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5.2

Linux kernel KVM can crash host if guest has admin

CVE-2012-1179 · published 14 years ago
Summary

Versions of the Linux kernel before 3.3.1 let a user who has administrative rights inside a virtual machine cause the host machine to stop working. The issue occurs when the virtual machine uses large memory pages. Upgrade the kernel to version 3.3.1 or later, or apply the available security patches, to prevent the crash.

What to do

The CVE record does not list a fixed version. Check the vendor's site or the advisory links below - a fix may already be released.

Affected software
VendorProductAffected versions
linux linux_kernel <= 3.3
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:*
Original advisory text
The Linux kernel before 3.3.1, when KVM is used, allows guest OS users to cause a denial of service (host OS crash) by leveraging administrative access to the guest OS, related to the pmd_none_or_c...
The Linux kernel before 3.3.1, when KVM is used, allows guest OS users to cause a denial of service (host OS crash) by leveraging administrative access to the guest OS, related to the pmd_none_or_clear_bad function and page faults for huge pages.
References
Fix within
Internet-facing 60 days
Internal At next upgrade
  • Not known to be exploited
  • Needs hands-on effort to exploit (estimated)
  • Gives an attacker partial control (estimated)
Severity
5.2 Medium
Exploitation
<1% chance of attack within 30 days
Type
CWE-264Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls
Timeline
Published17 May 2012
Updated4 Nov 2026
First seen29 Sep 2026
Sources
CVE-2012-1179 · NVD
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