CVE-2026-31788

HIGH

xen/privcmd: restrict usage in unprivileged domU

Title source: cna
STIX 2.1

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: xen/privcmd: restrict usage in unprivileged domU The Xen privcmd driver allows to issue arbitrary hypercalls from user space processes. This is normally no problem, as access is usually limited to root and the hypervisor will deny any hypercalls affecting other domains. In case the guest is booted using secure boot, however, the privcmd driver would be enabling a root user process to modify e.g. kernel memory contents, thus breaking the secure boot feature. The only known case where an unprivileged domU is really needing to use the privcmd driver is the case when it is acting as the device model for another guest. In this case all hypercalls issued via the privcmd driver will target that other guest. Fortunately the privcmd driver can already be locked down to allow only hypercalls targeting a specific domain, but this mode can be activated from user land only today. The target domain can be obtained from Xenstore, so when not running in dom0 restrict the privcmd driver to that target domain from the beginning, resolving the potential problem of breaking secure boot. This is XSA-482 --- V2: - defer reading from Xenstore if Xenstore isn't ready yet (Jan Beulich) - wait in open() if target domain isn't known yet - issue message in case no target domain found (Jan Beulich)

Scores

CVSS v3 8.2
EPSS 0.0002
EPSS Percentile 5.0%
Attack Vector LOCAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Details

Status published
Products (29)
linux/Kernel 2.6.37 - 6.1.167linux
linux/Kernel 6.13.0 - 6.18.20linux
linux/Kernel 6.19.0 - 6.19.10linux
linux/Kernel 6.2.0 - 6.6.130linux
linux/Kernel 6.7.0 - 6.12.78linux
Linux/Linux < 2.6.37
Linux/Linux 1c5de1939c204bde9cce87f4eb3d26e9f9eb732b - 1879319d790f7d57622cdc22807b60ea78b56b6d
Linux/Linux 1c5de1939c204bde9cce87f4eb3d26e9f9eb732b - 389bae9a4409934e8b8d4dbdaaf02a3ae71cf8e4
Linux/Linux 1c5de1939c204bde9cce87f4eb3d26e9f9eb732b - 3ee5b9e3de4b8bdd74183d83205481c91a9effc8
Linux/Linux 1c5de1939c204bde9cce87f4eb3d26e9f9eb732b - 453b8fb68f3641fea970db88b7d9a153ed2a37e8
... and 19 more
Published Mar 25, 2026
Tracked Since Mar 25, 2026