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Vulnerability record · CVE-2019-6974 · published 15 February 2019

CVE-2019-6974: Linux kernel race condition vulnerability

Linux · Linux Kernel

In the Linux kernel before 4.20.8, kvm_ioctl_create_device in virt/kvm/kvm_main.c mishandles reference counting because of a race condition, leading to a use-after-free.

8.1 CVSS 3.1 High EPSS 17% · top 3.1% CWE-362 · Race conditionCWE-416 · Use after free
8.1CVSS 3.1 base score, v2 6.8
17%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
24Affected product versions listed by NVD
56References, 6 tagged exploit
17 Jun 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

In the Linux kernel before 4.20.8, kvm_ioctl_create_device in virt/kvm/kvm_main.c mishandles reference counting because of a race condition, leading to a use-after-free.

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

Affected products

24 vulnerable configurations from NVD's CPE data, grouped by vendor and product.

References

LinkTags
http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=cfa39381173d5f969daf43582c95ad679189cbc9 Mailing ListPatchVendor Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/107127 Broken LinkThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHBA-2019:0959 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:0818 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:0833 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2809 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:3967 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0103 Third Party Advisory
https://bugs.chromium.org/p/project-zero/issues/detail?id=1765 ExploitMailing ListPatchThird Party Advisory
https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.14.99 Mailing ListVendor Advisory
https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.19.21 Mailing ListVendor Advisory
https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.20.8 Mailing ListVendor Advisory
https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.9.156 Mailing ListVendor Advisory
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/cfa39381173d5f969daf43582c95ad679189cbc9 ExploitPatchThird Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/03/msg00034.html Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/04/msg00004.html Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/05/msg00002.html Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K11186236 Third Party Advisory
https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K11186236?utm_source=f5support&amp%3Butm_medium=RSS
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3930-1/ Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3930-2/ Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3931-1/ Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3931-2/ Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3932-1/ Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3932-2/ Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3933-1/ Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3933-2/ Third Party Advisory
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/46388/ ExploitThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=cfa39381173d5f969daf43582c95ad679189cbc9 Mailing ListPatchVendor Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/107127 Broken LinkThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHBA-2019:0959 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:0818 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:0833 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2809 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:3967 Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0103 Third Party Advisory
https://bugs.chromium.org/p/project-zero/issues/detail?id=1765 ExploitMailing ListPatchThird Party Advisory
https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.14.99 Mailing ListVendor Advisory
https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.19.21 Mailing ListVendor Advisory
https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.20.8 Mailing ListVendor Advisory

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Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2019-6974), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-26). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.