HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2026-23425
NONE

CVE-2026-23425

Published: April 3, 2026· Updated: Apr 3, 2026

EPSS:0.02%probability of exploitation in 30 daysPercentile:4.0th

Official Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

KVM: arm64: Fix ID register initialization for non-protected pKVM guests

In protected mode, the hypervisor maintains a separate instance of

the `kvm` structure for each VM. For non-protected VMs, this structure is

initialized from the host's `kvm` state.

Currently, `pkvm_init_features_from_host()` copies the

`KVM_ARCH_FLAG_ID_REGS_INITIALIZED` flag from the host without the

underlying `id_regs` data being initialized. This results in the

hypervisor seeing the flag as set while the ID registers remain zeroed.

Consequently, `kvm_has_feat()` checks at EL2 fail (return 0) for

non-protected VMs. This breaks logic that relies on feature detection,

such as `ctxt_has_tcrx()` for TCR2_EL1 support. As a result, certain

system registers (e.g., TCR2_EL1, PIR_EL1, POR_EL1) are not

saved/restored during the world switch, which could lead to state

corruption.

Fix this by explicitly copying the ID registers from the host `kvm` to

the hypervisor `kvm` for non-protected VMs during initialization, since

we trust the host with its non-protected guests' features. Also ensure

`KVM_ARCH_FLAG_ID_REGS_INITIALIZED` is cleared initially in

`pkvm_init_features_from_host` so that `vm_copy_id_regs` can properly

initialize them and set the flag once done.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2026-23425 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation requires some privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

Affected Vendors & Products

Mentioned vendors (from description):
Linux
CPE data not yet available in NVD for this CVE.

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
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All References (3)

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2026-23425
SeverityNONE
CISA KEVNo
EPSS (30d)0.02%
PublishedApr 3, 2026

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2026-23425 in threat intel feeds
  • Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.