CVE-2026-98720: KVM: nVMX: Force MSR bitmap refresh if runtime eVMCS controls are modified
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 0/100)
- 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: 0.16% (FIRST EPSS).
- Fixed version: Linux Linux 1e497e3bdab6983deb68a1d26b488027deb4527f, 2abb25273c82061dd4670690c81c319c03740bf6, 2db11598b59f16ddb6420693f9a4ac4efc3d4789; azl3 kernel 6.6.157.1-1 on Azure Linux 3.0 Release Notes; azl3 kernel 6.6.159.1-1 on Azure Linux 3.0 Release Notes.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 1e497e3bdab6983deb68a1d26b488027deb4527f, 2abb25273c82061dd4670690c81c319c03740bf6, 2db11598b59f16ddb6420693f9a4ac4efc3d4789; azl3 kernel 6.6.157.1-1 on Azure Linux 3.0 Release Notes; azl3 kernel 6.6.159.1-1 on Azure Linux 3.0 Release Notes 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: nVMX: Force MSR bitmap refresh if runtime eVMCS controls are modified Force a refresh of the vmcs02 MSR bitmap during nested VM-Enter if the runtime eVMCS controls (pin, primary, secondary, etc.) are being updated. If L1 isn't intercepting TPR writes, runs L2 with TPR virtualization, and then runs the same L2 with TPR virtualization disabled, KVM will fail to refresh msr_bitmap02 and leave TPR in passthrough mode even though TPR virtualization is disabled. I.e. failure to refresh the bitmap lets L2 (or L1 by proxy) read and write L0's TPR.
- Published
- Oct 18, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 19, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.1% · 6th percentile
- CWE
- —
Report tools
Action score
0
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 0 / 40 · —
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.1%
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.
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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
- 5.17affected
- 502d2bf5f2fd7c05adc2d4f057910bd5d4c4c63e and later · before 2db11598b59f16ddb6420693f9a4ac4efc3d4789affected · git
- 502d2bf5f2fd7c05adc2d4f057910bd5d4c4c63e and later · before f6189e26d0237e47e2f04f9cb1e43fd19a9b2f3aaffected · git
- 502d2bf5f2fd7c05adc2d4f057910bd5d4c4c63e and later · before 1e497e3bdab6983deb68a1d26b488027deb4527faffected · git
- 502d2bf5f2fd7c05adc2d4f057910bd5d4c4c63e and later · before 2abb25273c82061dd4670690c81c319c03740bf6affected · git
- before 5.17not affected · semver
- 6.12.113 and later · up to and including 6.12.*not affected · semver
- 6.18.56 and later · up to and including 6.18.*not affected · semver
- 7.2.10 and later · up to and including 7.2.*not affected · semver
- 7.3 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:12 | linux | from 0 | — |
| Debian:12 | linux-6.12 | before 6.12.113-1~deb12u1 | 6.12.113-1~deb12u1 |
| Debian:13 | linux | before 6.12.113-1 | 6.12.113-1 |
| Debian:14 | linux | before 7.2.10-1 | 7.2.10-1 |
Same product
linux: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2026-74705udp: fix potential use-after-free in tunnel segmentation40Plan
- CVE-2026-74612veth: fix skb length accounting after XDP frag adjustment40Plan
- CVE-2026-74475vxlan: use neigh_ha_snapshot() in route_shortcircuit()40Plan
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2026-98718Oct 18, 2026 · KVM: SEV: Do cache maintenance on the source VM *before* clearing SEV state0Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2026-98719Oct 18, 2026 · KVM: SEV: Nullify "have run CPUs" mask pointer when freeing it0Monitor
- Later →CVE-2026-98721Oct 18, 2026 · mtd: rawnand: cadence: Initialize IRQ state before requesting IRQ0Monitor
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 | 1e497e3bdab6983deb68a1d26b488027deb4527f | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | 2abb25273c82061dd4670690c81c319c03740bf6 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | 2db11598b59f16ddb6420693f9a4ac4efc3d4789 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | f6189e26d0237e47e2f04f9cb1e43fd19a9b2f3a | Vendor (CNA) |
| azl3 kernel 6.6.157.1-1 on Azure Linux 3.0 | Release Notes | Microsoft (MSRC) |
| azl3 kernel 6.6.159.1-1 on Azure Linux 3.0 | Release Notes | Microsoft (MSRC) |
| debian:linux | 6.12.113-1 · Debian:13 | Package registry (OSV) |
| debian:linux-6.12 | 6.12.113-1~deb12u1 · Debian:12 | 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.
- Published
- Fix recordedsame day
- TodayNov 6, 2026+19 d
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.
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.
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Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
No CVSS vector for this record, so attack conditions can't be derived.
Weakness class (CWE)
—
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
- Exploit maturity— → none
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (3 more)Show less
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.