CVE-2023-31364
Denial of Service via Memory Write Flood in IOMMU
Publication date: 2026-02-26
Last updated on: 2026-02-26
Assigner: Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| amd | epyc | 7001 |
| amd | epyc | 9005 |
| amd | embedded | * |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-119 | The product performs operations on a memory buffer, but it reads from or writes to a memory location outside the buffer's intended boundary. This may result in read or write operations on unexpected memory locations that could be linked to other variables, data structures, or internal program data. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
[{'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'CVE-2023-31364 is a high-severity vulnerability in AMD processors involving improper handling of direct memory writes in the input-output memory management unit (IOMMU).'}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'A malicious guest virtual machine (VM) can exploit this flaw to flood the host system with malformed System Management Interrupts (SMIs), which can trigger a fatal machine check error (MCE) on the host.'}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': "This results in a system crash causing denial of service (DoS) for all co-located guest VMs. The vulnerability exploits incorrect memory access and the system's error-handling mechanisms."}] [1]
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on affected AMD systems by crashing the host machine.
If you run virtualized environments on AMD EPYC server or embedded processors, a malicious guest VM could exploit this flaw to disrupt all co-located guest VMs by triggering a fatal machine check error.
This can lead to system downtime, loss of availability, and potential disruption of services relying on the affected hardware.
How does this vulnerability affect compliance with common standards and regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA)?:
I don't know
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
I don't know
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
To mitigate this vulnerability, users should obtain and apply the appropriate BIOS or firmware updates provided by their Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) that correspond to their specific AMD EPYC processors.
AMD has released specific firmware fixes for various EPYC series processors between June and December 2025. Applying these updates will address the improper handling of direct memory writes in the input-output memory management unit (IOMMU) that could otherwise allow a malicious guest VM to cause a denial of service.
Users of AMD Athlon 3000 Series Mobile Processors with Radeon Graphics and AMD Ryzen Embedded 5000 Series Processors are less likely to be affected, and no fixes are planned for these client processors.
Prompt application of these updates is critical to reduce the risk of exploitation.