CVE-2023-53208 (GCVE-0-2023-53208)
Vulnerability from cvelistv5
Published
2025-09-15 14:21
Modified
2025-09-15 14:21
Severity ?
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: nSVM: Load L1's TSC multiplier based on L1 state, not L2 state When emulating nested VM-Exit, load L1's TSC multiplier if L1's desired ratio doesn't match the current ratio, not if the ratio L1 is using for L2 diverges from the default. Functionally, the end result is the same as KVM will run L2 with L1's multiplier if L2's multiplier is the default, i.e. checking that L1's multiplier is loaded is equivalent to checking if L2 has a non-default multiplier. However, the assertion that TSC scaling is exposed to L1 is flawed, as userspace can trigger the WARN at will by writing the MSR and then updating guest CPUID to hide the feature (modifying guest CPUID is allowed anytime before KVM_RUN). E.g. hacking KVM's state_test selftest to do vcpu_set_msr(vcpu, MSR_AMD64_TSC_RATIO, 0); vcpu_clear_cpuid_feature(vcpu, X86_FEATURE_TSCRATEMSR); after restoring state in a new VM+vCPU yields an endless supply of: ------------[ cut here ]------------ WARNING: CPU: 10 PID: 206939 at arch/x86/kvm/svm/nested.c:1105 nested_svm_vmexit+0x6af/0x720 [kvm_amd] Call Trace: nested_svm_exit_handled+0x102/0x1f0 [kvm_amd] svm_handle_exit+0xb9/0x180 [kvm_amd] kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl_run+0x1eab/0x2570 [kvm] kvm_vcpu_ioctl+0x4c9/0x5b0 [kvm] ? trace_hardirqs_off+0x4d/0xa0 __se_sys_ioctl+0x7a/0xc0 __x64_sys_ioctl+0x21/0x30 do_syscall_64+0x41/0x90 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd Unlike the nested VMRUN path, hoisting the svm->tsc_scaling_enabled check into the if-statement is wrong as KVM needs to ensure L1's multiplier is loaded in the above scenario. Alternatively, the WARN_ON() could simply be deleted, but that would make KVM's behavior even more subtle, e.g. it's not immediately obvious why it's safe to write MSR_AMD64_TSC_RATIO when checking only tsc_ratio_msr.
References
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0c94e2468491cbf0754f49a5136ab51294a96b69
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5b2b0535fa7adee7e295fed0a3095082131a8d05
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e91c07f6cf7060d2acb3aeee31a6baebe3773d3f
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version
Linux Linux Version: 5228eb96a4875f8cf5d61d486e3795ac14df8904
Version: 5228eb96a4875f8cf5d61d486e3795ac14df8904
Version: 5228eb96a4875f8cf5d61d486e3795ac14df8904
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   Linux Linux Version: 5.16
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{
  "containers": {
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "arch/x86/kvm/svm/nested.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThan": "5b2b0535fa7adee7e295fed0a3095082131a8d05",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "5228eb96a4875f8cf5d61d486e3795ac14df8904",
              "versionType": "git"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "e91c07f6cf7060d2acb3aeee31a6baebe3773d3f",
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              "versionType": "git"
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              "lessThan": "0c94e2468491cbf0754f49a5136ab51294a96b69",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "5228eb96a4875f8cf5d61d486e3795ac14df8904",
              "versionType": "git"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "defaultStatus": "affected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "arch/x86/kvm/svm/nested.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "5.16"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "5.16",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "6.1.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "6.1.54",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "6.5.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "6.5.4",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "6.6",
              "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "cpeApplicability": [
        {
          "nodes": [
            {
              "cpeMatch": [
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "6.1.54",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "5.16",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "6.5.4",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "5.16",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "6.6",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "5.16",
                  "vulnerable": true
                }
              ],
              "negate": false,
              "operator": "OR"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nKVM: nSVM: Load L1\u0027s TSC multiplier based on L1 state, not L2 state\n\nWhen emulating nested VM-Exit, load L1\u0027s TSC multiplier if L1\u0027s desired\nratio doesn\u0027t match the current ratio, not if the ratio L1 is using for\nL2 diverges from the default.  Functionally, the end result is the same\nas KVM will run L2 with L1\u0027s multiplier if L2\u0027s multiplier is the default,\ni.e. checking that L1\u0027s multiplier is loaded is equivalent to checking if\nL2 has a non-default multiplier.\n\nHowever, the assertion that TSC scaling is exposed to L1 is flawed, as\nuserspace can trigger the WARN at will by writing the MSR and then\nupdating guest CPUID to hide the feature (modifying guest CPUID is\nallowed anytime before KVM_RUN).  E.g. hacking KVM\u0027s state_test\nselftest to do\n\n                vcpu_set_msr(vcpu, MSR_AMD64_TSC_RATIO, 0);\n                vcpu_clear_cpuid_feature(vcpu, X86_FEATURE_TSCRATEMSR);\n\nafter restoring state in a new VM+vCPU yields an endless supply of:\n\n  ------------[ cut here ]------------\n  WARNING: CPU: 10 PID: 206939 at arch/x86/kvm/svm/nested.c:1105\n           nested_svm_vmexit+0x6af/0x720 [kvm_amd]\n  Call Trace:\n   nested_svm_exit_handled+0x102/0x1f0 [kvm_amd]\n   svm_handle_exit+0xb9/0x180 [kvm_amd]\n   kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl_run+0x1eab/0x2570 [kvm]\n   kvm_vcpu_ioctl+0x4c9/0x5b0 [kvm]\n   ? trace_hardirqs_off+0x4d/0xa0\n   __se_sys_ioctl+0x7a/0xc0\n   __x64_sys_ioctl+0x21/0x30\n   do_syscall_64+0x41/0x90\n   entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd\n\nUnlike the nested VMRUN path, hoisting the svm-\u003etsc_scaling_enabled check\ninto the if-statement is wrong as KVM needs to ensure L1\u0027s multiplier is\nloaded in the above scenario.   Alternatively, the WARN_ON() could simply\nbe deleted, but that would make KVM\u0027s behavior even more subtle, e.g. it\u0027s\nnot immediately obvious why it\u0027s safe to write MSR_AMD64_TSC_RATIO when\nchecking only tsc_ratio_msr."
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2025-09-15T14:21:36.170Z",
        "orgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "shortName": "Linux"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5b2b0535fa7adee7e295fed0a3095082131a8d05"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e91c07f6cf7060d2acb3aeee31a6baebe3773d3f"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0c94e2468491cbf0754f49a5136ab51294a96b69"
        }
      ],
      "title": "KVM: nSVM: Load L1\u0027s TSC multiplier based on L1 state, not L2 state",
      "x_generator": {
        "engine": "bippy-1.2.0"
      }
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
    "assignerShortName": "Linux",
    "cveId": "CVE-2023-53208",
    "datePublished": "2025-09-15T14:21:36.170Z",
    "dateReserved": "2025-09-15T13:59:19.068Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2025-09-15T14:21:36.170Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.1",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "nvd": "{\"cve\":{\"id\":\"CVE-2023-53208\",\"sourceIdentifier\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"published\":\"2025-09-15T15:15:47.320\",\"lastModified\":\"2025-09-15T15:22:27.090\",\"vulnStatus\":\"Awaiting Analysis\",\"cveTags\":[],\"descriptions\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\\n\\nKVM: nSVM: Load L1\u0027s TSC multiplier based on L1 state, not L2 state\\n\\nWhen emulating nested VM-Exit, load L1\u0027s TSC multiplier if L1\u0027s desired\\nratio doesn\u0027t match the current ratio, not if the ratio L1 is using for\\nL2 diverges from the default.  Functionally, the end result is the same\\nas KVM will run L2 with L1\u0027s multiplier if L2\u0027s multiplier is the default,\\ni.e. checking that L1\u0027s multiplier is loaded is equivalent to checking if\\nL2 has a non-default multiplier.\\n\\nHowever, the assertion that TSC scaling is exposed to L1 is flawed, as\\nuserspace can trigger the WARN at will by writing the MSR and then\\nupdating guest CPUID to hide the feature (modifying guest CPUID is\\nallowed anytime before KVM_RUN).  E.g. hacking KVM\u0027s state_test\\nselftest to do\\n\\n                vcpu_set_msr(vcpu, MSR_AMD64_TSC_RATIO, 0);\\n                vcpu_clear_cpuid_feature(vcpu, X86_FEATURE_TSCRATEMSR);\\n\\nafter restoring state in a new VM+vCPU yields an endless supply of:\\n\\n  ------------[ cut here ]------------\\n  WARNING: CPU: 10 PID: 206939 at arch/x86/kvm/svm/nested.c:1105\\n           nested_svm_vmexit+0x6af/0x720 [kvm_amd]\\n  Call Trace:\\n   nested_svm_exit_handled+0x102/0x1f0 [kvm_amd]\\n   svm_handle_exit+0xb9/0x180 [kvm_amd]\\n   kvm_arch_vcpu_ioctl_run+0x1eab/0x2570 [kvm]\\n   kvm_vcpu_ioctl+0x4c9/0x5b0 [kvm]\\n   ? trace_hardirqs_off+0x4d/0xa0\\n   __se_sys_ioctl+0x7a/0xc0\\n   __x64_sys_ioctl+0x21/0x30\\n   do_syscall_64+0x41/0x90\\n   entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd\\n\\nUnlike the nested VMRUN path, hoisting the svm-\u003etsc_scaling_enabled check\\ninto the if-statement is wrong as KVM needs to ensure L1\u0027s multiplier is\\nloaded in the above scenario.   Alternatively, the WARN_ON() could simply\\nbe deleted, but that would make KVM\u0027s behavior even more subtle, e.g. it\u0027s\\nnot immediately obvious why it\u0027s safe to write MSR_AMD64_TSC_RATIO when\\nchecking only tsc_ratio_msr.\"}],\"metrics\":{},\"references\":[{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0c94e2468491cbf0754f49a5136ab51294a96b69\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5b2b0535fa7adee7e295fed0a3095082131a8d05\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e91c07f6cf7060d2acb3aeee31a6baebe3773d3f\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\"}]}}"
  }
}


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