Linux Kernel up to 6.18.20/6.19.10 DSI DRM Encoder mipi_dsi_host_register null pointer dereference

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability labeled as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.18.20/6.19.10. The affected element is the function mipi_dsi_host_register of the component DSI DRM Encoder. The manipulation results in null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is identified as CVE-2026-31562. There is not any exploit available. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.18.20/6.19.10. It has been classified as critical. Affected is the function mipi_dsi_host_register of the component DSI DRM Encoder. 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. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/mediatek: dsi: Store driver data before invoking mipi_dsi_host_register The call to mipi_dsi_host_register triggers a callback to mtk_dsi_bind, which uses dev_get_drvdata to retrieve the mtk_dsi struct, so this structure needs to be stored inside the driver data before invoking it. As drvdata is currently uninitialized it leads to a crash when registering the DSI DRM encoder right after acquiring the mode_config.idr_mutex, blocking all subsequent DRM operations. Fixes the following crash during mediatek-drm probe (tested on Xiaomi Smart Clock x04g): Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 0000000000000040 [...] Modules linked in: mediatek_drm(+) drm_display_helper cec drm_client_lib drm_dma_helper drm_kms_helper panel_simple [...] Call trace: drm_mode_object_add+0x58/0x98 (P) __drm_encoder_init+0x48/0x140 drm_encoder_init+0x6c/0xa0 drm_simple_encoder_init+0x20/0x34 [drm_kms_helper] mtk_dsi_bind+0x34/0x13c [mediatek_drm] component_bind_all+0x120/0x280 mtk_drm_bind+0x284/0x67c [mediatek_drm] try_to_bring_up_aggregate_device+0x23c/0x320 __component_add+0xa4/0x198 component_add+0x14/0x20 mtk_dsi_host_attach+0x78/0x100 [mediatek_drm] mipi_dsi_attach+0x2c/0x50 panel_simple_dsi_probe+0x4c/0x9c [panel_simple] mipi_dsi_drv_probe+0x1c/0x28 really_probe+0xc0/0x3dc __driver_probe_device+0x80/0x160 driver_probe_device+0x40/0x120 __device_attach_driver+0xbc/0x17c bus_for_each_drv+0x88/0xf0 __device_attach+0x9c/0x1cc device_initial_probe+0x54/0x60 bus_probe_device+0x34/0xa0 device_add+0x5b0/0x800 mipi_dsi_device_register_full+0xdc/0x16c mipi_dsi_host_register+0xc4/0x17c mtk_dsi_probe+0x10c/0x260 [mediatek_drm] platform_probe+0x5c/0xa4 really_probe+0xc0/0x3dc __driver_probe_device+0x80/0x160 driver_probe_device+0x40/0x120 __driver_attach+0xc8/0x1f8 bus_for_each_dev+0x7c/0xe0 driver_attach+0x24/0x30 bus_add_driver+0x11c/0x240 driver_register+0x68/0x130 __platform_register_drivers+0x64/0x160 mtk_drm_init+0x24/0x1000 [mediatek_drm] do_one_initcall+0x60/0x1d0 do_init_module+0x54/0x240 load_module+0x1838/0x1dc0 init_module_from_file+0xd8/0xf0 __arm64_sys_finit_module+0x1b4/0x428 invoke_syscall.constprop.0+0x48/0xc8 do_el0_svc+0x3c/0xb8 el0_svc+0x34/0xe8 el0t_64_sync_handler+0xa0/0xe4 el0t_64_sync+0x198/0x19c Code: 52800022 941004ab 2a0003f3 37f80040 (29005a80)

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2026-31562 since 03/09/2026. The exploitability is told to be difficult. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 310325 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-31562), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.18.21 or 6.19.11 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 9a709b7e36324dfc1e6728eb81405470b7ae84e5/df03f5ac1eae7c5a2c01846e3e64dfc2870eec6b/4cfdfeb6ac06079f92fccd977fa742d6c5b8dd3a 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 (310325) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2026-1279). VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Affected

• Google Container-Optimized OS
• Debian Linux
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Oracle Linux
• Open Source Linux Kernel

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.18.0
• 6.18.1
• 6.18.2
• 6.18.3
• 6.18.4
• 6.18.5
• 6.18.6
• 6.18.7
• 6.18.8
• 6.18.9
• 6.18.10
• 6.18.11
• 6.18.12
• 6.18.13
• 6.18.14
• 6.18.15
• 6.18.16
• 6.18.17
• 6.18.18
• 6.18.19
• 6.18.20
• 6.19.0
• 6.19.1
• 6.19.2
• 6.19.3
• 6.19.4
• 6.19.5
• 6.19.6
• 6.19.7
• 6.19.8
• 6.19.9
• 6.19.10

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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Entryinfo

VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

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