CVE-2024-57950

What it actually does

Uninitialized denominator variables in the AMD display driver can result in division by zero operations within the Linux kernel.

Why it matters to the business

May cause kernel crashes or system instability on Linux systems using AMD graphics hardware, leading to unexpected downtime and reduced availability.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker triggers display configuration or mode-setting paths where a denominator remains at its default uninitialized value, resulting in a divide-by-zero fault that panics the kernel.

How to fix it

Update the Linux kernel to a version containing commit c9d6afb4f9c338049662d27d169fba7dd60e337d which initializes all denominator variables to 1 by default.

How to confirm the fix worked

Inspect the drm/amd/display source for explicit initialization of denominator variables to 1 and confirm the kernel build includes the referenced commit.

Typical attack path

1. Gain local or remote access to a Linux system with the vulnerable AMD display driver
2. Issue display mode changes or hotplug events that exercise the affected code
3. Force use of an unset denominator variable in arithmetic operations

How to detect it

Review kernel logs and dmesg output for divide-by-zero faults originating from drm/amd/display functions after display-related events.

• divide by zero
• drm/amd/display

What your security team should do

• Apply the referenced kernel commit to all affected systems
• Prioritize updates for production workloads using AMD graphics
• Test display functionality after patching to ensure stability