# CVE-2023-5088: Qemu: improper ide controller reset can lead to mbr overwrite

Status: published. Published: 2023-11-03. Updated: 2026-11-07.

A bug in QEMU could cause a guest I/O operation otherwise addressed to an arbitrary disk offset to be targeted to offset 0 instead (potentially overwriting the VM's boot code). This could be used, for example, by L2 guests with a virtual disk (vdiskL2) stored on a virtual disk of an L1 (vdiskL1) hypervisor to read and/or write data to LBA 0 of vdiskL1, potentially gaining control of L1 at its next reboot.

## Remediation

- workaround: Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options don't meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base or stability. (source: CNA: redhat)

## Affected products and versions

- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (virt-devel:rhel): ≥ 8100020240314161907.e155f54d; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (virt:rhel): ≥ 8100020240314161907.e155f54d; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 (qemu-kvm): ≥ 17:8.2.0-11.el9_4; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 (qemu-kvm): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 (qemu-kvm): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 (qemu-kvm-ma): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 Advanced Virtualization (virt:av/qemu-kvm): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat

## Severity and prioritization

- CVSS 3.1: 6.4 (medium); CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H; source: CNA: redhat

- CISA KEV: No listing in collected sources

- EPSS: 0.26% as of 2026-11-07; percentile 17.48%

- SSVC: exploitation none; automatable no; technical impact total; source ADP: CISA-ADP

- Weaknesses: CWE-821

## Exploit evidence

No exploit evidence in collected sources. This is not proof of no exploitation.

## References

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:2135 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:2962 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-5088 (CNA: redhat; vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2247283 (CNA: redhat; issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://lore.kernel.org/all/20230921160712.99521-1-simon.rowe@nutanix.com/T/ (CNA: redhat)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:2135 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:2962 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-5088 (ADP: CVE; vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2247283 (ADP: CVE; issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2024/03/msg00012.html (ADP: CVE; x_transferred)

- https://lore.kernel.org/all/20230921160712.99521-1-simon.rowe@nutanix.com/T/ (ADP: CVE; x_transferred)

- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20231208-0005/ (ADP: CVE; x_transferred)

- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/04/msg00042.html (ADP: CVE)

## Provenance

- CNA: redhat: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-5088; retrieved 2026-11-07; source updated 2026-11-07

- FIRST EPSS: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2023-5088; retrieved 2026-11-07; source updated Not reported

Revision: 05dfc5b5e12ee308c07721a45fa764de299e67d1e9a246f3690c3ea5119e3798

Canonical: https://y2.dev/cve/CVE-2023-5088

## Agent and API access

Public CVE pages, Markdown, and JSON are free to read without an account or API key.

- Public catalog: https://y2.dev/cve/index.json. Follow nextCursor with the same search, filters, sort, and limit (1–100). A null cursor marks the end.

- WebMCP: search_cve_disclosures, get_cve_disclosure, get_cve_page_markdown, get_y2_cve_access. Available in compatible browsers.

- Cyber API: https://api.y2.dev/api/v2/cyber/cves and https://api.y2.dev/api/v2/cyber/cves/{cveId}.

- Y2 Pro or Elite: create a workspace API key with the intel:cyber scope and send Authorization: Bearer <Y2_API_KEY>. Setup: https://y2.dev/docs/api/create-key.

- x402: Pay per request without an account or API key. Omit Authorization, read the HTTP 402 PAYMENT-REQUIRED challenge, validate its current requirements, and retry with PAYMENT-SIGNATURE through an authorized payment client. These browser tools never make payments. Guide: https://y2.dev/docs/api/x402.

- OpenAPI: https://y2.dev/api/openapi.yaml. Agent access metadata: https://y2.dev/cve/agent.json.

Collected public records only. Check source status for coverage and freshness.