CVE-2026-62429 in Xen
Summary
by MITRE • 07/28/2026
Accessing the vNUMA configuration data of a guest is still possible when domain destruction has already started. The cleaning up of that configuration information is not synchronized with its retrieval by a device model controlling the guest.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/28/2026
This vulnerability represents a race condition in virtual machine management systems where vNUMA (virtual Non-Uniform Memory Access) configuration data remains accessible even after domain destruction has initiated. The fundamental flaw occurs when the hypervisor fails to properly synchronize the cleanup process of memory configuration information with ongoing retrieval operations by device models that control guest virtual machines. This desynchronization creates a window where malicious actors or system errors could potentially access stale or inconsistent vNUMA data during the domain termination phase, leading to potential information disclosure or system instability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate synchronization mechanisms between the domain destruction workflow and the device model's access patterns to memory configuration data. When a virtual machine domain begins termination, the hypervisor should immediately invalidate access to all associated configuration metadata including vNUMA topology information. However, the current implementation allows concurrent access where device models may still retrieve this data while the cleanup process is underway, creating a scenario where stale references could be processed by device drivers or management components.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability can lead to several security and stability concerns within virtualized environments. The exposure of vNUMA configuration data during domain destruction could potentially reveal memory topology information that attackers might exploit for privilege escalation or information gathering attacks. Additionally, accessing inconsistent or partially cleaned data could cause device models to malfunction, leading to system crashes or unexpected behavior in the hypervisor management layer. This issue particularly affects cloud computing environments and infrastructure as a service platforms where multiple virtual machines operate concurrently.
The vulnerability maps to CWE-362 which specifically addresses race conditions in concurrent programming, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter execution through potentially compromised device model access patterns. Organizations should implement proper synchronization primitives such as mutex locks or atomic operations between domain destruction and configuration data access to prevent this race condition. Additionally, implementing proper memory management protocols that ensure complete invalidation of configuration data before allowing access to cleanup routines would mitigate this vulnerability. Regular security audits of hypervisor components and device model implementations should include testing for similar race conditions in virtualization management interfaces to prevent exploitation through timing attacks or concurrent access patterns.