CVE-2024-49923
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a null pointer dereference vulnerability in the AMD display driver within the Linux kernel. If exploited, it could cause a kernel panic or system crash, affecting systems running vulnerable Linux kernel versions with AMD graphics hardware.
💻 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 →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 kernel panic when the vulnerable display driver function is triggered, resulting in temporary denial of service.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper patching; system remains stable with no security compromise.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires triggering the specific display driver function with null pointer, likely requiring local access or specific display operations.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions containing commits: 39a580cd15397e102aaec25986ae5acf492f8930, 5559598742fb4538e4c51c48ef70563c49c2af23, 85aa996ecfaa95d1e922867390502d23ce21b905, 9a05270869f40c89f8d184fe2d37cb86e0d7e5f5
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/39a580cd15397e102aaec25986ae5acf492f8930
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to patched version from your distribution's repositories. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable AMD display driver (not recommended)
linuxTemporarily disable the affected AMD display driver module
sudo modprobe -r amdgpu
sudo modprobe -r amd_drm
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict local user access to systems with AMD graphics
- Monitor system logs for kernel panic events related to display driver
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and if AMD display driver is loaded: lsmod | grep amdgpuCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version is updated and check dmesg for display driver errors after patch📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages
- NULL pointer dereference errors in dmesg
- Display driver crash logs
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
search 'kernel panic' OR 'NULL pointer dereference' AND 'amdgpu' OR 'display'