CVE-2021-47110: linux kernel vulnerability

What is known

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: x86/kvm: Disable kvmclock on all CPUs on shutdown Currenly, we disable kvmclock from machine_shutdown() hook and this only happens for boot CPU. We need to disable it for all CPUs to guard against memory corruption e.g. on restore from hibernate. Note, writing '0' to kvmclock MSR doesn't clear memory location, it just prevents hypervisor from updating the location so for the short while after write and while CPU is still alive, the clock remains usable and correct so we don't need to switch to some other clocksource.

Business impact

Successful exploitation of CVE-2021-47110, a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.1) affecting linux kernel, may affect the confidentiality, integrity or availability of the vulnerable environment. The exact impact depends on the installed version, exposed interfaces and deployment configuration.

Recommended administrator action

Confirm whether linux kernel is present and compare installed versions with the vendor advisory and NVD record. Apply the vendor patch or documented mitigation; until remediation is complete, reduce exposure of affected interfaces, review relevant logs and monitor for indicators of exploitation. DataHouse can support version verification, managed patching, network exposure reduction, log review and backup validation for dedicated, cloud and colocated environments.

Sources

• NVD
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