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CVE Record

CVE-2025-37936: perf/x86/intel: KVM: Mask PEBS_ENABLE loaded for guest with vCPU's value.

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: perf/x86/intel: KVM: Mask PEBS_ENABLE loaded for guest with vCPU's value. When generating the MSR_IA32_PEBS_ENABLE value that will be loaded on VM-Entry to a KVM guest, mask the value with the vCPU's desired PEBS_ENABLE value. Consulting only the host kernel's host vs. guest masks results in running the guest with PEBS enabled even when the guest doesn't want to use PEBS. Because KVM uses perf events to proxy the guest virtual PMU, simply looking at exclude_host can't differentiate between events created by host userspace, and events created by KVM on behalf of the guest. Running the guest with PEBS unexpectedly enabled typically manifests as crashes due to a near-infinite stream of #PFs. E.g. if the guest hasn't written MSR_IA32_DS_AREA, the CPU will hit page faults on address '0' when trying to record PEBS events. The issue is most easily reproduced by running `perf kvm top` from before commit 7b100989b4f6 ("perf evlist: Remove __evlist__add_default") (after which, `perf kvm top` effectively stopped using PEBS). The userspace side of perf creates a guest-only PEBS event, which intel_guest_get_msrs() misconstrues a guest-*owned* PEBS event. Arguably, this is a userspace bug, as enabling PEBS on guest-only events simply cannot work, and userspace can kill VMs in many other ways (there is no danger to the host). However, even if this is considered to be bad userspace behavior, there's zero downside to perf/KVM restricting PEBS to guest-owned events. Note, commit 854250329c02 ("KVM: x86/pmu: Disable guest PEBS temporarily in two rare situations") fixed the case where host userspace is profiling KVM *and* userspace, but missed the case where userspace is profiling only KVM.

HighCVSS 8.7Not KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

A Linux KVM flaw can unintentionally enable Intel processor performance tracing inside a virtual machine. Under specific host-side monitoring conditions, this may trigger an overwhelming stream of guest page faults and crash the VM. The kernel description says the host itself is not endangered, making this primarily a targeted virtual-machine availability risk.

Executive priority

Prioritize expedited remediation on Intel KVM clusters where local users or monitoring services can access performance events. This is not supported as an internet-scale emergency or host-escape issue, but repeated guest crashes could disrupt critical workloads. Validate exposure before accelerating unrelated Linux systems.

Technical view

KVM generated IA32_PEBS_ENABLE for VM entry from host-versus-guest perf masks without also applying the vCPU’s requested PEBS value. A guest that did not configure IA32_DS_AREA could consequently receive repeated page faults at address zero when PEBS recorded events. The correction restricts PEBS to events owned by the guest.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to affected Linux kernels running KVM on Intel systems where PEBS and virtual PMU performance monitoring are relevant. The documented trigger involves host userspace profiling KVM with guest-only PEBS events. The CVSS vector indicates local, low-privilege access, but practical reach depends on host performance-monitoring permissions and configuration.

Exploitation context

The supplied record is not in CISA KEV, and the sources provide no evidence of active exploitation. They document a reproducible VM-crash condition involving performance monitoring. The stated impact is guest instability rather than host compromise; broader confidentiality or integrity consequences are not demonstrated in the supplied technical description.

Researcher notes

The key ownership error was treating a guest-only event created by host userspace as guest-owned. An earlier mitigation covered simultaneous KVM and userspace profiling but missed KVM-only profiling. The supplied affected-version representation is incomplete for precise package decisions, so branch and distribution status should be confirmed through vendor guidance.

Mitigation direction

  • Upgrade affected systems to a vendor-supported kernel containing the referenced PEBS_ENABLE correction.
  • Match each kernel branch to the appropriate vendor advisory or referenced stable commit before deployment.
  • Until updated, restrict host performance-monitoring access to trusted administrators.
  • Avoid guest-only PEBS monitoring on affected KVM hosts where operationally feasible.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Intel KVM hosts, running kernel versions, and virtual PMU configurations.
  • Confirm vendor package changelogs identify CVE-2025-37936 or the applicable referenced stable commit.
  • Review host monitoring workflows for KVM-focused PEBS event collection.
  • After updating, regression-test VM stability during approved performance monitoring and review guest fault logs.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
8

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-2025-37936 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
8.7 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/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.

1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
1ADP providers
7Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

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
8.7CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:H26Linux

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

8.7High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2025-37936Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/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

CVECVE Program Container
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxc59a1f106f5cd4843c097069ff1bb2ad72103a67, c59a1f106f5cd4843c097069ff1bb2ad72103a67, c59a1f106f5cd4843c097069ff1bb2ad72103a67, c59a1f106f5cd4843c097069ff1bb2ad72103a67, c59a1f106f5cd4843c097069ff1bb2ad72103a67unaffected
LinuxLinux6.0, 0, 6.1.138, 6.6.90, 6.12.28, 6.14.6, 6.15affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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