CVE-2024-42092 – A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's GPIO driv... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2024-42092?

CVE-2024-42092 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (HIGH). A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's GPIO driver for Davinci platforms allows out-of-bounds memory access when parsing corrupted Device Tree data. This affects systems using the Davinci GPIO driver with improperly configured Device Trees, potentially leading to kernel crashes or privilege escalation.

📋 TL;DR

A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's GPIO driver for Davinci platforms allows out-of-bounds memory access when parsing corrupted Device Tree data. This affects systems using the Davinci GPIO driver with improperly configured Device Trees, potentially leading to kernel crashes or privilege escalation.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Linux kernel

Versions: Kernel versions before the fix commits (specific versions vary by distribution)

Operating Systems: Linux distributions using affected kernel versions

Default Config Vulnerable: ✅ No

Notes: Only affects systems with Davinci platform GPIO hardware and Device Tree configuration. Most standard Linux distributions not affected unless using specific embedded hardware.

📦 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...

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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...

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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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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, or potential privilege escalation to kernel mode if combined with other vulnerabilities.

🟠

Likely Case

System instability or kernel panic when accessing GPIO functionality with corrupted Device Tree data.

🟢

If Mitigated

No impact if Device Tree is properly configured or system doesn't use Davinci GPIO driver.

🌐 Internet-Facing: LOW - Requires local access or specific hardware interaction.

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Could affect embedded systems and IoT devices using Davinci platforms.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: NO

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: HIGH

Requires local access and ability to modify or corrupt Device Tree data. Not easily weaponized for remote attacks.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Fixed in kernel commits: 2d83492259ad, 70b48899f3f2, 7aa9b96e9a73, 89d7008af494, a8d78984fdc1

Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2d83492259ad746b655f196cd5d1be4b3d0a3782

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Check with your distribution for backported patches. 3. Reboot system after kernel update.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable Davinci GPIO driver

linux

Remove or blacklist the davinci_gpio driver if not needed

echo 'blacklist davinci_gpio' > /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-davinci-gpio.conf
rmmod davinci_gpio

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Ensure Device Tree configurations are validated and not corrupted
Restrict physical access to systems using Davinci GPIO hardware

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check kernel version and if davinci_gpio module is loaded: 'lsmod | grep davinci_gpio' and 'uname -r'

Check Version:

uname -r

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify kernel version includes fix commits or davinci_gpio module is not loaded

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Kernel panic messages
GPIO driver error messages in dmesg
Out of bounds memory access errors

Network Indicators:

None - local vulnerability only

SIEM Query:

source="kernel" AND ("davinci_gpio" OR "GPIO" OR "out of bounds")

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2024-42092

CVSS v3 Score: 7.8 (HIGH)

CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CWE: CWE-129

Published: July 29, 2024

Last Updated: November 3, 2025

🔗 References

📤 Share & Export

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🔗 Related Vulnerabilities

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