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CVE-2022-2196· NVD / CVE Program· CNA Google

Speculative execution attacks in KVM VMX

A regression exists in the Linux Kernel within KVM: nVMX that allowed for speculative execution attacks. L2 can carry out Spectre v2 attacks on L1 due to L1 thinking it doesn't need retpolines or IBPB after running L2 due to KVM (L0) advertising eIBRS support to L1. An attacker at L2 with code execution can execute code on an indirect branch on the host machine. We recommend upgrading to Kernel 6.2 or applying the relevant stable backports (v5.4.233, v5.10.170, v5.15.96, v6.1.14).

HighCVSS 8.8 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Jan 9, 2023
Updated
Aug 7, 2026
EPSS
0.3% · 19th percentile
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JSON

Action score

35

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
35 / 40 · 8.8 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.3%

CISA SSVC decision

Exploitation
none
Automatable
no
Technical impact
total

Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
8.8
CNA · Google
5.8
3.0 point gap

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:L

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

Affected systems

VendorProduct
linuxlinux kernel
debiandebian linux

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • debian debian linux10.0
  • linux linux kernel5.4.47 and later · before 5.4.233
  • linux linux kernel5.6.19 and later · before 5.7
  • linux linux kernel5.7.3 and later · before 5.10.170
  • linux linux kernel5.11 and later · before 5.15.96
  • linux linux kernel5.16 and later · before 6.1.14

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Google). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Linux Linux Kernel

    • 6.2.0not affected
    • 64b8f33b2e1e687d465b5cb382e7bec495f1e026 and later · before f93a1a5bdcdd122aae0a3eab7a52c15b71fb725baffected · git
    • e089a83fbc55b8057f332c00f125acaa02b08ef7 and later · before 2e7eab81425ad6c875f2ed47c0ce01e78afc38a5affected · git
    • 02a3868d18fe639363f1cea6e6d7914513198e43 and later · before 2e7eab81425ad6c875f2ed47c0ce01e78afc38a5affected · git
    • 5c911beff20aa8639e7a1f28988736c13e03ed54 and later · before 1b0cafaae8884726c597caded50af185ffc13349affected · git
    • 5c911beff20aa8639e7a1f28988736c13e03ed54 and later · before 6b539a7dbb49250f92515c2ba60aea239efc9e35affected · git
    • 5c911beff20aa8639e7a1f28988736c13e03ed54 and later · before 63fada296062e91ad9f871970d4e7f19e21a6a15affected · git
    • 5c911beff20aa8639e7a1f28988736c13e03ed54 and later · before 2e7eab81425ad6c875f2ed47c0ce01e78afc38a5affected · git
    • 5.4.47 and later · before 5.4.233affected · semver
    • 5.6.19 and later · before 5.7.0affected · semver

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
AlmaLinux:8bpftoolbefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernelbefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-abi-stablelistsbefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-corebefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-cross-headersbefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-debugbefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-debug-corebefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-debug-develbefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-debug-modulesbefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-debug-modules-extrabefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-develbefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-docbefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-modulesbefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-modules-extrabefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-rtbefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.rt7.274.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.rt7.274.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-rt-corebefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.rt7.274.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.rt7.274.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-rt-debugbefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.rt7.274.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.rt7.274.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-rt-debug-corebefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.rt7.274.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.rt7.274.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-rt-debug-develbefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.rt7.274.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.rt7.274.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-rt-debug-kvmbefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.rt7.274.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.rt7.274.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-rt-debug-modulesbefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.rt7.274.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.rt7.274.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-rt-debug-modules-extrabefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.rt7.274.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.rt7.274.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-rt-develbefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.rt7.274.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.rt7.274.el8_8
AlmaLinux:8kernel-rt-kvmbefore 4.18.0-477.10.1.rt7.274.el8_84.18.0-477.10.1.rt7.274.el8_8

+96

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  • CVE-2016-5195Race condition in mm/gup.c in the Linux kernel 2.x through 4.x before 4.8.3 allows local users to gain privileges by leveraging incorrect haKEV
    83Now
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Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
Linux Linux Kernel1b0cafaae8884726c597caded50af185ffc13349Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux Kernel2e7eab81425ad6c875f2ed47c0ce01e78afc38a5Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux Kernel5.10.170Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux Kernel5.15.96Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux Kernel5.4.233Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux Kernel5.7.0Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux Kernel5.8.0Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux Kernel6.1.14Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux Kernel63fada296062e91ad9f871970d4e7f19e21a6a15Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux Kernel6b539a7dbb49250f92515c2ba60aea239efc9e35Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux Kernelf93a1a5bdcdd122aae0a3eab7a52c15b71fb725bVendor (CNA)
almalinux:kernel-rt5.14.0-284.11.1.rt14.296.el9_2 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-rt-core5.14.0-284.11.1.rt14.296.el9_2 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-rt-debug5.14.0-284.11.1.rt14.296.el9_2 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-rt-debug-core5.14.0-284.11.1.rt14.296.el9_2 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-rt-debug-devel5.14.0-284.11.1.rt14.296.el9_2 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-rt-debug-kvm5.14.0-284.11.1.rt14.296.el9_2 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-rt-debug-modules5.14.0-284.11.1.rt14.296.el9_2 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-rt-debug-modules-core5.14.0-284.11.1.rt14.296.el9_2 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-rt-debug-modules-extra5.14.0-284.11.1.rt14.296.el9_2 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-rt-devel5.14.0-284.11.1.rt14.296.el9_2 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-rt-kvm5.14.0-284.11.1.rt14.296.el9_2 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-rt-modules5.14.0-284.11.1.rt14.296.el9_2 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
debian:linux6.1.15-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
debian:linux-5.105.10.178-3~deb10u1 · Debian:10Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:dtb-aarch645.14.21-150400.24.63.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.4Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-default5.14.21-150400.24.63.1 · openSUSE:Leap Micro 5.3Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-default-base5.14.21-150400.24.63.1.150400.24.27.1 · openSUSE:Leap Micro 5.3Package registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-rt0:5.14.0-284.11.1.rt14.296.el9_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::nfvPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-rt-core0:5.14.0-284.11.1.rt14.296.el9_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::nfvPackage registry (OSV)

+19

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

EPSS, last 120 days

FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
high · data can be read
Integrity
high · data or configuration can be modified
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted

Impact can extend beyond the vulnerable component (scope changes).

Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
High
Availability impact
High

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

Noroxi analysis

No Noroxi analysis for this record yet

We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.

We use this product, ask for help

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

All records