Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

KVM: Initialize gfn_to_pfn_cache locks in dedicated helper

Move the gfn_to_pfn_cache lock initialization to another helper and
call the new helper during VM/vCPU creation. There are race
conditions possible due to kvm_gfn_to_pfn_cache_init()'s
ability to re-initialize the cache's locks.

For example: a race between ioctl(KVM_XEN_HVM_EVTCHN_SEND) and
kvm_gfn_to_pfn_cache_init() leads to a corrupted shinfo gpc lock.

(thread 1) | (thread 2)
|
kvm_xen_set_evtchn_fast |
read_lock_irqsave(&gpc->lock, ...) |
| kvm_gfn_to_pfn_cache_init
| rwlock_init(&gpc->lock)
read_unlock_irqrestore(&gpc->lock, ...) |

Rename "cache_init" and "cache_destroy" to activate+deactivate to
avoid implying that the cache really is destroyed/freed.

Note, there more races in the newly named kvm_gpc_activate() that will
be addressed separately.

[sean: call out that this is a bug fix]
Published: 2025-05-01
Score: 4.7 Medium
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
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Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

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Tracking

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Advisories
Source ID Title
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2025-12897 In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: Initialize gfn_to_pfn_cache locks in dedicated helper Move the gfn_to_pfn_cache lock initialization to another helper and call the new helper during VM/vCPU creation. There are race conditions possible due to kvm_gfn_to_pfn_cache_init()'s ability to re-initialize the cache's locks. For example: a race between ioctl(KVM_XEN_HVM_EVTCHN_SEND) and kvm_gfn_to_pfn_cache_init() leads to a corrupted shinfo gpc lock. (thread 1) | (thread 2) | kvm_xen_set_evtchn_fast | read_lock_irqsave(&gpc->lock, ...) | | kvm_gfn_to_pfn_cache_init | rwlock_init(&gpc->lock) read_unlock_irqrestore(&gpc->lock, ...) | Rename "cache_init" and "cache_destroy" to activate+deactivate to avoid implying that the cache really is destroyed/freed. Note, there more races in the newly named kvm_gpc_activate() that will be addressed separately. [sean: call out that this is a bug fix]
History

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 21:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-362
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.0, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

cvssV3_1

{'score': 4.7, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}


Sat, 07 Jun 2025 03:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.0, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}


Fri, 02 May 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Moderate


Thu, 01 May 2025 14:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: Initialize gfn_to_pfn_cache locks in dedicated helper Move the gfn_to_pfn_cache lock initialization to another helper and call the new helper during VM/vCPU creation. There are race conditions possible due to kvm_gfn_to_pfn_cache_init()'s ability to re-initialize the cache's locks. For example: a race between ioctl(KVM_XEN_HVM_EVTCHN_SEND) and kvm_gfn_to_pfn_cache_init() leads to a corrupted shinfo gpc lock. (thread 1) | (thread 2) | kvm_xen_set_evtchn_fast | read_lock_irqsave(&gpc->lock, ...) | | kvm_gfn_to_pfn_cache_init | rwlock_init(&gpc->lock) read_unlock_irqrestore(&gpc->lock, ...) | Rename "cache_init" and "cache_destroy" to activate+deactivate to avoid implying that the cache really is destroyed/freed. Note, there more races in the newly named kvm_gpc_activate() that will be addressed separately. [sean: call out that this is a bug fix]
Title KVM: Initialize gfn_to_pfn_cache locks in dedicated helper
References

Subscriptions

Linux Linux Kernel
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-05-11T19:08:36.442Z

Reserved: 2025-05-01T14:05:17.241Z

Link: CVE-2022-49884

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Analyzed

Published: 2025-05-01T15:16:13.387

Modified: 2025-11-10T21:19:27.007

Link: CVE-2022-49884

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Moderate

Publid Date: 2025-05-01T00:00:00Z

Links: CVE-2022-49884 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2025-06-24T09:51:38Z

Weaknesses