CVE-2026-80658 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 08/28/2026
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
drm/rockchip: dw_dp: Fix null-ptr-deref in dw_dp_remove()
Attempting to access driver data in the platform driver ->remove() callback may lead to a null pointer dereference since there is no guaranty that the component ->bind() callback invoking platform_set_drvdata() was executed.
A common scenario is when Rockchip DRM driver didn't manage to run component_bind_all() because of an (unrelated) error causing early return from rockchip_drm_bind().
Drop the unnecessary call to platform_get_drvdata() and, instead, reference the target device structure via platform_device.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/28/2026
The identified vulnerability resides within the DisplayPort driver implementation for Rockchip hardware in the Linux kernel, specifically affecting the dw_dp_remove function. This issue manifests as a null pointer dereference that occurs during the unloading or removal phase of the platform driver lifecycle. The root cause is traced to an unsafe assumption regarding the initialization state of the device context. In standard platform driver models, it is often expected that if the probe function succeeds, subsequent callbacks will have access to valid data structures populated by platform_set_drvdata. However, this expectation does not hold true in complex subsystems like DRM where component binding involves multiple stages and potential failure points.
The technical flaw arises because there is no guarantee that the component bind callback, which typically invokes platform_set_drvdata to store driver-specific context, has been executed before the remove callback is triggered. This situation frequently occurs when the Rockchip DRM driver encounters an error during its initialization sequence. Specifically, if rockchip_drm_bind fails and returns early due to an unrelated issue, the function component_bind_all may never complete or execute at all. Consequently, the data pointer associated with the platform device remains unset or null. When dw_dp_remove subsequently attempts to retrieve this data using platform_get_drvdata, it receives a NULL value. Any subsequent dereference of this returned pointer leads to a kernel panic or crash, disrupting system stability and potentially causing denial of service conditions for users relying on display functionality.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability impacts the reliability of systems utilizing Rockchip SoCs with DisplayPort interfaces. While the initial boot process might succeed if initialization completes without error, any transient fault during driver binding that triggers a partial teardown sequence can result in immediate kernel instability upon module removal or system shutdown. This is particularly problematic for embedded devices and industrial applications where robustness under failure conditions is critical. The lack of proper state checking means that error recovery paths are not adequately protected against null references, exposing the system to crashes during routine maintenance operations such as driver reloading or hot-unplugging scenarios if supported by the hardware architecture.
To mitigate this vulnerability, the fix involves removing the unnecessary call to platform_get_drvdata within dw_dp_remove and instead referencing the target device structure directly via the platform_device argument passed to the callback. This approach bypasses the reliance on potentially uninitialized global data pointers stored in the driver core. By operating directly on the provided device handle, the code ensures that it accesses valid memory structures regardless of whether the full bind sequence completed successfully. This change aligns with safer coding practices for kernel drivers where callbacks must be resilient to partial initialization states.
This vulnerability is categorized under CWE-476, which denotes a NULL Pointer Dereference, as the core issue involves accessing memory through an uninitialized or null pointer leading to undefined behavior and system crashes. In terms of attack vectors and defensive mapping, this aligns with MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to resource exhaustion or denial of service via kernel exploitation, although it is primarily triggered by internal driver logic errors rather than external malicious input. The fix emphasizes the importance of validating component binding states before accessing associated resources in complex multi-component drivers like those found in modern Linux DRM subsystems.