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CVE Record

CVE-2025-21839: KVM: x86: Load DR6 with guest value only before entering .vcpu_run() loop

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: x86: Load DR6 with guest value only before entering .vcpu_run() loop Move the conditional loading of hardware DR6 with the guest's DR6 value out of the core .vcpu_run() loop to fix a bug where KVM can load hardware with a stale vcpu->arch.dr6. When the guest accesses a DR and host userspace isn't debugging the guest, KVM disables DR interception and loads the guest's values into hardware on VM-Enter and saves them on VM-Exit. This allows the guest to access DRs at will, e.g. so that a sequence of DR accesses to configure a breakpoint only generates one VM-Exit. For DR0-DR3, the logic/behavior is identical between VMX and SVM, and also identical between KVM_DEBUGREG_BP_ENABLED (userspace debugging the guest) and KVM_DEBUGREG_WONT_EXIT (guest using DRs), and so KVM handles loading DR0-DR3 in common code, _outside_ of the core kvm_x86_ops.vcpu_run() loop. But for DR6, the guest's value doesn't need to be loaded into hardware for KVM_DEBUGREG_BP_ENABLED, and SVM provides a dedicated VMCB field whereas VMX requires software to manually load the guest value, and so loading the guest's value into DR6 is handled by {svm,vmx}_vcpu_run(), i.e. is done _inside_ the core run loop. Unfortunately, saving the guest values on VM-Exit is initiated by common x86, again outside of the core run loop. If the guest modifies DR6 (in hardware, when DR interception is disabled), and then the next VM-Exit is a fastpath VM-Exit, KVM will reload hardware DR6 with vcpu->arch.dr6 and clobber the guest's actual value. The bug shows up primarily with nested VMX because KVM handles the VMX preemption timer in the fastpath, and the window between hardware DR6 being modified (in guest context) and DR6 being read by guest software is orders of magnitude larger in a nested setup. E.g. in non-nested, the VMX preemption timer would need to fire precisely between #DB injection and the #DB handler's read of DR6, whereas with a KVM-on-KVM setup, the window where hardware DR6 is "dirty" extends all the way from L1 writing DR6 to VMRESUME (in L1). L1's view: ========== <L1 disables DR interception> CPU 0/KVM-7289 [023] d.... 2925.640961: kvm_entry: vcpu 0 A: L1 Writes DR6 CPU 0/KVM-7289 [023] d.... 2925.640963: <hack>: Set DRs, DR6 = 0xffff0ff1 B: CPU 0/KVM-7289 [023] d.... 2925.640967: kvm_exit: vcpu 0 reason EXTERNAL_INTERRUPT intr_info 0x800000ec D: L1 reads DR6, arch.dr6 = 0 CPU 0/KVM-7289 [023] d.... 2925.640969: <hack>: Sync DRs, DR6 = 0xffff0ff0 CPU 0/KVM-7289 [023] d.... 2925.640976: kvm_entry: vcpu 0 L2 reads DR6, L1 disables DR interception CPU 0/KVM-7289 [023] d.... 2925.640980: kvm_exit: vcpu 0 reason DR_ACCESS info1 0x0000000000000216 CPU 0/KVM-7289 [023] d.... 2925.640983: kvm_entry: vcpu 0 CPU 0/KVM-7289 [023] d.... 2925.640983: <hack>: Set DRs, DR6 = 0xffff0ff0 L2 detects failure CPU 0/KVM-7289 [023] d.... 2925.640987: kvm_exit: vcpu 0 reason HLT L1 reads DR6 (confirms failure) CPU 0/KVM-7289 [023] d.... 2925.640990: <hack>: Sync DRs, DR6 = 0xffff0ff0 L0's view: ========== L2 reads DR6, arch.dr6 = 0 CPU 23/KVM-5046 [001] d.... 3410.005610: kvm_exit: vcpu 23 reason DR_ACCESS info1 0x0000000000000216 CPU 23/KVM-5046 [001] ..... 3410.005610: kvm_nested_vmexit: vcpu 23 reason DR_ACCESS info1 0x0000000000000216 L2 => L1 nested VM-Exit CPU 23/KVM-5046 [001] ..... 3410.005610: kvm_nested_vmexit_inject: reason: DR_ACCESS ext_inf1: 0x0000000000000216 CPU 23/KVM-5046 [001] d.... 3410.005610: kvm_entry: vcpu 23 CPU 23/KVM-5046 [001] d.... 3410.005611: kvm_exit: vcpu 23 reason VMREAD CPU 23/KVM-5046 [001] d.... 3410.005611: kvm_entry: vcpu 23 CPU 23/KVM-5046 [001] d.... 3410. ---truncated---

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysisunknown

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This is a Linux kernel KVM x86 virtualization bug involving debug register state. In affected kernels, KVM can overwrite a guest VM's DR6 debug status with stale data, especially in nested virtualization. The provided sources do not show guest escape, privilege escalation, data theft, or denial of service.

Executive priority

Treat this as a targeted virtualization maintenance issue, not an emergency based on current evidence. Patch KVM x86 hypervisors through normal kernel update channels, with higher priority for nested virtualization platforms and environments where guest debugging correctness matters.

Technical view

KVM x86 loads guest DR6 inside the vCPU run loop but saves guest debug register values outside it. After guest DR6 changes with interception disabled, a fastpath VM-Exit can cause KVM to reload stale vcpu->arch.dr6 and clobber the guest value. The described failure is most visible with nested VMX/KVM-on-KVM.

Likely exposure

Exposure is likely limited to Linux hosts running affected kernel versions with KVM x86 virtualization. Nested virtualization and workloads relying on debug registers are the clearest scenarios described. Non-KVM systems, non-x86 systems, and patched kernel branches are not indicated as exposed in the provided sources.

Exploitation context

The provided bundle marks KEV as false and contains no cited evidence of active exploitation. The sources describe a correctness flaw in KVM debug register handling, not a public exploit path. Security impact beyond guest debug-state corruption is not established by the available evidence.

Researcher notes

The useful validation angle is kernel provenance, not exploit reproduction. Focus on whether the stable KVM x86 DR6 fix is present in the running kernel. The source text gives detailed execution context but does not establish severity, CVSS, CWE, exploitability, or broader impact.

Mitigation direction

  • Update affected Linux kernels to vendor-supported fixed releases.
  • Review vendor advisories for your distribution before changing production hypervisors.
  • Prioritize KVM x86 hosts that run nested virtualization.
  • Track Debian LTS guidance if using Debian-packaged kernels.
  • Avoid inventing workarounds; use kernel or distribution guidance.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions on KVM x86 hypervisors.
  • Identify hosts with nested virtualization enabled or KVM-on-KVM workloads.
  • Compare installed kernels against vendor fixed kernel packages.
  • Confirm relevant kernel stable commits are included in deployed builds.
  • Check vulnerability scanners for CVE-2025-21839 coverage.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
9

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

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CVE-2025-21839 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
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.

0CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
1ADP providers
8Source links

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

CVECVE Program Container
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxd67668e9dd76d98136048935723947156737932b, d67668e9dd76d98136048935723947156737932b, d67668e9dd76d98136048935723947156737932b, d67668e9dd76d98136048935723947156737932b, d67668e9dd76d98136048935723947156737932b, d67668e9dd76d98136048935723947156737932bunaffected
LinuxLinux5.7, 0, 5.15.182, 6.1.138, 6.6.90, 6.12.16, 6.13.4, 6.14affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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