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Fencer Intel
high 8.1

CVE-2019-6974 in the critical feed json

In the Linux kernel before 4.20.8, kvm_ioctl_create_device in virt/kvm/kvm_main.c mishandles reference counting because of a race condition…

published 7y ago modified 4mo ago also EUVD-2019-16527

cvss
8.1
version 3.1, NVD
cisa kev
Not listed
not in CISA's catalog
epss
16.5%
EPSS 16.5% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 97%
public exploits
1
Exploit-DB

Summary

In the Linux kernel before 4.20.8, kvm_ioctl_create_device in virt/kvm/kvm_main.c mishandles reference counting because of a race condition, leading to a use-after-free.

Patch / fix

  • f5 big-ip_access_policy_manager 15.1.0
  • f5 big-ip_advanced_firewall_manager 15.1.0
  • f5 big-ip_analytics 15.1.0
  • f5 big-ip_application_acceleration_manager 15.1.0
  • f5 big-ip_application_security_manager 15.1.0
  • f5 big-ip_edge_gateway 15.1.0
  • f5 big-ip_fraud_protection_service 15.1.0
  • f5 big-ip_global_traffic_manager 15.1.0
  • f5 big-ip_link_controller 15.1.0
  • f5 big-ip_local_traffic_manager 15.1.0
  • f5 big-ip_policy_enforcement_manager 15.1.0
  • f5 big-ip_webaccelerator 15.1.0
  • linux linux_kernel 3.16.64, 3.18.136, 4.4.176, 4.9.156, 4.14.99, 4.19.21, 4.20.8
  • linux Debian 14, Debian 13, Debian 12 4.19.20-1

debian advisories DEBIAN-CVE-2019-6974

  • linux Ubuntu 14.04 LTS 3.13.0-168.218
  • linux Ubuntu 16.04 LTS 4.4.0-145.171
  • linux Ubuntu 18.04 LTS 4.15.0-47.50
  • linux-aws Ubuntu 14.04 LTS 4.4.0-1040.43
  • linux-aws Ubuntu 16.04 LTS 4.4.0-1079.89
  • linux-aws Ubuntu 18.04 LTS 4.15.0-1035.37
  • linux-gcp Ubuntu 16.04 LTS 4.15.0-1029.31~16.04.1
  • linux-gcp Ubuntu 18.04 LTS 4.15.0-1029.31

ubuntu advisories UBUNTU-CVE-2019-6974

Ubuntu security data © Canonical Ltd., from https://github.com/canonical/ubuntu-security-notices via OSV; changed: normalised to fixed package versions per release. CC BY-SA 4.0

  • kernel-alt RHEL 7 4.14.0-115.12.1.el7a
  • perf RHEL 7 4.14.0-115.12.1.el7a
  • kernel RHEL 7 4.14.0-115.12.1.el7a
  • python-perf RHEL 7 4.14.0-115.12.1.el7a
  • kernel-tools RHEL 7 4.14.0-115.12.1.el7a
  • kernel-tools-libs RHEL 7 4.14.0-115.12.1.el7a
  • kernel-bootwrapper RHEL 7 4.14.0-115.12.1.el7a
  • kernel-abi-whitelists RHEL 7 4.14.0-115.12.1.el7a

red hat advisories RHSA-2020:0103RHSA-2019:3967RHSA-2019:2809RHSA-2019:0818RHSA-2019:0833

  • kernel-ec2 SLE Module for Public Cloud 12 3.12.74-60.64.110.1
  • kernel-azure SLES for SAP 12 SP3, SLES 12 SP3 4.4.176-4.25.1
  • kernel-syms-azure SLES for SAP 12 SP3, SLES 12 SP3 4.4.176-4.25.1
  • kernel-source-azure SLES for SAP 12 SP3, SLES 12 SP3 4.4.176-4.25.1
  • kernel-syms SLES for SAP 12 SP2, SLES 12 SP2-LTSS, SLES 12 SP2-BCL +2 more 4.4.121-92.104.1
  • kernel-source SLES for SAP 12 SP2, SLES 12 SP2-LTSS, SLES 12 SP2-BCL +2 more 4.4.121-92.104.1
  • kernel-default SLES for SAP 12 SP2, SLES 12 SP2-LTSS, SLES 12 SP2-BCL +3 more 4.4.121-92.104.1
  • kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP2_Update_28 SLES for SAP 12 SP2, SLES 12 SP2-LTSS, OpenStack Cloud 7 +1 more 1-3.3.1

suse advisories SUSE-SU-2019:1289-1SUSE-SU-2019:0901-1SUSE-SU-2019:0845-1SUSE-SU-2019:0828-1SUSE-SU-2019:0785-1SUSE-SU-2019:0784-1

  • kernel-source openSUSE Tumbleweed 5.14.6-1.4
  • kernel-source openSUSE Tumbleweed 6.6.17-1.1
  • kernel-source openSUSE Leap 15.0 4.12.14-lp150.12.48.1

opensuse advisories openSUSE-SU-2024:10728-1openSUSE-SU-2024:13704-1openSUSE-SU-2019:0203-1

  • linux Arch Linux 4.20.8.arch1-1

arch linux advisories AVG-850

Is CVE-2019-6974 in your stack? Fencer shows which of your repositories are affected as soon as an advisory lands, and opens the fix as a pull request.

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Vendor advisories

What the vendors themselves say about their products: affected, fixed or not affected, and what to do.

red hat product security vex CVE-2019-6974 updated cvss 7.8

Kernel: KVM: potential use-after-free via kvm_ioctl_create_device()

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) perf 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, kernel 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, bpftool 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, python-perf 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, kernel-tools 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, kernel-tools-libs 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, +2 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7) kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7 Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode (v. 7) perf 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, kernel 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, bpftool 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, python-perf 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, kernel-tools 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, kernel-tools-libs 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, +2 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2019:0818
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode EUS (v. 7.5) perf 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, kernel 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, python-perf 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, kernel-tools 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, kernel-tools-libs 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, kernel-abi-whitelists 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, +1 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2019:3967
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional (v. 7) kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2019:0818
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional EUS (v. 7.5) kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2019:3967
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM and IBM Power LE (POWER9) Server (v. 7) perf 4.14.0-115.12.1.el7a, kernel 4.14.0-115.12.1.el7a, kernel-alt 4.14.0-115.12.1.el7a, python-perf 4.14.0-115.12.1.el7a, kernel-tools 4.14.0-115.12.1.el7a, kernel-tools-libs 4.14.0-115.12.1.el7a, +3 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM and IBM Power LE (POWER9) Server Optional (v. 7) kernel-debuginfo-common-ppc64le 4.14.0-115.12.1.el7a
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2019:2809
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Real Time for NFV (v. 7) kernel-rt 3.10.0-957.12.1.rt56.927.el7, kernel-rt-kvm 3.10.0-957.12.1.rt56.927.el7, kernel-rt-trace 3.10.0-957.12.1.rt56.927.el7, kernel-rt-debug-kvm 3.10.0-957.12.1.rt56.927.el7, kernel-rt-trace-kvm 3.10.0-957.12.1.rt56.927.el7, kernel-rt-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-957.12.1.rt56.927.el7 Red Hat Enterprise Linux Realtime (v. 7) kernel-rt 3.10.0-957.12.1.rt56.927.el7, kernel-rt-trace 3.10.0-957.12.1.rt56.927.el7, kernel-rt-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-957.12.1.rt56.927.el7
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2019:0833
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) perf 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, kernel 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, bpftool 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, python-perf 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, kernel-kdump 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, kernel-tools 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, +7 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2019:0818
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server AUS (v. 7.4) perf 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7, kernel 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7, python-perf 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7, kernel-tools 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7, kernel-tools-libs 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7, kernel-abi-whitelists 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7, +1 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server E4S (v. 7.4) perf 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7, kernel 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7, python-perf 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7, kernel-tools 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7, kernel-tools-libs 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7, kernel-bootwrapper 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7, +3 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:0103
show 7 more
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server EUS (v. 7.5) perf 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, kernel 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, python-perf 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, kernel-kdump 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, kernel-tools 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, kernel-tools-libs 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, +6 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2019:3967
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) kernel-debuginfo-common-ppc64 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, kernel-debuginfo-common-ppc64le 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2019:0818
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional AUS (v. 7.4) kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7 Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional E4S (v. 7.4) kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7, kernel-debuginfo-common-ppc64le 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:0103
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional EUS (v. 7.5) kernel-debuginfo-common-ppc64 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, kernel-debuginfo-common-ppc64le 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2019:3967
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional TUS (v. 7.4) kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7 Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server TUS (v. 7.4) perf 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7, kernel 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7, python-perf 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7, kernel-tools 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7, kernel-tools-libs 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7, kernel-abi-whitelists 3.10.0-693.62.1.el7, +1 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:0103
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) perf 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, kernel 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, bpftool 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, python-perf 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, kernel-tools 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, kernel-tools-libs 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7, +2 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-957.12.1.el7
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2019:0818
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 kernel Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 perf, kernel, python-perf, kernel-kdump, kernel-firmware, kernel-bootwrapper, +1 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 perf, kernel, bpftool, kernel-rt, kernel-core, kernel-tools, +29 more Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2 kernel-rt, mrg-rt-release, kernel-rt-trace, kernel-rt-vanilla, kernel-rt-firmware
    not affected: vulnerable code not present

Red Hat CSAF VEX © Red Hat, Inc., from https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/; changed: reduced to product statuses and remediations. CC BY 4.0 · csaf

Timeline

  1. First public exploit (EDB-46388)
  2. Published

Exploit prediction

16.52% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 97% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-09).

Exploits and checks

  • EDB-46388 Linux - 'kvm_ioctl_create_device()' NULL Pointer Dereference dos, 2019-02-15
  • github.com https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/cfa39381173d5f969daf43582c95ad679189cbc9 referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified
  • bugs.chromium.org https://bugs.chromium.org/p/project-zero/issues/detail?id=1765 referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
NVD 3.1 8.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD 2.0 6.8 AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

Classification

Weakness
  • CWE-362 Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization
  • CWE-416 Use After Free
Technology feeds

References

Sources

Fencer Intel keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.