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4.9

Xen 4.0‑4.2 lets guest OS crash the host

CVE-2012-4538 · published 13 years ago
Summary

Versions 4.0, 4.1, and 4.2 of the Xen virtualization platform have a flaw where a virtual machine can trigger a crash of the underlying hypervisor. This can cause the entire host system to become unavailable. Updating to a patched version or applying the vendor's recommended fix will prevent the issue.

What to do
  • Update debian xen to version 4.1.3-4.
Affected software
Ecosystem VendorProductAffected versions
Debian:12 debian xen < 4.1.3-4
Fix: upgrade to 4.1.3-4
Debian:13 debian xen < 4.1.3-4
Fix: upgrade to 4.1.3-4
Debian:14 debian xen < 4.1.3-4
Fix: upgrade to 4.1.3-4
– xen xen 4.0.0
4.1.0
4.2.0
cpe:2.3:o:xen:xen:4.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Original advisory text
The HVMOP_pagetable_dying hypercall in Xen 4.0, 4.1, and 4.2 does not properly check the pagetable state when running on shadow pagetables, which allows a local HVM guest OS to cause a denial of se...
The HVMOP_pagetable_dying hypercall in Xen 4.0, 4.1, and 4.2 does not properly check the pagetable state when running on shadow pagetables, which allows a local HVM guest OS to cause a denial of service (hypervisor crash) via unspecified vectors.
References
Severity
4.9 Medium
Exploitation
<1% chance of attack within 30 days
Type
CWE-20Improper Input Validation
Timeline
Published24 Nov 2012
Updated4 Nov 2026
First seen3 Sep 2026
Sources
DEBIAN-CVE-2012-4538 · OSV
CVE-2012-4538 · NVD
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