All vulnerabilities
CVE-2026-98471

Linux: KVM: SEV: Do cache maintenance on the source VM during intra-host migration

Linux LinuxOperating systems
CVSS
NoneNot scored
ExploitationNo known exploitationNot in CISA KEV, which does not prove it is unexploitedCISA KEV
Exploit odds (EPSS)0.20%Chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 9% of CVEs. Scored 23 Oct 2026FIRST EPSS
Fixed in37dfb676fafd1eef36fe0bb649607afbb0d5521bAlso 93de2a6a4b91b72607136dd656edf03fb399d27fCVE List
Published18 Oct 2026Updated 19 Oct 2026CVE List

What fixes it

  • 37dfb676fafd1eef36fe0bb649607afbb0d5521bLinuxCVE List
  • 93de2a6a4b91b72607136dd656edf03fb399d27fLinuxCVE List

A fixed version on one release line is not the upgrade target for every line. Check your exact version and any vendor backports.

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

KVM: SEV: Do cache maintenance on the source VM during intra-host migration

Manually perform cache maintenance on the source VM during intra-host migration to ensure no stale data is left in CPU caches after the VM is destroyed. Because the source VM is "converted" to a non-SEV VM, KVM's memory reclaim flows won't trigger cache maintenance, e.g. when all guest memory is reclaimed in response to detaching from the mmu_notifier.

Note, relying on the destination VM to do cache maintenance isn't an option as KVM doesn't require identical guest memory configurations, i.e. the source VM may have access to memory that the destination VM does not. Enforcing equivalent memory configurations is infeasible, as it would require a *deep* comparison of memslots, e.g. to verify that not only are the memslot identical, but what the memslots point at is also identical.

Text from CVE List

Affected versions 8

  • Linuxaffected: b56639318bb2be66aceba92836279714488709b4 before 37dfb676fafd1eef36fe0bb649607afbb0d5521bCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: b56639318bb2be66aceba92836279714488709b4 before d4cc2dff12116a700add601c0262132cc26e1b2cCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: b56639318bb2be66aceba92836279714488709b4 before 93de2a6a4b91b72607136dd656edf03fb399d27fCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 5.16CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: all versions before 5.16CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.18.55 through 6.18.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.2.9 through 7.2.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.3CVE List

References 3