Vulnerability · Published Aug 16, 2025 · Assigned by Linux

CVE-2025-38506KVM: Allow CPU to reschedule while setting per-page memory attributes

Medium 5.5

In plain English

A medium-severity security flaw in Linux from Linux. There are no confirmed reports of exploitation so far. The chance it is exploited in the next 30 days is estimated at 0.1% (higher than 2% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.

Severity (CVSS NVD)5.5Medium
Exploit odds (30 days)0.1%top 97.6% of all CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo reportsnot in CISA KEV
Attack toolingNoneno public tooling known

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: Allow CPU to reschedule while setting per-page memory attributes When running an SEV-SNP guest with a sufficiently large amount of memory (1TB+), the host can experience CPU soft lockups when running an operation in kvm_vm_set_mem_attributes() to set memory attributes on the whole range of guest memory. watchdog: BUG: soft lockup - CPU#8 stuck for 26s! [qemu-kvm:6372] CPU: 8 UID: 0 PID: 6372 Comm: qemu-kvm Kdump: loaded Not tainted 6.15.0-rc7.20250520.el9uek.rc1.x86_64 #1 PREEMPT(voluntary) Hardware name: Oracle Corporation ORACLE SERVER E4-2c/Asm,MB Tray,2U,E4-2c, BIOS 78016600 11/13/2024 RIP: 0010:xas_create+0x78/0x1f0 Code: 00 00 00 41 80 fc 01 0f 84 82 00 00 00 ba 06 00 00 00 bd 06 00 00 00 49 8b 45 08 4d 8d 65 08 41 39 d6 73 20 83 ed 06 48 85 c0 <74> 67 48 89 c2 83 e2 03 48 83 fa 02 75 0c 48 3d 00 10 00 00 0f 87 RSP: 0018:ffffad890a34b940 EFLAGS: 00000286 RAX: ffff96f30b261daa RBX: ffffad890a34b9c8 RCX: 0000000000000000 RDX: 000000000000001e RSI: 0000000000000000 RDI: 0000000000000000 RBP: 0000000000000018 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 0000000000000000 R11: 0000000000000000 R12: ffffad890a356868 R13: ffffad890a356860 R14: 0000000000000000 R15: ffffad890a356868 FS: 00007f5578a2a400(0000) GS:ffff97ed317e1000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 00007f015c70fb18 CR3: 00000001109fd006 CR4: 0000000000f70ef0 PKRU: 55555554 Call Trace: <TASK> xas_store+0x58/0x630 __xa_store+0xa5/0x130 xa_store+0x2c/0x50 kvm_vm_set_mem_attributes+0x343/0x710 [kvm] kvm_vm_ioctl+0x796/0xab0 [kvm] __x64_sys_ioctl+0xa3/0xd0 do_syscall_64+0x8c/0x7a0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e RIP: 0033:0x7f5578d031bb Code: ff ff ff 85 c0 79 9b 49 c7 c4 ff ff ff ff 5b 5d 4c 89 e0 41 5c c3 66 0f 1f 84 00 00 00 00 00 f3 0f 1e fa b8 10 00 00 00 0f 05 <48> 3d 01 f0 ff ff 73 01 c3 48 8b 0d 2d 4c 0f 00 f7 d8 64 89 01 48 RSP: 002b:00007ffe0a742b88 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 0000000000000010 RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 000000004020aed2 RCX: 00007f5578d031bb RDX: 00007ffe0a742c80 RSI: 000000004020aed2 RDI: 000000000000000b RBP: 0000010000000000 R08: 0000010000000000 R09: 0000017680000000 R10: 0000000000000080 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 00005575e5f95120 R13: 00007ffe0a742c80 R14: 0000000000000008 R15: 00005575e5f961e0 While looping through the range of memory setting the attributes, call cond_resched() to give the scheduler a chance to run a higher priority task on the runqueue if necessary and avoid staying in kernel mode long enough to trigger the lockup.

Affected packages & fixed versions

EcosystemPackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian:13linux6.12.41-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38506
Debian:14linux6.16.3-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux6.8.0-100.100UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-allwinner-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws6.8.0-1046.49UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.146.14.0-1017.17~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.86.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure6.8.0-1046.52UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.146.14.0-1017.17~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.86.8.0-1051.57~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde6.8.0-1046.53UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:25.10linux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.86.8.0-1046.53~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidia-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp6.8.0-1047.50UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.146.14.0-1020.21~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.86.8.0-1047.50~22.04.2UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gke6.8.0-1043.48UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gkeop6.8.0-1030.33UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.86.8.0-100.100~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-ibm6.8.0-1044.44UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibm-6.86.8.0-1044.44~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-intelno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iot-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency6.8.0-100.100.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.86.8.0-100.100.1~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia6.8.0-1046.49UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.86.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-lowlatency6.8.0-1046.49.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra6.8.0-1020.20UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-5.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.1no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.146.14.0-1016.16UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle6.8.0-1043.44UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.146.14.0-1017.17~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.86.8.0-1043.44~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi6.8.0-1047.51UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.146.14.0-36.36.1~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.86.8.0-100.100~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-xilinx6.8.0-1023.24UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38506

Affected products (as reported)

VendorProductVersions
Linux Linux 5a475554db1e476a14216e742ea2bdb77362d5d5 – before d9bd1163c8d8f716f45e54d034ee28757cc855495a475554db1e476a14216e742ea2bdb77362d5d5 – before 1ef45ae7a3938f0844032ba670b4f89180a5bffc5a475554db1e476a14216e742ea2bdb77362d5d5 – before 47bb584237cc285e3a860b70c01f7bda9dcfb05b
Linux Linux 6.8

References