CVE-2024-46835 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 09/27/2024
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
drm/amdgpu: Fix smatch static checker warning
adev->gfx.imu.funcs could be NULL
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/04/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-46835 resides within the Linux kernel's graphics driver subsystem, specifically affecting the amdgpu driver component responsible for managing AMD GPU hardware. This issue manifests as a static analysis warning from the smatch checker tool, which is designed to detect potential programming errors and undefined behavior in kernel code. The problem occurs in the graphics processing unit management code where the driver attempts to access function pointers without proper validation of their existence. The core technical flaw involves a potential null pointer dereference scenario where adev->gfx.imu.funcs structure may not be properly initialized before being accessed by subsequent code paths. This represents a classic software engineering issue where defensive programming practices are insufficient to prevent access to uninitialized or improperly allocated memory structures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple static analysis warnings to potentially compromise system stability and security when the affected code path is executed. When the amdgpu driver processes graphics commands or initializes GPU components, it may attempt to invoke functions through the imu.funcs pointer without verifying that the pointer contains valid function addresses. This could lead to system crashes, kernel oops, or in more severe scenarios, arbitrary code execution if an attacker can manipulate the driver state to trigger this condition. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-476 which defines null pointer dereference as a weakness where a null value is used as a pointer, and represents a direct violation of the principle of defensive programming that is fundamental to kernel security. The risk is elevated in environments where graphics processing is intensive or where the driver is subjected to stress testing that might expose this uninitialized pointer condition.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-46835 should focus on implementing proper null pointer validation before accessing the imu.funcs structure in the amdgpu driver code. System administrators should ensure that all kernel updates are applied promptly, as this vulnerability has been addressed in recent kernel versions through proper initialization checks and defensive programming practices. The fix typically involves adding conditional checks to verify that adev->gfx.imu.funcs is not null before attempting to dereference it, which aligns with the ATT&CK technique of defensive code hardening. Organizations should also consider implementing kernel security modules and monitoring systems that can detect anomalous driver behavior or potential exploitation attempts. Regular security audits of kernel components and driver code should include static analysis tools like smatch to identify similar patterns that might lead to undefined behavior or security vulnerabilities. The resolution of this issue demonstrates the importance of comprehensive testing and static analysis in kernel development, particularly for critical subsystems like graphics drivers that handle complex hardware interactions and require robust error handling mechanisms.