CVE-2016-5412

Publication date 6 August 2016

Last updated 25 August 2025

Ubuntu priority

Medium

Why this priority?

Cvss 3 Severity Score

6.5 · Medium

Score breakdown

Description

arch/powerpc/kvm/book3s_hv_rmhandlers.S in the Linux kernel through 4.7 on PowerPC platforms, when CONFIG_KVM_BOOK3S_64_HV is enabled, allows guest OS users to cause a denial of service (host OS infinite loop) by making a H_CEDE hypercall during the existence of a suspended transaction.

From the Ubuntu Security Team

It was discovered that the powerpc and powerpc64 hypervisor-mode KVM implementation in the Linux kernel for did not properly maintain state about transactional memory. An unprivileged attacker in a guest could cause a denial of service (CPU lockup) in the host OS.

Read the notes from the security team

Status

Package Ubuntu Release Status
linux-aws 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty
Not affected
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-flo 16.10 yakkety
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Ignored end of life
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-gke 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-goldfish 16.10 yakkety
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Ignored end of life
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-grouper 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-hwe 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-hwe-edge 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-lts-utopic 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-lts-vivid 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-lts-wily 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-lts-xenial 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty
Fixed 4.4.0-38.57~14.04.1
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-maguro 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-mako 16.10 yakkety
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Ignored end of life
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-manta 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Ignored end of life
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-raspi2 16.10 yakkety
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial
Fixed 4.4.0-1023.29
15.10 wily Ignored end of life
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-snapdragon 16.10 yakkety
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial
Fixed 4.4.0-1026.29
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux 16.10 yakkety
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial
Fixed 4.4.0-38.57
15.10 wily Ignored end of life
14.04 LTS trusty
Not affected
12.04 LTS precise
Not affected
linux-linaro-omap 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Ignored end of life
linux-linaro-shared 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Ignored end of life
linux-linaro-vexpress 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Ignored end of life
linux-ti-omap4 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise
Not affected
linux-armadaxp 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise
Not affected
linux-lts-quantal 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Ignored end of life
linux-lts-raring 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Ignored end of life
linux-lts-saucy 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Ignored end of life
linux-lts-trusty 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise
Not affected
linux-qcm-msm 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Ignored end of life

Notes

jdstrand

android kernels (flo, goldfish, grouper, maguro, mako and manta) are not supported on the Ubuntu Touch 14.10 and earlier preview kernels linux-lts-saucy no longer receives official support linux-lts-quantal no longer receives official support

Patch details

For informational purposes only. We recommend not to cherry-pick updates. How can I get the fixes?

Package Patch details
linux

Severity score breakdown

Parameter Value
Base score 6.5 · Medium
Attack vector Local
Attack complexity Low
Privileges required Low
User interaction None
Scope Changed
Confidentiality None
Integrity impact None
Availability impact High
Vector CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H

References

Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

    • USN-3084-3
    • Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi 2) vulnerabilities
    • 19 September 2016
    • USN-3084-1
    • Linux kernel vulnerabilities
    • 19 September 2016
    • USN-3084-4
    • Linux kernel (Qualcomm Snapdragon) vulnerabilities
    • 19 September 2016
    • USN-3084-2
    • Linux kernel (Xenial HWE) vulnerabilities
    • 19 September 2016

Other references