CVE-2020-25601

xen: lack of preemption in evtchn_reset() / evtchn_destroy() (XSA-344)

Published Sep 23, 2020 CVSS 3.1 · 5.5 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
An issue was discovered in Xen through 4.14.x. There is a lack of preemption in evtchn_reset() / evtchn_destroy(). In particular, the FIFO event channel model allows guests to have a large number of event channels active at a time. Closing all of these (when resetting all event channels or when cleaning up after the guest) may take extended periods of time. So far, there was no arrangement for preemption at suitable intervals, allowing a CPU to spend an almost unbounded amount of time in the processing of these operations. Malicious or buggy guest kernels can mount a Denial of Service (DoS) attack affecting the entire system. All Xen versions are vulnerable in principle. Whether versions 4.3 and older are vulnerable depends on underlying hardware characteristics.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-4769-1 xen security update
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2020-18280 An issue was discovered in Xen through 4.14.x. There is a lack of preemption in evtchn_reset() / evtchn_destroy(). In particular, the FIFO event channel model allows guests to have a large number of event channels active at a time. Closing all of these (when resetting all event channels or when cleaning up after the guest) may take extended periods of time. So far, there was no arrangement for preemption at suitable intervals, allowing a CPU to spend an almost unbounded amount of time in the processing of these operations. Malicious or buggy guest kernels can mount a Denial of Service (DoS) attack affecting the entire system. All Xen versions are vulnerable in principle. Whether versions 4.3 and older are vulnerable depends on underlying hardware characteristics.
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-5617-1 Xen vulnerabilities
History

No history.

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
mitre
Published
Updated
Aug 4, 2024, 3:33 PM
Reserved
Sep 16, 2020, 12:00 AM
Status
Modified
Published
Sep 23, 2020, 10:15 PM
Modified
Jun 17, 2026, 3:06 AM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Sep 22, 2020, 12:00 PM