Host compromise via SEV context races
Published Aug 22, 2026 · Updated Aug 25, 2026
Race conditions in KVM SVM allow local users with KVM access to compromise the host through concurrent SEV context ioctls. The sev_migrate_from() path moves a mirror onto the owner's mirror_vms list without the owner lock, while sev_vm_destroy() can release the wrong KVM after enc_context_owner changes. Access to /dev/kvm and AMD SEV setup is required; concurrent MOVE, COPY, and destroy operations can corrupt kernel lists, mismanage object lifetimes, and crash or compromise the host.
Summary
What happened
Race conditions in KVM SVM allow local users with KVM access to compromise the host through concurrent SEV context ioctls. The sev_migrate_from() path moves a mirror onto the owner's mirror_vms list without the owner lock, while sev_vm_destroy() can release the wrong KVM after enc_context_owner changes. Access to /dev/kvm and AMD SEV setup is required; concurrent MOVE, COPY, and destroy operations can corrupt kernel lists, mismanage object lifetimes, and crash or compromise the host.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-74607
- Published
- Aug 22, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 25, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-366, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 22, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 25, 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=5.18
- Affected versionversion=b2125513dfc0dd0ec5a9605138a3c356592cfb73 <1d78d33275ef2a16c6d080910b291d0a97a0e613
- Affected versionversion=b2125513dfc0dd0ec5a9605138a3c356592cfb73 <28afde1edbd8b20058cbf4d75fb57876471ec334
- Affected versionversion=b2125513dfc0dd0ec5a9605138a3c356592cfb73 <328ab4fabe05af004d886659f8744076e320ddce
- Affected versionversion=b2125513dfc0dd0ec5a9605138a3c356592cfb73 <47976eaaf0a4eb46dade48b3246779090db9e3ec
- Affected versionversion=b2125513dfc0dd0ec5a9605138a3c356592cfb73 <7943ec3a6d0e7e0a2eb4943300bce089ac3e8c3e
- Affected versionversion=b2125513dfc0dd0ec5a9605138a3c356592cfb73 <d728baba0f20e49439fc7831bf3e4e7dee82161a
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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