CVE-2024-58073
📋 TL;DR
This CVE addresses a NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's Direct Rendering Manager (DRM) for MSM/DPU display hardware. The flaw occurs when the dpu_plane_atomic_print_state() function attempts to access pipe->sspp without proper validation, potentially causing kernel crashes. This affects Linux systems using MSM/DPU display drivers, particularly those with Qualcomm Adreno GPUs.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with MSM/DPU display driver support
📦 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 requiring physical reboot.
Likely Case
System instability or crash when specific display operations are performed, particularly during debugging or state dumping scenarios.
If Mitigated
Minor system instability that may cause application crashes but not full system failure.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access and specific display operations to trigger the NULL pointer dereference.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Fixed in kernel commits 008af2074e4b91d34440102501b710c235a3b245 and 789384eb1437aed94155dc0eac8a8a6ba1baf578
Vendor Advisory: https://patchwork.freedesktop.org/patch/628404/
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel. 3. For distributions: Use package manager (apt/yum/dnf) to update kernel package.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable vulnerable display operations
linuxAvoid triggering atomic state printing operations for MSM/DPU display planes
No specific commands - avoid debug/state dumping operations on affected display hardware
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict local user access to systems with vulnerable display hardware
- Monitor system logs for kernel panic or NULL pointer dereference events
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and if MSM/DPU drivers are loaded: 'uname -r' and 'lsmod | grep msm'Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commits or is newer than vulnerable versions📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages
- NULL pointer dereference in dpu_plane_atomic_print_state
- Oops messages in /var/log/kern.log
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("NULL pointer dereference" OR "dpu_plane" OR "kernel panic")