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Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2021-3653

🗓️ 05 Aug 2025 00:00:00Reported by TenableType 
nessus
 nessus
🔗 www.tenable.com👁 1 Views

Linux host vulnerable to CVE-2021-3653 due to lack of vendor patch for KVM AMD nested virtualization.

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Refs
Code
#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
##

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(243755);
  script_version("1.11");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2026/05/21");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2021-3653");

  script_name(english:"Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2021-3653");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed with a vulnerability that the vendor indicates will not be
patched.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied
patch available.

  - A flaw was found in the KVM's AMD code for supporting SVM nested virtualization. The flaw occurs when
    processing the VMCB (virtual machine control block) provided by the L1 guest to spawn/handle a nested
    guest (L2). Due to improper validation of the int_ctl field, this issue could allow a malicious L1 to
    enable AVIC support (Advanced Virtual Interrupt Controller) for the L2 guest. As a result, the L2 guest
    would be allowed to read/write physical pages of the host, resulting in a crash of the entire system, leak
    of sensitive data or potential guest-to-host escape. This flaw affects Linux kernel versions prior to
    5.14-rc7. (CVE-2021-3653)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2021-3653");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"There is no known solution at this time.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"agent", value:"unix");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:C");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:POC/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:P/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2021-3653");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"Exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"true");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vendor_unpatched", value:"true");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2021/09/04");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2025/08/05");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:20.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:22.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:24.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-aws-5.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-aws-5.3");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-aws-5.8");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-azure");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-azure-5.3");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-azure-edge");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-gcp");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-gcp-5.3");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-gcp-5.8");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-gcp-edge");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-gke-4.15");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-hwe");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-hwe-5.8");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-hwe-edge");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-intel-iot-realtime");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-oem");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-oem-5.6");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-oracle-5.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-oracle-5.3");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-oracle-5.8");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-raspi-realtime");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-realtime");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"generated_plugin", value:"current");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"Misc.");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2025-2026 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("ssh_get_info2.nasl", "set_linux_os_id.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/cpu", "Host/local_checks_enabled", "global_settings/vendor_unpatched", "Host/OS/identifier");
  script_require_ports("Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-14.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-16.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-18.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-20.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-22.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-24.04");

  exit(0);
}

if (!get_kb_item("global_settings/vendor_unpatched")) exit(0, "Unpatched Vulnerabilities Detection not active.");
if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
if (empty_or_null(get_one_kb_item("Host/Debian/dpkg-l"))) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);

include('linux_unpatched.inc');

var distro_constraints_array = {
  "Ubuntu Linux-14.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "14.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "linux-cloud-tools-3.13.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-cloud-tools-common"},
          {"reference": "linux-doc"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-3.13.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-image-3.13.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-image-extra-3.13.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-libc-dev"},
          {"reference": "linux-source-3.13.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-tools-3.13.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-tools-common"},
          {"reference": "linux-udebs-generic"},
          {"reference": "linux-udebs-generic-lpae"},
          {"reference": "linux-udebs-lowlatency"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-16.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "16.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "linux-hwe-edge"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-18.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "18.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "linux-aws-5.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-aws-5.3"},
          {"reference": "linux-azure-5.3"},
          {"reference": "linux-azure-cloud-tools-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-azure-edge"},
          {"reference": "linux-azure-headers-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-azure-tools-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-gcp-5.3"},
          {"reference": "linux-gcp-edge"},
          {"reference": "linux-gcp-headers-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-gcp-tools-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-gke-4.15"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-hwe"},
          {"reference": "linux-hwe-edge"},
          {"reference": "linux-image-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-image-unsigned-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-modules-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-modules-extra-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-oem-headers-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-oem-tools-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-oracle-5.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-oracle-5.3"},
          {"reference": "linux-tools-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-udebs-azure"},
          {"reference": "linux-udebs-oem"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-20.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "20.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "linux-aws-5.8"},
          {"reference": "linux-buildinfo-5.6.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-cloud-tools-5.6.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-gcp-5.8"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-5.6.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-hwe-5.8"},
          {"reference": "linux-image-unsigned-5.6.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-modules-5.6.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-modules-extra-5.6.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-oem-5.6-headers-5.6.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-oem-5.6-tools-5.6.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-oem-5.6-tools-common"},
          {"reference": "linux-oem-5.6-tools-host"},
          {"reference": "linux-oracle-5.8"},
          {"reference": "linux-tools-5.6.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-udebs-oem"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-22.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "22.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "linux-intel-iot-realtime"},
          {"reference": "linux-realtime"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-24.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "24.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "linux-raspi-realtime"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
};

var distro_constraints_values = linux_unpatched::get_distro_constraints(distro_constraints_arr:distro_constraints_array);
if (empty_or_null(distro_constraints_values)) audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
var report = linux_unpatched::check_unpatched_constraints(distro_constraints_values:distro_constraints_values);

if (!empty_or_null(report))
{
  security_report_v4(
      port       : 0,
      severity   : SECURITY_WARNING,
      extra      : report
  );
  exit(0);
}
else
{
  audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
}

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21 May 2026 00:00Current
6.8Medium risk
Vulners AI Score6.8
CVSS 26.1
CVSS 3.18.8
EPSS0.00015
1