e0fb64faea50732b59b2ee88da1
- Affected versionversion=f7e570780efc5cec9b2ed1e0472a7da14e864fdb <939375737b5a0b1bf9b1e75129054e11bc9ca65e
- Affected versionversion=f7e570780efc5cec9b2ed1e0472a7da14e864fdb <ecdbe8ac86fb5538ccc623a41f88ec96c7168ab9
- Affected versionversion=f7e570780efc5cec9b2ed1e0472a7da14e864fdb <fa297c33faefe51e10244e8a378837fca4963228
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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