Vulnerability · Published Dec 24, 2025 · Assigned by Linux

CVE-2022-50720x86/apic: Don't disable x2APIC if locked

Unrated

In plain English

A 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 0.2% (higher than 15% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.

Severity (CVSS )–Not rated
Exploit odds (30 days)0.2%top 84.6% 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: x86/apic: Don't disable x2APIC if locked The APIC supports two modes, legacy APIC (or xAPIC), and Extended APIC (or x2APIC). X2APIC mode is mostly compatible with legacy APIC, but it disables the memory-mapped APIC interface in favor of one that uses MSRs. The APIC mode is controlled by the EXT bit in the APIC MSR. The MMIO/xAPIC interface has some problems, most notably the APIC LEAK [1]. This bug allows an attacker to use the APIC MMIO interface to extract data from the SGX enclave. Introduce support for a new feature that will allow the BIOS to lock the APIC in x2APIC mode. If the APIC is locked in x2APIC mode and the kernel tries to disable the APIC or revert to legacy APIC mode a GP fault will occur. Introduce support for a new MSR (IA32_XAPIC_DISABLE_STATUS) and handle the new locked mode when the LEGACY_XAPIC_DISABLED bit is set by preventing the kernel from trying to disable the x2APIC. On platforms with the IA32_XAPIC_DISABLE_STATUS MSR, if SGX or TDX are enabled the LEGACY_XAPIC_DISABLED will be set by the BIOS. If legacy APIC is required, then it SGX and TDX need to be disabled in the BIOS. [1]: https://aepicleak.com/aepicleak.pdf

Affected packages & fixed versions

EcosystemPackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian:12linux6.0.3-1DEBIAN-CVE-2022-50720
Debian:13linux6.0.3-1DEBIAN-CVE-2022-50720
Debian:14linux6.0.3-1DEBIAN-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinuxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-allwinner-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-awsno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azureno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcpno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gkeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gkeopno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibmno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iot-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iotgno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-kvmno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatencyno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegrano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra-igxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-5.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.1no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracleno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-raspino fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-xilinx-zynqmpno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2022-50720

Affected products (as reported)

VendorProductVersions
Linux Linux fb209bd891645bb87b9618b724f0b4928e0df3de – before 05785ba834f23272f9d23427ae4a80ac505a5296fb209bd891645bb87b9618b724f0b4928e0df3de – before dd1241e00addbf0b95f6cd6ce32152692820657efb209bd891645bb87b9618b724f0b4928e0df3de – before b8d1d163604bd1e600b062fb00de5dc42baa355f
Linux Linux 3.3

References