CVE-2025-37783
📋 TL;DR
A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's DRM/MSM DPU driver could cause kernel crashes or instability when handling certain graphics operations. This affects systems using Qualcomm Adreno GPUs with the affected kernel versions. The vulnerability requires local access to trigger.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with DRM/MSM DPU 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Kernel panic leading to system crash and denial of service, potentially allowing local privilege escalation if combined with other vulnerabilities.
Likely Case
System instability or crash when performing specific graphics operations, requiring reboot to restore functionality.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper access controls preventing local users from triggering the vulnerable code path.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access and ability to trigger specific graphics operations. No public exploits known at this time.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions containing commits 5cb1b130e1cd04239cc9c26a98279f4660dce583 and a9670ed1cce3216778c89936d3ae91cf0d436035
Vendor Advisory: https://patchwork.freedesktop.org/patch/643132/
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update to a kernel version containing the fix commits. 2. For distributions: Apply security updates from your vendor. 3. Rebuild kernel if compiling from source. 4. Reboot system to load patched kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable DRM/MSM DPU driver
linuxDisable the vulnerable driver module if not required
echo 'blacklist msm_dpu' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
rmmod msm_dpu
Restrict graphics access
linuxLimit access to graphics operations for non-privileged users
chmod 600 /dev/dri/card*
setfacl -m u:root:rw /dev/dri/card*
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict local user access to systems with vulnerable kernels
- Implement strict process isolation and limit graphics API access
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if kernel has DRM/MSM DPU enabled and is before fix commits: grep -q CONFIG_DRM_MSM_DPU=y /boot/config-$(uname -r) && echo 'Potentially vulnerable'Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commits: git log --oneline | grep -E '5cb1b130e1cd|a9670ed1cce3'📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel oops messages
- System crash/panic logs
- DRM driver error messages in dmesg
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("Oops" OR "panic" OR "NULL pointer dereference") AND "dpu"