CVE-2021-4093
kernel: KVM: SVM: out-of-bounds read/write in sev_es_string_io
Severity
ModerateRed Hat Product Security
CVSS 3.1
Review impact separately from score.
Published · November 22, 2021
Updated · June 28, 2026
Description
A flaw was found in the KVM's AMD code for supporting the Secure Encrypted Virtualization-Encrypted State (SEV-ES). A KVM guest using SEV-ES can trigger out-of-bounds reads and writes in the host kernel via a malicious VMGEXIT for a string I/O instruction (for example, outs or ins) using the exit reason SVM_EXIT_IOIO. This issue results in a crash of the entire system or a potential guest-to-host escape scenario.
Statement
AMD Secure Encrypted Virtualization (SEV) is currently provided as a Technology Preview in RHEL and, therefore, unsupported for production use. For additional details please see https://access.redhat.com/articles/4491591 and https://access.redhat.com/support/offerings/techpreview.
CVSS score applicability
The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.
Mitigation
Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options do not meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base or stability.
CVSS / CWE
CVSS 3.1 · 8.2CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
CWE-787 · Out-of-bounds Write