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CVE PROGRAM SOURCE RECORD7.8 High

CVE-2025-38670

arm64/entry: Mask DAIF in cpu_switch_to(), call_on_irq_stack()

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Status
Published
Published
Updated
Assigning organization
Linux

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: arm64/entry: Mask DAIF in cpu_switch_to(), call_on_irq_stack() `cpu_switch_to()` and `call_on_irq_stack()` manipulate SP to change to different stacks along with the Shadow Call Stack if it is enabled. Those two stack changes cannot be done atomically and both functions can be interrupted by SErrors or Debug Exceptions which, though unlikely, is very much broken : if interrupted, we can end up with mismatched stacks and Shadow Call Stack leading to clobbered stacks. In `cpu_switch_to()`, it can happen when SP_EL0 points to the new task, but x18 stills points to the old task's SCS. When the interrupt handler tries to save the task's SCS pointer, it will save the old task SCS pointer (x18) into the new task struct (pointed to by SP_EL0), clobbering it. In `call_on_irq_stack()`, it can happen when switching from the task stack to the IRQ stack and when switching back. In both cases, we can be interrupted when the SCS pointer points to the IRQ SCS, but SP points to the task stack. The nested interrupt handler pushes its return addresses on the IRQ SCS. It then detects that SP points to the task stack, calls `call_on_irq_stack()` and clobbers the task SCS pointer with the IRQ SCS pointer, which it will also use ! This leads to tasks returning to addresses on the wrong SCS, or even on the IRQ SCS, triggering kernel panics via CONFIG_VMAP_STACK or FPAC if enabled. This is possible on a default config, but unlikely. However, when enabling CONFIG_ARM64_PSEUDO_NMI, DAIF is unmasked and instead the GIC is responsible for filtering what interrupts the CPU should receive based on priority. Given the goal of emulating NMIs, pseudo-NMIs can be received by the CPU even in `cpu_switch_to()` and `call_on_irq_stack()`, possibly *very* frequently depending on the system configuration and workload, leading to unpredictable kernel panics. Completely mask DAIF in `cpu_switch_to()` and restore it when returning. Do the same in `call_on_irq_stack()`, but restore and mask around the branch. Mask DAIF even if CONFIG_SHADOW_CALL_STACK is not enabled for consistency of behaviour between all configurations. Introduce and use an assembly macro for saving and masking DAIF, as the existing one saves but only masks IF.

Affected products

Version statuses are supplied by the assigning organization. Consult the original record for detailed ranges and platform conditions.

Linux Linux

Default version status: unaffected

  • 3f225f29c69c13ce1cbdb1d607a42efeef080056 to < f7e0231eeaa33245c649fac0303cf97209605446affected
  • 402d2b1d54b7085d0c3bfd01fd50c2701dde64b3 to < 407047893a64399f2d2390ff35cc6061107d805daffected
  • 4403c7b7e5e1ad09a266b6e399fd7bf97931508e to < a6b0cb523eaa01efe8a3f76ced493ba60674c6e6affected
  • 59b37fe52f49955791a460752c37145f1afdcad1 to < 9433a5f437b0948d6a2d8a02ad7a42ab7ca27a61affected
  • 59b37fe52f49955791a460752c37145f1afdcad1 to < 708fd522b86d2a9544c34ec6a86fa3fc23336525affected
  • 59b37fe52f49955791a460752c37145f1afdcad1 to < 0f67015d72627bad72da3c2084352e0aa134416baffected
  • 59b37fe52f49955791a460752c37145f1afdcad1 to < d42e6c20de6192f8e4ab4cf10be8c694ef27e8cbaffected
  • e47ce4f11e26fa3ea99b09521da8b3ac3a7b578daffected
  • 5.10.180 to < 5.10.210affected
  • 5.15.111 to < 5.15.190affected
  • 6.1.28 to < 6.1.149affected
  • 6.2.15 to < 6.3affected

Linux Linux

Default version status: affected

  • 6.3affected
  • 0 to < 6.3unaffected
  • 5.10.210 to ≤ 5.10.*unaffected
  • 5.15.190 to ≤ 5.15.*unaffected
  • 6.1.149 to ≤ 6.1.*unaffected
  • 6.6.101 to ≤ 6.6.*unaffected
  • 6.12.41 to ≤ 6.12.*unaffected
  • 6.15.9 to ≤ 6.15.*unaffected
  • 6.16 to ≤ *unaffected

References