HIGH · 8.8

CVE-2026-23425

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: arm64: Fix ID register initialization for non-protected pKVM guests In protected mode, the hypervisor maintains a separate in...

Vulnerability Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: arm64: Fix ID register initialization for non-protected pKVM guests In protected mode, the hypervisor maintains a separate instance of the `kvm` structure for each VM. For non-protected VMs, this structure is initialized from the host's `kvm` state. Currently, `pkvm_init_features_from_host()` copies the `KVM_ARCH_FLAG_ID_REGS_INITIALIZED` flag from the host without the underlying `id_regs` data being initialized. This results in the hypervisor seeing the flag as set while the ID registers remain zeroed. Consequently, `kvm_has_feat()` checks at EL2 fail (return 0) for non-protected VMs. This breaks logic that relies on feature detection, such as `ctxt_has_tcrx()` for TCR2_EL1 support. As a result, certain system registers (e.g., TCR2_EL1, PIR_EL1, POR_EL1) are not saved/restored during the world switch, which could lead to state corruption. Fix this by explicitly copying the ID registers from the host `kvm` to the hypervisor `kvm` for non-protected VMs during initialization, since we trust the host with its non-protected guests' features. Also ensure `KVM_ARCH_FLAG_ID_REGS_INITIALIZED` is cleared initially in `pkvm_init_features_from_host` so that `vm_copy_id_regs` can properly initialize them and set the flag once done.

CVSS Score

8.8

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Attack Complexity
LOW
Privileges Required
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
CHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
HIGH

Affected Products

VendorProductVersions
LinuxLinux Kernel>= 6.14.1, < 6.18.17

References

FAQ

What is CVE-2026-23425?

CVE-2026-23425 is a vulnerability with a CVSS score of 8.8 (HIGH). In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: arm64: Fix ID register initialization for non-protected pKVM guests In protected mode, the hypervisor maintains a separate in...

How severe is CVE-2026-23425?

CVE-2026-23425 has been rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 8.8/10. Review the CVSS metrics above for detailed severity breakdown.

Is there a patch for CVE-2026-23425?

Check the references section above for vendor advisories and patch information. Affected products include: Linux Linux Kernel.