CVE-2024-36948 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 05/30/2024
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
drm/xe/xe_migrate: Cast to output precision before multiplying operands
Addressing potential overflow in result of multiplication of two lower precision (u32) operands before widening it to higher precision (u64).
-v2 Fix commit message and description. (Rodrigo)
(cherry picked from commit 34820967ae7b45411f8f4f737c2d63b0c608e0d7)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/01/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-36948 resides within the Linux kernel's graphics subsystem, specifically in the drm/xe/xe_migrate component that handles memory migration operations for Intel graphics hardware. This flaw represents a classic integer overflow condition that occurs during arithmetic operations involving unsigned 32-bit integers. The vulnerability manifests when the kernel performs multiplication operations between two lower precision u32 operands and subsequently widens the result to u64 precision. The issue stems from a lack of proper overflow checking before the multiplication occurs, creating potential for unexpected behavior and exploitation opportunities. The problem is particularly concerning within graphics processing contexts where precise memory management and arithmetic operations are critical for system stability and security.
The technical implementation flaw involves the improper handling of arithmetic precision during multiplication operations in the Intel graphics driver's memory management code. When two 32-bit unsigned integers are multiplied together, the result can exceed the maximum value that can be represented by a 32-bit integer, leading to overflow conditions. The kernel's code fails to perform proper bounds checking or overflow detection before the multiplication takes place, allowing the operation to proceed with potentially corrupted intermediate values. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-191 category of Integer Underflow/Overflow, specifically involving unsigned integer overflow conditions. The flaw demonstrates poor defensive programming practices where the code assumes that arithmetic operations will not exceed their representable ranges without proper validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple arithmetic errors to potentially enable more serious security consequences within the graphics processing pipeline. While the immediate effect may appear as a memory management issue, the underlying overflow condition could be exploited to manipulate memory layout, cause unexpected behavior in graphics rendering operations, or potentially enable privilege escalation within the graphics subsystem. The vulnerability affects systems running Linux kernels with Intel graphics support, particularly those utilizing the Xe graphics architecture drivers. Attackers could potentially leverage this condition to cause system instability, memory corruption, or in more sophisticated scenarios, to gain unauthorized access to graphics processing resources. The attack surface is primarily within graphics-intensive applications and kernel operations that handle memory migration for GPU operations, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.006 for system injection and T1068 for exploit development.
The fix implemented addresses the root cause by ensuring that multiplication operations between lower precision operands occur with proper overflow prevention measures before the result is widened to higher precision. The solution involves casting operands to the appropriate output precision before performing the multiplication, thereby preventing the overflow condition from occurring in the first place. This approach follows established secure coding practices and defensive programming principles that prevent integer overflows by ensuring proper bounds checking and precision handling. The fix represents a targeted correction that maintains the intended functionality while eliminating the potential for arithmetic overflow conditions. The commit message and description were refined to better reflect the technical nature of the fix, with the change being cherry-picked from a specific commit within the kernel's development history, ensuring consistency with the broader kernel security maintenance practices. This vulnerability resolution aligns with the kernel's security hardening efforts and demonstrates the importance of proper integer handling in system-level code.