CVE-2025-0467: Kernel Memory Exploit in Guest VMs

Overview

CVE-2025-0467 is a high severity vulnerability that affects the kernel software running inside a Guest Virtual Machine (VM). This vulnerability involves the exploitation of memory that is shared with the GPU Firmware, leading to potential data writing outside the Guest’s virtualized GPU memory. This could result in a system compromise or data leakage, posing significant threats to both system integrity and data security. Given the ubiquity of virtual machines in today’s IT infrastructure, this vulnerability is of considerable concern to organizations of all sizes across various industries.

Vulnerability Summary

CVE ID: CVE-2025-0467
Severity: High (CVSS: 8.2)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: None
Impact: System compromise and potential data leakage

Affected Products

Product | Affected Versions

Kernel Software | All versions prior to patch

How the Exploit Works

The exploit works by manipulating the kernel software inside a Guest VM to access memory shared with the GPU Firmware. The attacker can then write data outside the Guest’s virtualized GPU memory. This could be used to overwrite important system data or inject malicious code, leading to system compromise. The attacker can also potentially access sensitive information stored in the GPU memory, leading to data leakage.

Conceptual Example Code

Here’s a
conceptual
example of how the vulnerability might be exploited, assuming the attacker has already obtained access to the Guest VM:

# Gain access to GPU memory
gpu_mem_access = get_gpu_mem_access()
# Write data outside the Guest's virtualized GPU memory
write_outside_gpu_mem(gpu_mem_access, "malicious_data")

This pseudocode demonstrates the underlying concept of the exploit. The function `get_gpu_mem_access` is used to gain access to the GPU memory, and the function `write_outside_gpu_mem` is used to write data outside the Guest’s virtualized GPU memory.

Mitigation and Prevention

The recommended mitigation for this vulnerability is to apply the vendor’s patch. If a patch is not immediately available, users are advised to use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) as a temporary mitigation measure. Regular system and software updates, along with robust cybersecurity practices, can help prevent such vulnerabilities from being exploited in the first place.