CVE-2024-35922 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel's framebuffer monitor (fbmon) subsystem, specifically within the function fb_videomode_from_videomode(). The issue arises due to a potential division by zero error when calculating video mode parameters. The calculation involves the product of htotal (horizontal total pixels) and vtotal (vertical total pixels), which can overflow and result in a zero value. This zero value is then used as a divisor, leading to a division by zero condition. Such an error can cause the kernel to crash or behave unpredictably, potentially leading to a denial of service (DoS). The vulnerability was discovered by the Linux Verification Center using static analysis tools (Svace). The fix involves adding checks to prevent division by zero, similar to protections already present in the related function fb_var_to_videomode(). The vulnerability affects multiple versions of the Linux kernel identified by the commit hash 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication, and no CVSS score has been assigned yet. The vulnerability is technical and low-level, affecting the kernel's video mode handling code, which is critical for graphical output and system stability.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-35922 primarily concerns system stability and availability. Linux is widely used across Europe in servers, desktops, embedded systems, and critical infrastructure. A division by zero in the kernel can cause system crashes or kernel panics, leading to denial of service conditions. This can disrupt business operations, especially for organizations relying on Linux-based systems for critical services such as telecommunications, finance, healthcare, and government operations. While the vulnerability does not directly lead to privilege escalation or data breach, the resulting instability could be exploited in targeted denial of service attacks. Systems with graphical interfaces or those using framebuffer devices are more likely to be affected. Since no authentication or user interaction is explicitly required for the vulnerability to manifest, any process or user triggering the vulnerable code path could cause a crash. This increases the risk in multi-user or multi-tenant environments common in European data centers and cloud providers.

European organizations should prioritize applying the patch or update provided by the Linux kernel maintainers that addresses this division by zero issue. Since the vulnerability is in the kernel, updating to the latest stable kernel version containing the fix is the most effective mitigation. Organizations should also audit systems that use framebuffer devices or graphical subsystems to identify exposure. For environments where immediate patching is not feasible, monitoring system logs for kernel warnings or crashes related to fbmon or video mode changes can provide early detection. Restricting untrusted user access to framebuffer devices or limiting the ability to trigger video mode changes can reduce risk. Additionally, organizations should ensure robust backup and recovery procedures to minimize downtime in case of crashes. Coordination with Linux distribution vendors for timely updates and testing patches in staging environments before production deployment is recommended to avoid service disruption.