CVE-2024-36346 in Instinct MI300A
Summary
by MITRE • 09/06/2025
Improper input validation in AMD Power Management Firmware (PMFW) could allow a privileged attacker from Guest VM to send arbitrary input data potentially causing a GPU Reset condition.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/06/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-36346 represents a critical flaw in AMD Power Management Firmware that exists within virtualized environments. This issue manifests as improper input validation within the GPU power management subsystem, specifically affecting systems that utilize AMD GPU hardware in virtual machine configurations. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates within the hypervisor environment where guest virtual machines interact with hardware resources, creating a potential attack surface that could be exploited by malicious actors with elevated privileges within the guest operating system. The flaw exists at the intersection of hardware virtualization and firmware security, where the power management firmware fails to properly validate incoming data from virtualized environments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input sanitization within the AMD Power Management Firmware component. When a privileged guest virtual machine sends malformed or unexpected data to the GPU power management subsystem, the firmware does not properly validate the input parameters before processing them. This lack of validation can lead to a condition where arbitrary input data is accepted and processed without proper bounds checking or parameter validation. The consequence of this flaw is that the GPU reset condition can be triggered, which essentially forces the graphics processing unit to restart or reset its operational state, potentially disrupting graphics rendering and system stability. This behavior aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation as a fundamental weakness in software design that allows malicious inputs to cause unexpected behavior.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-36346 extends beyond simple system disruption to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks within virtualized environments. When a GPU reset occurs, it can result in loss of graphical rendering capabilities, application crashes, and potential denial of service conditions that affect user experience and system functionality. In enterprise environments where virtualization is extensively used, this vulnerability could allow attackers to gain persistent access to systems or disrupt critical business operations. The attack vector requires a privileged guest VM user, which means that an attacker would need to first compromise a guest operating system before exploiting this vulnerability. However, the implications are significant because once exploited, the GPU reset condition can be used to either disrupt services or potentially as a stepping stone for further attacks, as outlined in the ATT&CK framework under T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1490 for exploitation for data destruction.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on multiple layers of defense including firmware updates from AMD, hypervisor configuration hardening, and virtual machine isolation measures. Organizations should prioritize applying the latest firmware updates from AMD that address this specific input validation flaw, as these patches typically include enhanced validation routines and improved sanitization of input data. System administrators should also implement strict hypervisor configurations that limit the privileges of guest VMs and monitor for unusual GPU activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The implementation of micro-segmentation within virtualized environments can help contain potential impacts if exploitation occurs, while continuous monitoring of system logs for GPU reset events should be established. Additionally, the vulnerability highlights the importance of supply chain security and firmware integrity verification, as the power management firmware represents a critical component that can be targeted for exploitation. Organizations should consider implementing firmware integrity checking mechanisms and maintain detailed inventory of all firmware components within their virtualized infrastructure to ensure complete remediation of this vulnerability across all affected systems.