CVE-2024-43905

What it actually does

Null pointer dereference in the AMD power management code path for Vega10 hardware manager when a return value is not validated before use.

Why it matters to the business

Systems using affected Linux kernels with AMD graphics hardware may experience unexpected crashes or instability during power management operations, leading to downtime and potential data loss in graphics workloads.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker with local access triggers the vulnerable power management code path in the Vega10 hwmgr, supplying conditions that cause an unchecked function return to be treated as a valid pointer and subsequently dereferenced.

How to fix it

Update the Linux kernel to a version containing commit 2ac9deb7e087f0b461c3559d9eaa6b9cf19d3fa8 or later; Android devices should apply the corresponding fixes listed for versions 10, 11, 12, 12L, and 13 in the affected framework and module packages.

How to confirm the fix worked

Verify the running kernel contains the referenced commit or is newer than the vulnerable revision; confirm the null-check patch is present in the drm/amd/pm source files.

Typical attack path

1. Obtain local execution on a system running an affected kernel with AMD Vega10 hardware
2. Invoke graphics or power management APIs that reach vega10_hwmgr
3. Trigger the code path returning a null value without proper handling
4. Cause kernel panic or denial of service via the resulting dereference

How to detect it

Review kernel logs for null pointer dereference oops involving vega10_hwmgr or amd_pm functions; correlate with graphics initialization or power state change events.

What your security team should do

• Prioritize kernel updates on systems with AMD Vega10 GPUs given the memory corruption family
• Monitor for kernel oops or panic logs related to amd_pm or hwmgr
• Apply updates within standard patch cycles as EPSS remains low and the issue is not observed in KEV