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On the Linux system you want to inspect, run cat /sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/spectre_v2. Read the entire line: it reports the running kernel’s Spectre-v2 status and may include several mitigation and CPU-feature details.
Check the running kernel’s Spectre-v2 status
- Open a terminal on the Linux host whose status you need to check.
- Run
cat /sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/spectre_v2. - Record the complete output, including any comma-separated details. The kernel documents this sysfs interface as a way to report whether the system is vulnerable and which Spectre mitigations are active: Linux kernel documentation on Spectre side channels.
In a virtual machine or container, the command reports the kernel environment and CPU features visible there; that may differ from the physical host. Run the check in the environment whose status matters.
Interpret the status line
The leading status distinguishes whether the kernel considers the processor affected from whether a mitigation is active. These are examples documented by the Linux kernel; exact wording varies with the kernel and hardware.
| Output example | What it indicates |
|---|---|
Not affected |
The kernel reports that the processor is not affected by Spectre v2. |
Mitigation: None |
The processor is vulnerable and the kernel reports no mitigation. |
Mitigation: Retpolines |
Retpoline mitigation is in use. |
Mitigation: LFENCE |
LFENCE mitigation is in use. |
Mitigation: Enhanced IBRS |
Enhanced IBRS, a hardware-focused mitigation, is in use. |
The line may also include firmware-protection information and user-space isolation features such as IBPB or STIBP. Do not reduce a line with these additional fields to a single yes-or-no label; interpret the complete result using the kernel documentation.
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If the result says no mitigation or the file is missing
When the output reports vulnerability
If the line says Mitigation: None or otherwise indicates vulnerability, check the active kernel command line and consult your Linux distribution’s supported kernel and firmware updates for the specific processor. A generic security product should not be assumed to change this kernel-reported status.
When the status file is absent
Confirm that you are running Linux and that the command is being run in the intended host environment. Kernel versions and vendor builds can differ, so the interface may not be exposed in the environment you checked.
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Why two Linux systems can report different results
The selected mitigation can depend on the CPU model, available microcode, kernel configuration, and the compiler used to build the kernel. The kernel normally selects mitigations based on the current CPU, but boot parameters can alter that selection.
The kernel documents spectre_v2=on, spectre_v2=off, and spectre_v2=auto as controls: Linux kernel command-line parameters. Disabling a mitigation is a security tradeoff, not a routine troubleshooting step.
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What this check does—and does not—establish
The file tells you what the running kernel reports about Spectre v2 and its selected protections. It is not a general guarantee against every speculative-execution issue. For a broader assessment, also check security advisories and update guidance applicable to your processor and Linux distribution.
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