CVE-2024-46725

What it actually does

The flaw permits an out-of-bounds write in the amdgpu DRM driver when an unchecked ring type value is supplied, allowing kernel memory corruption.

Why it matters to the business

Linux systems with AMD GPUs face risk of local privilege escalation or denial of service, potentially compromising servers, workstations, and containers that rely on the kernel.

How an attack unfolds

A local attacker with access to a vulnerable Linux system supplies a crafted ring type through DRM/amdgpu interfaces to bypass validation, triggering the out-of-bounds write that can be leveraged for kernel code execution or crash.

How to fix it

Update the Linux kernel to include commit c253b87c7c37ec40a2e0c84e4a6b636ba5cd66b2 or later; apply equivalent fixes in stable branches and rebuild any affected distributions or container images such as docker/docker updated to 1.0.1.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm the kernel version incorporates the referenced commit, review amdgpu driver source for the added ring type validation, and test driver initialization with varied ring types on AMD hardware.

Typical attack path

1. Obtain local user access on a Linux system using AMD GPUs
2. Interact with the amdgpu DRM driver interfaces
3. Provide an invalid ring type value to trigger the missing bounds check
4. Exploit resulting memory corruption for privilege escalation or denial of service

How to detect it

Review kernel logs and dmesg for amdgpu ring type warnings or out-of-bounds access messages; inspect audit logs for unusual DRM ioctl activity on affected systems.

What your security team should do

• Apply kernel updates containing the fix on all AMD GPU systems as highest priority
• Limit local unprivileged access on multi-user Linux hosts
• Monitor kernel logs for amdgpu-related warnings or crashes
• Rebuild and redeploy container images using fixed kernel versions