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CVE-2026-98719

Linux: KVM: SEV: Nullify "have run CPUs" mask pointer when freeing it

Linux LinuxOperating systems
CVSS
NoneNot scored
ExploitationNo known exploitationNot in CISA KEV, which does not prove it is unexploitedCISA KEV
Exploit odds (EPSS)0.17%Chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 5% of CVEs. Scored 23 Oct 2026FIRST EPSS
Fixed in0fbc7fec2242de6c3dcea6de55573c428e820173Also 8abbc76120a74bfba1851bd97528099d715e45c6, 6.18.56 and 1 moreCVE List
Published18 Oct 2026Updated 19 Oct 2026CVE List

What fixes it

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: Nullify "have run CPUs" mask pointer when freeing it

Nullify have_run_cpus when freeing the mask, particularly in the error path of __sev_guest_init(), so that KVM doesn't have to subtly use sev->active to track whether or not the mask has been freed. As pointed out by Sashiko, blindly freeing the mask in sev_vm_destroy() results in a double-free if the mask is freed if __sev_guest_init() fails.

Throw the logic in a helper as nullifying the pointer is frustratingly difficult and weird due to have_run_cpus being a single-entry array when CPUMASK_OFFSTACK=n. Deliberately don't use CPUMASK_VAR_NULL, as it's not directly assignable when the cpumask is on-stack, e.g. requires using a local variable and a memcpy(), which is beyond ridiculous. Furthermore, while clearing the on-stack bitmask is an unnecessary and arguably unwanted side effect, KVM absolutely relies on '0' being the "null" value given that the struct is zero-allocated.

Opportunistically add an alloc() helper to pair with free(); there are just enough call sites to make doing so worthwhile.

Text from CVE List

Affected versions 5

  • Linuxaffected: 6aef7cf800098749ff5d660222efaf6e01e98c09 before b1de3ebf59507e0edacaa5cfa2225bc1869e1b63CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 9784e5ca91b37b387f3f414af4340c54f7a63566 before 0fbc7fec2242de6c3dcea6de55573c428e820173CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 12c1f6e03f944e399bd2c88441dca5dc702b95a5 before 8abbc76120a74bfba1851bd97528099d715e45c6CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 6.18.55 before 6.18.56CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 7.2.9 before 7.2.10CVE List

References 3