CVE Tools

CVE-2026-79611

VMX: VMentry failure with branch tracing and blocked states

No known exploitation. EPSS puts it in the 2nd percentile. Only a workaround so far.

Published Updated Sources: CVE.org, NVD

What to do

No fixed build is published yet. The vendor describes a workaround.

What it is

From the CVE record

For XSA-308 logic was introduced, as VMX VMEntry checks do not like the exact combination of state which occurs when #DB in intercepted, Single Stepping is active, and blocked by STI/MovSS is active, despite this being a legitimate state to be in. The resulting VMEntry failure is fatal to the guest. Sadly there is another special sub-case of the above, with branch tracing enabled. In that case the prior adjustment would still cause a VMentry failure, as before fatal to the guest.

In plain language

No plain-language summary for this CVE yet.

Exploitation

Where each signal puts this CVE on the scale from published to confirmed exploited.

EPSS2nd
CISA KEV

Not in the catalog. CISA has not confirmed exploitation.

Public exploits

No public exploit or proof of concept found in the sources we track.

EPSS

0.1% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, which ranks it in the 2nd percentile of scored CVEs.

Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST.org. A probability, not a confirmation.

Attention now

Rising, driven by in-the-wild reports.

Lifecycle

11 events over 9 days, from the signal feeds we watch.

  1. OpenVAS check added
  2. Workaround availablerecord updated
  3. Workaround availablerecord updated
  4. Workaround availableworkaround available, published, weakness classified, att&ck mapped, record updated

Affected products

Technical detail

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

Scored 5.5 by NVD.

How it is reached

  • Attack Vector LocalRequires local access to the vulnerable system (e.g. local login, malicious file)
  • Attack Complexity LowNo special conditions — the attack can be reliably reproduced
  • Privileges Required LowRequires basic user-level privileges
  • User Interaction NoneNo user interaction needed — fully automated exploitation

Scope

  • Scope UnchangedImpact is limited to the vulnerable component itself

Impact if exploited

  • Confidentiality NoneNo confidentiality impact
  • Integrity NoneNo integrity impact
  • Availability HighTotal denial of service — the component is completely unavailable

Weaknesses

ATT&CK techniques

Mapped from the weaknesses above (CWE to ATT&CK), not observed in attacks.

Sources

Watch the software you run.

My Stack ranks new CVEs for your products by real-world exploitation, so the next serious one reaches you without reading every advisory.

We'll flag the next CVE, public exploit or patch for Xen, not every advisory.