CVE-2024-56711
📋 TL;DR
This CVE addresses a NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's DRM panel driver for Himax HX83102 displays. If exploited, it could cause a kernel panic or system crash when memory allocation fails during display mode duplication. This affects Linux systems using the affected kernel versions with Himax HX83102 display panels.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with himax-hx83102 DRM panel driver
📦 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 →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 requiring physical reboot.
Likely Case
System crash or instability when display operations fail due to memory constraints.
If Mitigated
Graceful error handling prevents crash, system continues with degraded display functionality.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access and ability to trigger display mode operations under memory pressure conditions.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions with commit 747547972e647509815ad8530ff09d62220a56c2 or e1e1af9148dc4c866eda3fb59cd6ec3c7ea34b1d
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/747547972e647509815ad8530ff09d62220a56c2
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to patched version. 2. Rebuild kernel if compiling from source. 3. Reboot system to load new kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable affected driver module
linuxPrevent loading of the vulnerable himax-hx83102 DRM panel driver
echo 'blacklist panel-himax-hx83102' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
update-initramfs -u
reboot
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Ensure adequate system memory to reduce likelihood of allocation failures
- Restrict local user access to systems with vulnerable configuration
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if himax-hx83102 driver is loaded: lsmod | grep himax_hx83102Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Check kernel version is patched: uname -r and verify against patched versions📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages
- NULL pointer dereference in kernel logs
- Display subsystem crashes
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
kernel: *NULL pointer dereference* OR kernel: *BUG: unable to handle kernel NULL pointer*