CVE-2023-52695
📋 TL;DR
A null pointer dereference vulnerability in the AMD display driver component of the Linux kernel could cause kernel crashes or system instability when writeback connectors are improperly handled. This affects Linux systems with AMD graphics hardware using the affected kernel versions. The vulnerability requires local access to trigger.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with AMD display driver (drm/amd/display)
📦 What is this software?
Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Kernel panic leading to system crash and denial of service, potentially causing data loss or system instability.
Likely Case
System crash or instability when specific display operations are performed with writeback connectors, requiring reboot to restore functionality.
If Mitigated
Minor system instability that self-recovers or requires manual intervention to restart affected services.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access and knowledge of triggering the specific display operations with writeback connectors. No known public exploits.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions containing commits 0fe85301b95077ac4fa4a91909d38b7341e81187 and dbf5d3d02987faa0eec3710dd687cd912362d7b5
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0fe85301b95077ac4fa4a91909d38b7341e81187
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to patched version. 2. Check distribution-specific security advisories. 3. Reboot system after kernel update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable writeback connectors
linuxPrevent use of writeback connectors which trigger the vulnerable code path
echo 0 > /sys/class/drm/card*/device/writeback/enable
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict local user access to systems with AMD graphics hardware
- Monitor system logs for kernel panic or display driver crash events
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and if AMD display driver is loaded: lsmod | grep amdgpu && uname -rCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes the fix commits or is newer than patched versions📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages
- AMD display driver crash logs
- System crash/reboot events
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("panic" OR "Oops" OR "NULL pointer dereference") AND "drm/amd"