Denial of Service Vulnerability in Xen Package - CVE-2016-9816
Summary
ALPINE-CVE-2016-9816: Xen through 4.7.x allows local ARM guest OS users to cause a denial of service (host crash) via vectors involving an asynchronous abort while at EL2. Affects xen versions < 4.7.1-r3. Fixed in 4.7.1-r3. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
Xen is an open-source hypervisor that allows multiple operating systems to run concurrently on a single physical machine. It is widely used in cloud computing and virtualization environments due to its efficiency and flexibility. The Xen package is crucial for managing virtual machines and ensuring resource allocation among them. However, it has been identified to have a vulnerability that affects its stability and security, particularly for ARM guest OS users.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability, identified as CVE-2016-9816, allows local ARM guest OS users to cause a denial of service (DoS) by triggering a host crash. This occurs through vectors involving an asynchronous abort while operating at Exception Level 2 (EL2). The potential ramifications include system instability, loss of service availability, and disruption of hosted applications, which can significantly impact users and organizations relying on Xen for virtualization.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
4.7.1-r3
This is the first release that contains the fix.
sudo apk add --upgrade xenTip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary workaround, users can limit access to the hypervisor for untrusted ARM guest OS users to mitigate the risk of triggering the vulnerability until the package is updated.
Conclusion
In summary, CVE-2016-9816 is a significant vulnerability in the Xen hypervisor that can lead to denial of service for ARM guest OS users. It is crucial for users to update to the patched version 4.7.1-r3 to mitigate risks and ensure system stability. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help monitor and alert for such vulnerabilities in real-time.
See every vulnerability recorded for xen →
FAQ
CVE-2016-9816 is a vulnerability in the Xen hypervisor that allows local ARM guest OS users to cause a denial of service by triggering a host crash.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
The consequences include potential system crashes, loss of service availability, and disruption of applications running on the affected Xen hypervisor.
Yes, a patch is available in version 4.7.1-r3 of the Xen package. It is recommended to update to this version or later.
The CVSS score for CVE-2016-9816 is 6.5, indicating a medium severity level.
References
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for xen.
