CVE-2021-47092

What it is

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: VMX: Always clear vmx->fail on emulation_required Revert a relatively recent change that set vmx->fail if the vCPU is in L2 and emulation_required is true, as that behavior is completely bogus. Setting vmx->fail and synthesizing a VM-Exit is contradictory and wrong: (a) it's impossible to have both a VM-Fail and VM-Exit (b) vmcs.EXIT_REASON is not modified on VM-Fail (c) emulation_required refers to guest state and guest state checks are always VM-Exits, not VM-Fails. For KVM specifically, emulation_required is handled before nested exits in __vmx_handle_exit(), thus setting vmx->fail has no immediate effect, i.e. KVM calls into handle_invalid_guest_state() and vmx->fail is ignored. Setting vmx->fail can ultimately result in a WARN in nested_vmx_vmexit() firing when tearing down the VM as KVM never expects vmx->fail to be set when L2 is active, KVM always reflects those errors into L1. ------------[ cut here ]------------ WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 21158 at arch/x86/kvm/vmx/nested.c:4548 nested_vmx_vmexit+0x16bd/0x17e0 arch/x86/kvm/vmx/nested.c:4547 Modules linked in: CPU: 0 PID: 21158 Comm: syz-executor.1 Not tainted 5.16.0-rc3-syzkaller #0 Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 01/01/2011 RIP: 0010:nested_vmx_vmexit+0x16bd/0x17e0 arch/x86/kvm/vmx/nested.c:4547 Code: <0f> 0b e9 2e f8 ff ff e8 57 b3 5d 00 0f 0b e9 00 f1 ff ff 89 e9 80 Call Trace: vmx_leave_nested arch/x86/kvm/vmx/nested.c:6220 [inline] nested_vmx_free_vcpu+0x83/0xc0 arch/x86/kvm/vmx/nested.c:330 vmx_free_vcpu+0x11f/0x2a0 arch/x86/kvm/vmx/vmx.c:6799 kvm_arch_vcpu_destroy+0x6b/0x240 arch/x86/kvm/x86.c:10989 kvm_vcpu_destroy+0x29/0x90 arch/x86/kvm/../../../virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:441 kvm_free_vcpus arch/x86/kvm/x86.c:11426 [inline] kvm_arch_destroy_vm+0x3ef/0x6b0 arch/x86/kvm/x86.c:11545 kvm_destroy_vm arch/x86/kvm/../../../virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:1189 [inline] kvm_put_kvm+0x751/0xe40 arch/x86/kvm/../../../virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:1220 kvm_vcpu_release+0x53/0x60 arch/x86/kvm/../../../virt/kvm/kvm_main.c:3489 __fput+0x3fc/0x870 fs/file_table.c:280 task_work_run+0x146/0x1c0 kernel/task_work.c:164 exit_task_work include/linux/task_work.h:32 [inline] do_exit+0x705/0x24f0 kernel/exit.c:832 do_group_exit+0x168/0x2d0 kernel/exit.c:929 get_signal+0x1740/0x2120 kernel/signal.c:2852 arch_do_signal_or_restart+0x9c/0x730 arch/x86/kernel/signal.c:868 handle_signal_work kernel/entry/common.c:148 [inline] exit_to_user_mode_loop kernel/entry/common.c:172 [inline] exit_to_user_mode_prepare+0x191/0x220 kernel/entry/common.c:207 __syscall_exit_to_user_mode_work kernel/entry/common.c:289 [inline] syscall_exit_to_user_mode+0x2e/0x70 kernel/entry/common.c:300 do_syscall_64+0x53/0xd0 arch/x86/entry/common.c:86 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae

At a glance

Exploitability

Can be exploited locally on the machine with a low-privilege account. High risk of service disruption.

Exploit odds

0.3% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).

Fix

A patch, advisory or fixed version is referenced. Upgrade or apply it.

Timeline

1. 2024-03-04 18:15 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
2. 2026-06-17 04:16 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Why it ranks here

• Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
• Exploit odds: 0.3% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
• Severity: 5.5 MEDIUM (CVSS).
• Fix: a patch or advisory is linked.

Details

Published

2024-03-04 18:15 UTC

Last modified

2026-06-17 04:16 UTC

Exploit probability

0.3% · EPSS, next 30 days

Record status

Analyzed

Affected

• Linux Kernel < 5.15.12
• Linux Kernel 5.16

Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 5.5

Attack vector

Local

Complexity

Low

Privileges needed

Low

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

None

Integrity

None

Availability

High

Is it in your code?

Hand this to your coding agent. It searches your project for the affected products and checks versions. Nothing leaves your machine.

Read https://cve-list.com/agent/cve/CVE-2021-47092.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2021-47092. Read only. Don't change anything and don't upload my code. Tell me yes, no or not sure, with the file as proof.

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