CVE-2025-71104
CVE-2025-71104CVE-2025-71104
linux / linux_kernel
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
KVM: x86: Fix VM hard lockup after prolonged inactivity with periodic HV timer
When advancing the target expiration for the guest's APIC timer in periodic
mode, set the expiration to "now" if the target expiration is in the past
(similar to what is done in update_target_expiration()). Blindly adding
the period to the previous target expiration can result in KVM generating
a practically unbounded number of hrtimer IRQs due to programming an
expired timer over and over. In extreme scenarios, e.g. if userspace
pauses/suspends a VM for an extended duration, this can even cause hard
lockups in the host.
Currently, the bug only affects Intel CPUs when using the hypervisor timer
(HV timer), a.k.a. the VMX preemption timer. Unlike the software timer,
a.k.a. hrtimer, which KVM keeps running even on exits to userspace, the
HV timer only runs while the guest is active. As a result, if the vCPU
does not run for an extended
Scoring
| CVSS | 5.5 () |
| Vector | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H |
| Last modified | 2026-07-14 |