CVE-2024-26915 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 04/17/2024
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
drm/amdgpu: Reset IH OVERFLOW_CLEAR bit
Allows us to detect subsequent IH ring buffer overflows as well.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/13/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-26915 affects the Linux kernel's graphics subsystem, specifically within the amdgpu driver component that manages AMD graphics processing units. This issue resides in the display subsystem's interrupt handling mechanism where the IH (Interrupt Handler) ring buffer overflow detection logic fails to properly reset the overflow clear bit. The problem manifests when the graphics driver encounters an interrupt handler overflow condition, which should trigger a clear bit to acknowledge and reset the overflow state. Without proper bit reset functionality, the system cannot accurately detect subsequent overflow conditions, leading to potential loss of interrupt notifications and compromised graphics functionality. This vulnerability impacts systems utilizing AMD graphics hardware through the amdgpu driver implementation.
The technical flaw occurs at the hardware abstraction layer level where the interrupt handling mechanism relies on specific bit manipulation within the IH ring buffer control registers. The overflow clear bit serves as a critical state indicator that must be properly reset after each overflow detection event to maintain accurate interrupt tracking. When this bit remains set following an initial overflow condition, subsequent overflow events become undetectable, creating a persistent state where the system fails to recognize new interrupt handler overflows. This represents a classic buffer management issue where proper state reset mechanisms are missing from the interrupt handling code path. The flaw essentially creates a condition where the system becomes blind to subsequent overflow events, potentially leading to interrupt loss and degraded graphics performance.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple performance degradation to potentially critical system stability issues in graphics-intensive environments. Systems utilizing AMD graphics hardware may experience intermittent graphics failures, display corruption, or complete graphics driver crashes when multiple overflow conditions occur in succession. The undetected overflow conditions can lead to missed interrupt notifications which may affect user interface responsiveness, video playback quality, and overall system reliability. In server or workstation environments where graphics processing is critical, this vulnerability could result in unexpected application failures or system instability. The issue particularly affects systems running recent Linux kernel versions where the amdgpu driver has been updated to include the problematic interrupt handling code path.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-26915 involve applying the kernel patch that properly resets the IH OVERFLOW_CLEAR bit after each overflow detection event. System administrators should update to the patched kernel version that includes the fix for this specific bit manipulation issue within the amdgpu driver. The solution requires careful attention to ensure that all interrupt handling code paths properly maintain the overflow state management. Organizations should prioritize patch deployment in environments where AMD graphics hardware is actively used, particularly in server configurations or workstations where graphics stability is critical. The fix addresses the underlying CWE-129 vulnerability pattern related to improper handling of interrupt state management and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1547.001 for privilege escalation through kernel-level modifications. Regular monitoring of kernel updates and security advisories is recommended to maintain protection against similar interrupt handling vulnerabilities that may affect graphics subsystems.