CVE-2023-53319: KVM: arm64: Handle kvm_arm_init failure correctly in finalize_pkvm
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 22/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.14% (FIRST EPSS).
- 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.
- Fixed version: Linux Linux 91450dec0445f4d12f960ba68d8d05c3cb2ab5b8, fa729bc7c9c8c17a2481358c841ef8ca920485d3.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 91450dec0445f4d12f960ba68d8d05c3cb2ab5b8, fa729bc7c9c8c17a2481358c841ef8ca920485d3 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: arm64: Handle kvm_arm_init failure correctly in finalize_pkvm Currently there is no synchronisation between finalize_pkvm() and kvm_arm_init() initcalls. The finalize_pkvm() proceeds happily even if kvm_arm_init() fails resulting in the following warning on all the CPUs and eventually a HYP panic: | kvm [1]: IPA Size Limit: 48 bits | kvm [1]: Failed to init hyp memory protection | kvm [1]: error initializing Hyp mode: -22 | | <snip> | | WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 0 at arch/arm64/kvm/pkvm.c:226 _kvm_host_prot_finalize+0x30/0x50 | Modules linked in: | CPU: 0 PID: 0 Comm: swapper/0 Not tainted 6.4.0 #237 | Hardware name: FVP Base RevC (DT) | pstate: 634020c5 (nZCv daIF +PAN -UAO +TCO +DIT -SSBS BTYPE=--) | pc : _kvm_host_prot_finalize+0x30/0x50 | lr : __flush_smp_call_function_queue+0xd8/0x230 | | Call trace: | _kvm_host_prot_finalize+0x3c/0x50 | on_each_cpu_cond_mask+0x3c/0x6c | pkvm_drop_host_privileges+0x4c/0x78 | finalize_pkvm+0x3c/0x5c | do_one_initcall+0xcc/0x240 | do_initcall_level+0x8c/0xac | do_initcalls+0x54/0x94 | do_basic_setup+0x1c/0x28 | kernel_init_freeable+0x100/0x16c | kernel_init+0x20/0x1a0 | ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20 | Failed to finalize Hyp protection: -22 | dtb=fvp-base-revc.dtb | kvm [95]: nVHE hyp BUG at: arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/nvhe/mem_protect.c:540! | kvm [95]: nVHE call trace: | kvm [95]: [<ffff800081052984>] __kvm_nvhe_hyp_panic+0xac/0xf8 | kvm [95]: [<ffff800081059644>] __kvm_nvhe_handle_host_mem_abort+0x1a0/0x2ac | kvm [95]: [<ffff80008105511c>] __kvm_nvhe_handle_trap+0x4c/0x160 | kvm [95]: [<ffff8000810540fc>] __kvm_nvhe___skip_pauth_save+0x4/0x4 | kvm [95]: ---[ end nVHE call trace ]--- | kvm [95]: Hyp Offset: 0xfffe8db00ffa0000 | Kernel panic - not syncing: HYP panic: | PS:a34023c9 PC:0000f250710b973c ESR:00000000f2000800 | FAR:ffff000800cb00d0 HPFAR:000000000880cb00 PAR:0000000000000000 | VCPU:0000000000000000 | CPU: 3 PID: 95 Comm: kworker/u16:2 Tainted: G W 6.4.0 #237 | Hardware name: FVP Base RevC (DT) | Workqueue: rpciod rpc_async_schedule | Call trace: | dump_backtrace+0xec/0x108 | show_stack+0x18/0x2c | dump_stack_lvl+0x50/0x68 | dump_stack+0x18/0x24 | panic+0x138/0x33c | nvhe_hyp_panic_handler+0x100/0x184 | new_slab+0x23c/0x54c | ___slab_alloc+0x3e4/0x770 | kmem_cache_alloc_node+0x1f0/0x278 | __alloc_skb+0xdc/0x294 | tcp_stream_alloc_skb+0x2c/0xf0 | tcp_sendmsg_locked+0x3d0/0xda4 | tcp_sendmsg+0x38/0x5c | inet_sendmsg+0x44/0x60 | sock_sendmsg+0x1c/0x34 | xprt_sock_sendmsg+0xdc/0x274 | xs_tcp_send_request+0x1ac/0x28c | xprt_transmit+0xcc/0x300 | call_transmit+0x78/0x90 | __rpc_execute+0x114/0x3d8 | rpc_async_schedule+0x28/0x48 | process_one_work+0x1d8/0x314 | worker_thread+0x248/0x474 | kthread+0xfc/0x184 | ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20 | SMP: stopping secondary CPUs | Kernel Offset: 0x57c5cb460000 from 0xffff800080000000 | PHYS_OFFSET: 0x80000000 | CPU features: 0x00000000,1035b7a3,ccfe773f | Memory Limit: none | ---[ end Kernel panic - not syncing: HYP panic: | PS:a34023c9 PC:0000f250710b973c ESR:00000000f2000800 | FAR:ffff000800cb00d0 HPFAR:000000000880cb00 PAR:0000000000000000 | VCPU:0000000000000000 ]--- Fix it by checking for the successfull initialisation of kvm_arm_init() in finalize_pkvm() before proceeding any futher.
- Published
- Sep 16, 2025
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.1% · 3th percentile
- CWE
- —
Report tools
Action score
22
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 22 / 40 · 5.5 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.1%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- partial
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| linux | linux kernel | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- linux linux kernel6.4 and later · before 6.4.8
- linux linux kernel6.5
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Linux). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
Linux Linux
- 6.4affected
- 87727ba2bb05cc3cb4233231faa7ab4c7eeb6c73 and later · before 91450dec0445f4d12f960ba68d8d05c3cb2ab5b8affected · git
- 87727ba2bb05cc3cb4233231faa7ab4c7eeb6c73 and later · before fa729bc7c9c8c17a2481358c841ef8ca920485d3affected · git
- before 6.4not affected · semver
- 6.4.8 and later · up to and including 6.4.*not affected · semver
- 6.5 and laternot affected · original_commit_for_fix
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:13 | linux | before 6.4.11-1 | 6.4.11-1 |
Same product
linux: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2026-31431crypto: algif_aead - Revert to operating out-of-placeKEV90Now
- CVE-2022-0847A flaw was found in the way the "flags" member of the new pipe buffer structure was lacking proper initialization in copy_page_to_iter_pipe KEV89Now
- CVE-2021-22555Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACEKEV85Now
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2023-53317Sep 16, 2025 · ext4: fix WARNING in mb_find_extent22Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2023-53318Sep 16, 2025 · recordmcount: Fix memory leaks in the uwrite function22Monitor
- Later →CVE-2023-53320Sep 16, 2025 · scsi: mpi3mr: Fix issues in mpi3mr_get_all_tgt_info()31Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Linux Linux | 91450dec0445f4d12f960ba68d8d05c3cb2ab5b8 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | fa729bc7c9c8c17a2481358c841ef8ca920485d3 | Vendor (CNA) |
| debian:linux | 6.4.11-1 · Debian:13 | Package registry (OSV) |
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.
No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, 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
- none
- Integrity
- none
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- None
- Integrity impact
- None
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
—
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (1 more)Show less
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.