CVE-2024-26700 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel specifically within the AMD GPU driver subsystem, related to the Direct Rendering Manager (DRM) and display management components. The issue arises in the drm/amd/display code handling Multi-Stream Transport (MST) on Radeon (RV) platforms. The vulnerability manifests as a NULL pointer dereference error occurring in the drm_dp_atomic_find_time_slots function, which is part of the drm_display_helper module. This function is responsible for managing timing slots for DisplayPort MST, a technology that allows multiple displays to be driven from a single DisplayPort output. The NULL pointer dereference leads to a kernel oops (crash), causing the affected system to become unstable or crash entirely. The detailed kernel trace shows the fault triggered by a NULL pointer at address 0x8, indicating an attempt to access memory through an invalid pointer. This is specifically triggered during atomic mode-setting operations in the AMD GPU driver (amdgpu), which handles display configuration changes. The vulnerability affects Linux kernel versions including the 6.3.9-arch1-1 build and likely other versions using the affected AMD GPU driver code. The root cause is a missing or improper NULL pointer check in the MST handling code path, which can be triggered by certain display configurations or operations on Radeon hardware. While the vulnerability does not appear to have known exploits in the wild, it can cause denial of service by crashing the kernel, impacting system availability. No evidence suggests privilege escalation or arbitrary code execution directly from this flaw. The vulnerability was reserved in February 2024 and published in April 2024, with no CVSS score assigned yet. The patch involves adding proper NULL pointer checks and fixing the logic in drm_dp_atomic_find_time_slots to prevent dereferencing invalid pointers during MST operations on affected Radeon platforms.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2024-26700 is a potential denial of service (DoS) condition on Linux systems running AMD Radeon GPUs with affected kernel versions. This can lead to unexpected system crashes, loss of availability, and disruption of critical services, especially in environments relying on Linux for workstations, servers, or embedded systems with AMD graphics hardware. Organizations using Linux-based desktops or workstations for graphical workloads, including design, engineering, or multimedia, may experience instability or downtime. Additionally, servers or infrastructure devices using AMD GPUs for compute or display purposes could be affected. While the vulnerability does not directly compromise confidentiality or integrity, the availability impact can disrupt business operations, cause data loss if unsaved work is lost during crashes, and increase operational costs due to system recovery efforts. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but unpatched systems remain vulnerable to accidental or malicious triggering of the kernel crash. European organizations with strict uptime requirements or those operating critical infrastructure should prioritize patching to maintain system stability and service continuity.

1. Apply Kernel Updates: Immediately update Linux kernels to versions where the vulnerability is patched. Monitor Linux distribution advisories (e.g., Debian, Ubuntu, Red Hat, SUSE) for updated kernel packages containing the fix for CVE-2024-26700. 2. Limit Use of Affected Hardware: Where feasible, avoid using AMD Radeon GPUs on critical systems until patched kernels are deployed. 3. Disable MST if Not Required: If Multi-Stream Transport functionality is not needed, consider disabling MST support in the kernel or driver configuration to reduce attack surface. 4. Monitor System Logs: Implement monitoring for kernel oops or crashes related to drm or amdgpu modules to detect potential exploitation or accidental triggering. 5. Controlled Access: Restrict access to systems with AMD GPUs to trusted users and processes to minimize risk of intentional triggering. 6. Test Updates in Controlled Environments: Before deploying patches broadly, test updated kernels in staging environments to ensure compatibility and stability. 7. Backup Critical Data: Maintain regular backups to mitigate impact of unexpected crashes and data loss. 8. Engage with Vendors: For enterprise Linux distributions, coordinate with vendor support for timely patches and guidance specific to AMD GPU hardware.