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CVE Record

CVE-2024-58083: KVM: Explicitly verify target vCPU is online in kvm_get_vcpu()

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: Explicitly verify target vCPU is online in kvm_get_vcpu() Explicitly verify the target vCPU is fully online _prior_ to clamping the index in kvm_get_vcpu(). If the index is "bad", the nospec clamping will generate '0', i.e. KVM will return vCPU0 instead of NULL. In practice, the bug is unlikely to cause problems, as it will only come into play if userspace or the guest is buggy or misbehaving, e.g. KVM may send interrupts to vCPU0 instead of dropping them on the floor. However, returning vCPU0 when it shouldn't exist per online_vcpus is problematic now that KVM uses an xarray for the vCPUs array, as KVM needs to insert into the xarray before publishing the vCPU to userspace (see commit c5b077549136 ("KVM: Convert the kvm->vcpus array to a xarray")), i.e. before vCPU creation is guaranteed to succeed. As a result, incorrectly providing access to vCPU0 will trigger a use-after-free if vCPU0 is dereferenced and kvm_vm_ioctl_create_vcpu() bails out of vCPU creation due to an error and frees vCPU0. Commit afb2acb2e3a3 ("KVM: Fix vcpu_array[0] races") papered over that issue, but in doing so introduced an unsolvable teardown conundrum. Preventing accesses to vCPU0 before it's fully online will allow reverting commit afb2acb2e3a3, without re-introducing the vcpu_array[0] UAF race.

HighCVSS 7.8Not KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

Linux KVM can return vCPU0 when an invalid or not-yet-online virtual CPU is requested. If vCPU creation then fails, later code may access freed memory, potentially affecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The issue requires local, low-privileged access and unusual buggy or misbehaving guest or userspace behavior, making it important for virtualization hosts but not a routine remote threat.

Executive priority

Treat this as a high-priority virtualization-host patching item, especially for multi-tenant systems or hosts exposed to untrusted guests or local users. It does not warrant an internet-wide emergency response based on this bundle because the attack vector is local and exploitation is unconfirmed. Expedite inventory, vendor-version confirmation, controlled updating, and reboot verification.

Technical view

kvm_get_vcpu() performed nospec index clamping before confirming the target was fully online. A bad index therefore became zero and returned vCPU0 rather than NULL. Because xarray publication precedes guaranteed vCPU-creation success, an error could free vCPU0 while another path retained access, enabling a CWE-416 use-after-free. The correction validates online_vcpus before clamping and access.

Likely exposure

Exposure is concentrated on KVM systems running affected Linux kernels, particularly where local users, virtualization processes, or guests exercise vCPU lifecycle paths. The bundle lists affected releases from 5.1 through 6.14 but mixes versions and commit identifiers; distribution backports may change status. Confirm each running vendor kernel against its advisory or the cited stable fixes.

Exploitation context

KEV is false, and the supplied sources do not report active exploitation or a public proof of concept. The kernel description calls practical impact unlikely and associates triggering with buggy or misbehaving userspace or guests. CVSS 3.1 scores it 7.8: local access, low complexity, low privileges, no user interaction, and high modeled impact.

Researcher notes

Review vCPU publication, failure cleanup, and concurrent callers of kvm_get_vcpu(). The critical invariant is that callers cannot receive a vCPU before online_vcpus publishes it. The bundle establishes a possible use-after-free but provides no demonstrated exploitability, affected-architecture breakdown, or evidence of guest-to-host code execution. Version assessment requires branch-specific commit or distribution-package analysis.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply a vendor-supported kernel update containing the appropriate cited Linux stable fix.
  • Reboot into the updated kernel and confirm the running release and package.
  • Prioritize KVM hosts accepting untrusted guests or local virtualization users.
  • If patching is delayed, consult vendor guidance; supplied sources name no temporary workaround.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory KVM-enabled hosts and record each exact running kernel package and build.
  • Map each build to its distribution advisory or cited stable-branch correction.
  • Confirm the patched kernel is active after reboot, not merely installed.
  • Review scanner findings against vendor backports to avoid version-only misclassification.
  • Verify KVM workloads and vCPU lifecycle tests operate normally after updating.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
12

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

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cwe · low confidence lookup

CWE-416: 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.

Open ATT&CK lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2024-58083 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
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

Official CVE source material

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.

2CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
2ADP providers
11Source 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.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
7.8CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9Linux
7.8CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9CISA-ADP

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.8High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2024-58083Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
cvssV3_1other:ssvc
CVECVE Program Container
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux1d487e9bf8ba66a7174c56a0029c54b1eca8f99c, 1d487e9bf8ba66a7174c56a0029c54b1eca8f99c, 1d487e9bf8ba66a7174c56a0029c54b1eca8f99c, 1d487e9bf8ba66a7174c56a0029c54b1eca8f99c, 1d487e9bf8ba66a7174c56a0029c54b1eca8f99c, 1d487e9bf8ba66a7174c56a0029c54b1eca8f99c, 1d487e9bf8ba66a7174c56a0029c54b1eca8f99c, 1d487e9bf8ba66a7174c56a0029c54b1eca8f99c, 559e2696d2f47a3575e9550f101a7e59e30b1b38, d39f3cc71382165bb7efb8e06a2bd32f847de4ae, 7cee966029037a183d98cb88251ceb92a233fe63, 4.14.120, 4.19.44, 5.0.17unaffected
LinuxLinux5.1, 0, 5.4.291, 5.10.235, 5.15.179, 6.1.129, 6.6.78, 6.12.14, 6.13.3, 6.14affected
Weakness

CWE details

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.

CWE-416 · source CWE mapping

Use After Free

Use After Free represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.