CVE-2016-3713

Publication date 16 May 2016

Last updated 25 August 2025

Ubuntu priority

High

Why this priority?

Cvss 3 Severity Score

7.1 · High

Score breakdown

Description

The msr_mtrr_valid function in arch/x86/kvm/mtrr.c in the Linux kernel before 4.6.1 supports MSR 0x2f8, which allows guest OS users to read or write to the kvm_arch_vcpu data structure, and consequently obtain sensitive information or cause a denial of service (system crash), via a crafted ioctl call.

From the Ubuntu Security Team

David Matlack discovered that the Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) implementation in the Linux kernel did not properly restrict variable Memory Type Range Registers (MTRR) in KVM guests. A privileged user in a guest VM could use this to cause a denial of service (system crash) in the host, expose sensitive information from the host, or possibly gain administrative privileges in the host.

Read the notes from the security team

Status

Package Ubuntu Release Status
linux 16.10 yakkety
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial
Fixed 4.4.0-22.40
15.10 wily
Fixed 4.2.0-36.42
14.04 LTS trusty
Not affected
12.04 LTS precise
Not affected
linux-aws 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty
Not affected
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-flo 16.10 yakkety
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-gke 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-goldfish 16.10 yakkety
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-grouper 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-hwe 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-hwe-edge 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-lts-raring 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Ignored end of life
linux-lts-saucy 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Ignored end of life
linux-lts-trusty 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise
Not affected
linux-lts-utopic 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-lts-vivid 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-lts-wily 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty
Fixed 4.2.0-36.42~14.04.1
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-lts-xenial 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty
Fixed 4.4.0-22.40~14.04.1
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-maguro 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-mako 16.10 yakkety
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-manta 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-raspi2 16.10 yakkety
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial
Not affected
15.10 wily
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-snapdragon 16.10 yakkety
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial
Not affected
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-armadaxp 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise
Not affected
linux-linaro-omap 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Ignored end of life
linux-linaro-shared 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Ignored end of life
linux-linaro-vexpress 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Ignored end of life
linux-lts-quantal 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Ignored end of life
linux-qcm-msm 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Ignored end of life
linux-ti-omap4 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise
Not affected

Notes

jdstrand

android kernels (flo, goldfish, grouper, maguro, mako and manta) are not supported on the Ubuntu Touch 14.10 and earlier preview kernels linux-lts-saucy no longer receives official support linux-lts-quantal no longer receives official support

sbeattie

x86 issue only

Patch details

For informational purposes only. We recommend not to cherry-pick updates. How can I get the fixes?

Package Patch details
linux

Severity score breakdown

Parameter Value
Base score 7.1 · High
Attack vector Local
Attack complexity Low
Privileges required Low
User interaction None
Scope Unchanged
Confidentiality High
Integrity impact None
Availability impact High
Vector CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H

References

Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

    • USN-2978-2
    • Linux kernel (Wily HWE) vulnerabilities
    • 16 May 2016
    • USN-2979-2
    • Linux kernel (Xenial HWE) vulnerabilities
    • 16 May 2016
    • USN-2979-1
    • Linux kernel vulnerabilities
    • 16 May 2016
    • USN-2978-1
    • Linux kernel vulnerabilities
    • 16 May 2016

Other references