CVE-2016-4440

Name: CVE-2016-4440
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2016-06-27T10:59:07.783+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

HIGHCVSS 7.8/10EPSS 0.36%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2016-4440 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 7.8/10 on the CVSS scale. arch/x86/kvm/vmx.c in the Linux kernel through 4.6.3 mishandles the APICv on/off state, which allows guest OS users to obtain direct APIC MSR access on the host OS, and consequently cause a denial of service (host OS crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code on the host OS, via x2APIC mode.. EPSS estimates a 0.36% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

arch/x86/kvm/vmx.c in the Linux kernel through 4.6.3 mishandles the APICv on/off state, which allows guest OS users to obtain direct APIC MSR access on the host OS, and consequently cause a denial of service (host OS crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code on the host OS, via x2APIC mode.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

0.36%

28.3th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-264

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 4.5, < 4.7

References

http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=3ce424e45411cf5a13105e0386b6ecf6eeb4f66fVendor Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/05/20/2Mailing List
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1337806Issue Tracking
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/3ce424e45411cf5a13105e0386b6ecf6eeb4f66fVendor Advisory
http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=3ce424e45411cf5a13105e0386b6ecf6eeb4f66fVendor Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/05/20/2Mailing List
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1337806Issue Tracking
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/3ce424e45411cf5a13105e0386b6ecf6eeb4f66fVendor Advisory

Timeline

Published: Jun 27, 2016
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2016-4440?

How severe is CVE-2016-4440?

CVE-2016-4440 has a CVSS score of 7.8/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.36% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2016-4440?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2016-4440?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST