CVE-2022-3115 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel version 5.16-rc6, specifically within the ARM Mali Display Processor (malidp) driver component. The issue arises in the function malidp_crtc_reset located in drivers/gpu/drm/arm/malidp_crtc.c. This function fails to verify the return value of the kzalloc() memory allocation call. kzalloc() is used to allocate zero-initialized memory, and if it fails, it returns a NULL pointer. Without checking this return value, the code proceeds to dereference the pointer, leading to a NULL pointer dereference condition. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference). Exploiting this flaw can cause a denial of service (DoS) by crashing the kernel or causing a system panic, thereby impacting system availability. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.5 (medium), with the vector indicating local attack vector (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring low privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), no confidentiality or integrity impact (C:N/I:N), but high impact on availability (A:H). There are no known exploits in the wild, and no patches linked in the provided data, though the issue was reserved by Red Hat and enriched by CISA. The vulnerability affects a specific kernel release candidate and the ARM Mali GPU driver, which is primarily used in ARM-based embedded systems and devices. Since the flaw is in a kernel driver, exploitation requires local access with at least low privileges, and no user interaction is needed to trigger the fault once conditions are met. The impact is limited to availability, with no direct confidentiality or integrity compromise. This vulnerability is relevant for systems running the affected kernel version with the ARM Mali Display driver enabled, which may include certain embedded devices, ARM-based servers, or specialized hardware running Linux 5.16-rc6 or similar versions.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2022-3115 is the potential for denial of service on systems running the affected Linux kernel version with ARM Mali GPU drivers. This could disrupt critical services or embedded systems relying on these components, especially in sectors such as telecommunications, industrial control, automotive, and IoT devices where ARM-based hardware is prevalent. Although the vulnerability does not compromise confidentiality or integrity, availability disruptions can lead to operational downtime, loss of productivity, and potential safety risks in industrial environments. The requirement for local access and low privileges reduces the risk of remote exploitation but does not eliminate insider threats or risks from compromised local accounts. Organizations using ARM-based Linux systems in development or production should assess their exposure, as embedded devices with this kernel version may be harder to patch or monitor. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the presence of a kernel-level DoS vulnerability necessitates timely mitigation to avoid service interruptions.

1. Upgrade the Linux kernel to a version where this vulnerability is patched. Since the affected version is 5.16-rc6, moving to a stable release beyond 5.16 that includes the fix is recommended. 2. For embedded or ARM-based devices where kernel upgrades are challenging, consider disabling or restricting access to the ARM Mali Display driver if it is not essential. 3. Implement strict access controls and monitoring on systems running the affected kernel to limit local user privileges and detect abnormal crashes or kernel panics. 4. Use kernel hardening features such as kernel lockdown or SELinux/AppArmor policies to restrict unauthorized kernel module interactions. 5. In environments where patching is delayed, employ system-level watchdogs or automated recovery mechanisms to minimize downtime caused by potential crashes. 6. Conduct thorough inventory and risk assessments of ARM-based Linux systems to identify devices running vulnerable kernel versions and prioritize remediation. 7. Engage with hardware and software vendors for firmware or driver updates that address this issue in embedded devices. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on kernel upgrade paths, driver usage evaluation, and operational controls tailored to ARM Mali GPU environments.