Rapid7 Vulnerability & Exploit Database

Debian: CVE-2020-25596: xen -- security update

Free InsightVM Trial No Credit Card Necessary
2024 Attack Intel Report Latest research by Rapid7 Labs
Back to Search

Debian: CVE-2020-25596: xen -- security update

Severity
2
CVSS
(AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P)
Published
09/23/2020
Created
10/06/2020
Added
10/05/2020
Modified
10/07/2020

Description

An issue was discovered in Xen through 4.14.x. x86 PV guest kernels can experience denial of service via SYSENTER. The SYSENTER instruction leaves various state sanitization activities to software. One of Xen's sanitization paths injects a #GP fault, and incorrectly delivers it twice to the guest. This causes the guest kernel to observe a kernel-privilege #GP fault (typically fatal) rather than a user-privilege #GP fault (usually converted into SIGSEGV/etc.). Malicious or buggy userspace can crash the guest kernel, resulting in a VM Denial of Service. All versions of Xen from 3.2 onwards are vulnerable. Only x86 systems are vulnerable. ARM platforms are not vulnerable. Only x86 systems that support the SYSENTER instruction in 64bit mode are vulnerable. This is believed to be Intel, Centaur, and Shanghai CPUs. AMD and Hygon CPUs are not believed to be vulnerable. Only x86 PV guests can exploit the vulnerability. x86 PVH / HVM guests cannot exploit the vulnerability.

Solution(s)

  • debian-upgrade-xen

insightVM

Advanced vulnerability management analytics and reporting.
Key Features
  • Lightweight Endpoint Agent
  • Live Dashboards
  • Real Risk Prioritization
  • IT-Integrated Remediation Projects
  • Cloud, Virtual, and Container Assessment
  • Integrated Threat Feeds
  • Easy-to-Use RESTful API
  • Automation-Assisted Patching
  • Automated Containment
Free InsightVM Trial View All Features

With Rapid7 live dashboards, I have a clear view of all the assets on my network, which ones can be exploited, and what I need to do in order to reduce the risk in my environment in real-time. No other tool gives us that kind of value and insight.

– Scott Cheney, Manager of Information Security, Sierra View Medical Center

;