CVE-2022-49294 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 02/26/2025
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
drm/amd/display: Check if modulo is 0 before dividing.
[How & Why]
If a value of 0 is read, then this will cause a divide-by-0 panic.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/24/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-49294 resides within the Linux kernel's drm/amd/display subsystem, specifically affecting the AMD display driver component that manages graphics rendering and display output for AMD hardware. This issue represents a classic divide-by-zero error that occurs during the processing of display-related calculations. The flaw manifests when the driver attempts to perform division operations without proper validation of the divisor value, creating a critical system instability condition that can lead to complete system crashes or panics.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the display management code path. When processing display configuration parameters or calculating display timing values, the driver reads a modulo value that may legitimately be zero in certain edge cases or configuration scenarios. The code fails to implement a precondition check to verify that the modulo operand is non-zero before executing the division operation. This oversight directly violates fundamental defensive programming principles and creates an exploitable condition that can be triggered through specific display configuration sequences or hardware initialization processes.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to systems utilizing AMD graphics hardware, particularly in enterprise environments where system stability is paramount. The divide-by-zero condition results in immediate system panics and kernel oops messages, effectively rendering the affected system unusable until a reboot occurs. This type of vulnerability can be particularly problematic in embedded systems, servers, or devices where unexpected system crashes could lead to service disruption or data loss. The attack surface is relatively narrow since it requires specific display configuration scenarios, but the impact is severe given that it affects the core graphics subsystem of the operating system.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-369, which specifically addresses the divide by zero weakness in software systems. This classification indicates that the flaw represents a well-known security vulnerability pattern that has been documented in numerous software systems over time. The issue also maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers the use of system resource consumption through kernel-level exploits that can cause denial of service conditions. The fix implemented in the kernel resolves this by introducing proper validation logic that checks whether the modulo value is zero before proceeding with division operations, thereby preventing the arithmetic exception from occurring.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate application of the kernel patch that implements the modulo validation check, which should be prioritized in all production environments. System administrators should also consider implementing monitoring solutions that can detect kernel panics or system crashes related to display drivers, as these events may indicate exploitation attempts or system instability. Additionally, organizations should review their display configuration processes to identify any potentially problematic scenarios that might trigger this condition, and maintain regular kernel update schedules to ensure protection against similar vulnerabilities. The fix demonstrates the importance of defensive programming practices and proper input validation in kernel space code, where errors can have catastrophic system-wide consequences.