CVE-2021-38198

Name: CVE-2021-38198
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2021-08-08T20:15:07.027+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

MEDIUMCVSS 5.5/10EPSS 0.47%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2021-38198 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 5.5/10 on the CVSS scale. arch/x86/kvm/mmu/paging_tmpl.h in the Linux kernel before 5.12.11 incorrectly computes the access permissions of a shadow page, leading to a missing guest protection page fault.. EPSS estimates a 0.47% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

arch/x86/kvm/mmu/paging_tmpl.h in the Linux kernel before 5.12.11 incorrectly computes the access permissions of a shadow page, leading to a missing guest protection page fault.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

5.5/10

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

EPSS Probability

0.47%

37.0th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Linux	Linux Kernel	< 5.12.11
Debian	Debian Linux	9.0

References

https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v5.x/ChangeLog-5.12.11Mailing List, Patch, Vendor Advisory
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/b1bd5cba3306691c771d558e94baa73e8b0b96b7Exploit, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/10/msg00010.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/12/msg00012.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v5.x/ChangeLog-5.12.11Mailing List, Patch, Vendor Advisory
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/b1bd5cba3306691c771d558e94baa73e8b0b96b7Exploit, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/10/msg00010.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/12/msg00012.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Aug 8, 2021
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-38198?

arch/x86/kvm/mmu/paging_tmpl.h in the Linux kernel before 5.12.11 incorrectly computes the access permissions of a shadow page, leading to a missing guest protection page fault.

How severe is CVE-2021-38198?

CVE-2021-38198 has a CVSS score of 5.5/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.47% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2021-38198?

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-2021-38198?

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

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST