CVE-2019-19082 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE
Memory leaks in *create_resource_pool() functions under drivers/gpu/drm/amd/display/dc in the Linux kernel through 5.3.11 allow attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption). This affects the dce120_create_resource_pool() function in drivers/gpu/drm/amd/display/dc/dce120/dce120_resource.c, the dce110_create_resource_pool() function in drivers/gpu/drm/amd/display/dc/dce110/dce110_resource.c, the dce100_create_resource_pool() function in drivers/gpu/drm/amd/display/dc/dce100/dce100_resource.c, the dcn10_create_resource_pool() function in drivers/gpu/drm/amd/display/dc/dcn10/dcn10_resource.c, and the dce112_create_resource_pool() function in drivers/gpu/drm/amd/display/dc/dce112/dce112_resource.c, aka CID-104c307147ad.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/23/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-19082 represents a critical memory management flaw within the AMD display driver subsystem of the Linux kernel. This issue manifests in multiple resource pool creation functions across different display controller implementations, specifically affecting the dce120, dce110, dce100, dcn10, and dce112 display controller variants. The memory leaks occur during the initialization phase when the kernel attempts to allocate resources for display operations, creating a persistent degradation in system memory availability that can ultimately lead to system instability and denial of service conditions.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in improper memory deallocation practices within the create_resource_pool() functions, which are part of the display controller driver framework responsible for managing graphics hardware resources. When these functions are invoked during system initialization or display configuration changes, they fail to properly release allocated memory blocks, resulting in gradual memory consumption that can accumulate over time. The flaw affects the AMD display controller driver components that handle display output management, particularly impacting systems utilizing AMD graphics hardware through the drm subsystem. This memory leak pattern specifically targets the resource allocation mechanisms that manage display controller hardware resources including framebuffer memory, scaler units, and other display pipeline components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple resource exhaustion, creating conditions where legitimate system operations can be disrupted through resource starvation. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by repeatedly triggering display configuration changes or by maintaining persistent connections to display services, causing the system to gradually consume available memory until critical system resources become unavailable. This can result in system crashes, application failures, or complete system lockups, particularly affecting systems running graphics-intensive workloads or those with limited memory resources. The vulnerability affects Linux kernel versions through 5.3.11, making it a persistent threat across a wide range of system deployments that utilize AMD graphics hardware.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require both immediate kernel updates and careful system monitoring to prevent exploitation. System administrators should prioritize updating to kernel versions that contain patches addressing the memory leak conditions, typically found in kernel releases following version 5.3.11. Additionally, implementing memory monitoring tools and setting up automated alerts for memory consumption patterns can help detect exploitation attempts before they cause system instability. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-401, which specifically addresses improper resource management and memory leaks, while also mapping to ATT&CK technique T1499.002 for resource exhaustion attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing display driver isolation mechanisms and monitoring display subsystem activity to detect anomalous resource allocation patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.