Linux Kernel up to 6.12.43/6.16.3 AMD Display Driver dc_destruct null pointer dereference

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.43/6.16.3. It has been classified as critical. This issue affects the function dc_destruct of the component AMD Display Driver. Performing a manipulation results in null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is reported as CVE-2025-39705. No exploit exists. Upgrading the affected component is recommended.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.43/6.16.3. This affects the function dc_destruct of the component AMD Display Driver. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. This is going to have an impact on availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/amd/display: fix a Null pointer dereference vulnerability [Why] A null pointer dereference vulnerability exists in the AMD display driver's (DC module) cleanup function dc_destruct(). When display control context (dc->ctx) construction fails (due to memory allocation failure), this pointer remains NULL. During subsequent error handling when dc_destruct() is called, there's no NULL check before dereferencing the perf_trace member (dc->ctx->perf_trace), causing a kernel null pointer dereference crash. [How] Check if dc->ctx is non-NULL before dereferencing. (Updated commit text and removed unnecessary error message) (cherry picked from commit 9dd8e2ba268c636c240a918e0a31e6feaee19404)

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2025-39705 since 04/16/2025. The exploitability is told to be difficult. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 261629 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2025-39705), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.12.44, 6.16.4 or 6.17-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 0961673cc5f0055957aa46f25eb4ef6c07e00165/4ade995b9b25b3c6e8dc42c27070340f1358d8c8/1bcf63a44381691d6192872801f830ce3250e367 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (261629) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-1988). Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

Affected

• Debian Linux
• Google Cloud Platform
• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• NetApp FAS
• NetApp AFF
• NetApp ActiveIQ Unified Manager
• SUSE openSUSE
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• Microsoft Azure
• Dell Secure Connect Gateway
• IBM QRadar SIEM
• IBM Security Verify Access
• Dell NetWorker

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.12.0
• 6.12.1
• 6.12.2
• 6.12.3
• 6.12.4
• 6.12.5
• 6.12.6
• 6.12.7
• 6.12.8
• 6.12.9
• 6.12.10
• 6.12.11
• 6.12.12
• 6.12.13
• 6.12.14
• 6.12.15
• 6.12.16
• 6.12.17
• 6.12.18
• 6.12.19
• 6.12.20
• 6.12.21
• 6.12.22
• 6.12.23
• 6.12.24
• 6.12.25
• 6.12.26
• 6.12.27
• 6.12.28
• 6.12.29
• 6.12.30
• 6.12.31
• 6.12.32
• 6.12.33
• 6.12.34
• 6.12.35
• 6.12.36
• 6.12.37
• 6.12.38
• 6.12.39
• 6.12.40
• 6.12.41
• 6.12.42
• 6.12.43
• 6.16.0
• 6.16.1
• 6.16.2
• 6.16.3

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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Entryinfo

Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

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