K17199 : Linux kernel vulnerability CVE-2014-3690

Security Advisory Description

arch/x86/kvm/vmx.c in the KVM subsystem in the Linux kernel before 3.17.2 on Intel processors does not ensure that the value in the CR4 control register remains the same after a VM entry, which allows host OS users to kill arbitrary processes or cause a denial of service (system disruption) by leveraging /dev/kvm access, as demonstrated by PR_SET_TSC prctl calls within a modified copy of QEMU. (CVE-2014-3690)

Impact

An authenticated attacker may be able to kill arbitrary processes or cause a denial-of-service (DoS) by leveraging** /dev/kvm** access. This vulnerability is considered local, as it is exploitable only by an authenticated user accessing the system using the command line.