CVE-2024-26976: KVM: Always flush async #PF workqueue when vCPU is being destroyed
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
KVM: Always flush async #PF workqueue when vCPU is being destroyed
Always flush the per-vCPU async #PF workqueue when a vCPU is clearing its
completion queue, e.g. when a VM and all its vCPUs is being destroyed.
KVM must ensure that none of its workqueue callbacks is running when the
last reference to the KVM _module_ is put. Gifting a reference to the
associated VM prevents the workqueue callback from dereferencing freed
vCPU/VM memory, but does not prevent the KVM module from being unloaded
before the callback completes.
Drop the misguided VM refcount gifting, as calling kvm_put_kvm() from
async_pf_execute() if kvm_put_kvm() flushes the async #PF workqueue will
result in deadlock. async_pf_execute() can't return until kvm_put_kvm()
finishes, and kvm_put_kvm() can't return until async_pf_execute() finishes:
WARNING: CPU: 8 PID: 251 at virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:1435 kvm_put_kvm+0x2d/0x320 [kvm]
Modules linked in: vhost_net vhost vhost_iotlb tap kvm_intel kvm irqbypass
CPU: 8 PID: 251 Comm: kworker/8:1 Tainted: G W 6.6.0-rc1-e7af8d17224a-x86/gmem-vm #119
Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS 0.0.0 02/06/2015
Workqueue: events async_pf_execute [kvm]
RIP: 0010:kvm_put_kvm+0x2d/0x320 [kvm]
Call Trace:
<TASK>
async_pf_execute+0x198/0x260 [kvm]
process_one_work+0x145/0x2d0
worker_thread+0x27e/0x3a0
kthread+0xba/0xe0
ret_from_fork+0x2d/0x50
ret_from_fork_asm+0x11/0x20
</TASK>
---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]---
INFO: task kworker/8:1:251 blocked for more than 120 seconds.
Tainted: G W 6.6.0-rc1-e7af8d17224a-x86/gmem-vm #119
"echo 0 > /proc/sys/kernel/hung_task_timeout_secs" disables this message.
task:kworker/8:1 state:D stack:0 pid:251 ppid:2 flags:0x00004000
Workqueue: events async_pf_execute [kvm]
Call Trace:
<TASK>
__schedule+0x33f/0xa40
schedule+0x53/0xc0
schedule_timeout+0x12a/0x140
__wait_for_common+0x8d/0x1d0
__flush_work.isra.0+0x19f/0x2c0
kvm_clear_async_pf_completion_queue+0x129/0x190 [kvm]
kvm_arch_destroy_vm+0x78/0x1b0 [kvm]
kvm_put_kvm+0x1c1/0x320 [kvm]
async_pf_execute+0x198/0x260 [kvm]
process_one_work+0x145/0x2d0
worker_thread+0x27e/0x3a0
kthread+0xba/0xe0
ret_from_fork+0x2d/0x50
ret_from_fork_asm+0x11/0x20
</TASK>
If kvm_clear_async_pf_completion_queue() actually flushes the workqueue,
then there's no need to gift async_pf_execute() a reference because all
invocations of async_pf_execute() will be forced to complete before the
vCPU and its VM are destroyed/freed. And that in turn fixes the module
unloading bug as __fput() won't do module_put() on the last vCPU reference
until the vCPU has been freed, e.g. if closing the vCPU file also puts the
last reference to the KVM module.
Note that kvm_check_async_pf_completion() may also take the work item off
the completion queue and so also needs to flush the work queue, as the
work will not be seen by kvm_clear_async_pf_completion_queue(). Waiting
on the workqueue could theoretically delay a vCPU due to waiting for the
work to complete, but that's a very, very small chance, and likely a very
small delay. kvm_arch_async_page_present_queued() unconditionally makes a
new request, i.e. will effectively delay entering the guest, so the
remaining work is really just:
trace_kvm_async_pf_completed(addr, cr2_or_gpa);
__kvm_vcpu_wake_up(vcpu);
mmput(mm);
and mmput() can't drop the last reference to the page tables if the vCPU is
still alive, i.e. the vCPU won't get stuck tearing down page tables.
Add a helper to do the flushing, specifically to deal with "wakeup all"
work items, as they aren't actually work items, i.e. are never placed in a
workqueue. Trying to flush a bogus workqueue entry rightly makes
__flush_work() complain (kudos to whoever added that sanity check).
Note, commit 5f6de5cbebee ("KVM: Prevent module exit until al
---truncated---
Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A Linux KVM cleanup flaw can leave asynchronous page-fault work running while a virtual CPU, virtual machine, or KVM module is being destroyed. This may cause hangs or unsafe access to freed resources. Exploitation requires local, low-privilege access according to the supplied CVSS assessment, so internet exposure alone is not sufficient.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority virtualization-host update, especially in multi-tenant environments. It is not supported as an internet-remote emergency or known-exploited event. Schedule expedited kernel patching through normal maintenance and verify hosts rebooted into corrected builds.
Technical view
KVM did not consistently flush each vCPU’s asynchronous page-fault workqueue during teardown. A callback could outlive vCPU, VM, or module state, while an attempted reference-count workaround could deadlock. The kernel fix flushes relevant work before destruction and removes the problematic reference gifting.
Likely exposure
Exposure is concentrated on Linux virtualization hosts using KVM with an affected kernel, particularly where untrusted or lower-privileged local users can interact with virtualization workloads. The supplied record lists multiple affected kernel lines through 6.9, but distribution backports can change actual status.
Exploitation context
The supplied CVSS 3.1 vector is 7.8: local access, low complexity, low privileges, no user interaction, and potentially high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact. CISA KEV status is false, and the source bundle provides no evidence of active exploitation or a public exploit.
Researcher notes
Review vCPU teardown paths involving async page-fault completion queues, workqueue flushing, and KVM module reference release. The record’s version data mixes release versions and commit identifiers, so do not infer distribution vulnerability solely from version strings. No exploit method should be inferred from the supplied crash and deadlock traces.
Mitigation direction
Install a vendor-supported kernel update containing the applicable KVM fix.
Prioritize multi-tenant KVM hosts and systems allowing lower-privileged virtualization access.
Follow distribution advisories because vendors may backport fixes without changing the main kernel version.
Where immediate updating is impossible, restrict untrusted local access to KVM capabilities.
Validation and detection
Inventory Linux hosts with KVM enabled and record their exact kernel package builds.
Compare each build with its distribution’s CVE-2024-26976 advisory and backport status.
Confirm the updated kernel is running after installation, not merely installed.
Review logs for KVM teardown warnings, blocked workers, or hangs; absence does not prove safety.
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Potential ATT&CK relevance
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
cwe · low confidence lookup
CWE-400: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
2CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
2ADP providers
12Source links
SSVC decision data
CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: total
CVSS vector scores
2 official scores
We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
CWE-400 · source CWE mapping
Uncontrolled Resource Consumption
Uncontrolled Resource Consumption represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.