Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A flaw in Linux KVM on Arm64 can leave a virtual CPU referencing memory after its interrupt-controller redistributor region is removed. A locally privileged attacker reaching the vulnerable path could potentially compromise confidentiality, integrity, or availability. Risk is concentrated on affected Arm64 virtualization hosts, not every Linux system.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority infrastructure patch for affected Arm64 KVM hosts, especially multi-tenant systems. Prioritize exposure verification because the supplied version boundaries are unclear. Non-Arm64 systems and hosts without KVM are unlikely to match the described vulnerable component.
Technical view
During Arm64 KVM redistributor-region teardown, a vCPU may retain a dangling pointer to the removed region. The CVSS 3.1 assessment is 7.8 (local access, low complexity, low privileges, no user interaction, with high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts). Stable-kernel commits disassociate vCPUs during teardown.
Likely exposure
Likely exposure is limited to Arm64 Linux systems running KVM and affected kernel revisions where redistributor regions can be torn down. The supplied version data is ambiguous and includes commit identifiers and several release numbers; administrators should map installed distribution kernels against vendor advisories or the referenced stable fixes.
Exploitation context
The supplied evidence does not establish active exploitation, and the CVE is not identified as being in CISA KEV. The CVSS vector describes a local, low-privilege, low-complexity attack requiring no user interaction. Public exploit availability and practical prerequisites are not documented in the bundle.
Researcher notes
The core condition is a dangling vCPU reference after redistributor-region teardown. The bundle supports severe theoretical impact through CVSS, but provides no crash trace, exploit demonstration, or confirmed exploitation. Researchers should compare vendor backports with the four referenced stable commits rather than relying solely on upstream version numbers.
Mitigation direction
- Install a vendor-supported kernel containing the applicable referenced stable fix.
- Prioritize Arm64 KVM hosts that run untrusted or multi-tenant workloads.
- Consult distribution security guidance to map backported fixes to installed kernel packages.
- Restrict local access and unnecessary virtualization-management privileges until patched.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Arm64 systems and identify which hosts have KVM enabled.
- Record installed kernel package versions and distribution security-update status.
- Confirm the vendor kernel includes the applicable stable fix or documented backport.
- After updating, reboot into the fixed kernel and verify the running version.
- Review host logs for unexplained KVM crashes; absence does not prove safety.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
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.
CVE-2024-40989 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
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.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe 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.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9LinuxVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/68df4fc449fcc24347209e500ce26d5816705a77CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/48bb62859d47c5c4197a8c01128d0fa4f46ee58cCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/152b4123f21e6aff31cea01158176ad96a999c76CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0d92e4a7ffd5c42b9fa864692f82476c0bf8bcc8CVE reference, Linux
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/01/msg00001.htmlCVE reference, CVE
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.