CVE-2024-41037 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel specifically affecting the Audio Subsystem on Intel platforms using the Sound Open Firmware (SOF) with High Definition Audio (HDA) DMA for managing link DMA. The issue arises during system suspend operations when an active audio stream is present. Upon system suspend entry, the SOF core invokes the function hw_params_upon_resume(). On affected Intel platforms, this triggers a sequence of function calls: hda_dsp_set_hw_params_upon_resume(), hda_dsp_dais_suspend(), hda_dai_suspend(), and finally hda_ipc4_post_trigger(). The vulnerability manifests because within hda_dai_suspend(), the function hda_link_dma_cleanup() is executed first, which clears the hext_stream->link_substream pointer. Subsequently, hda_ipc4_post_trigger() is called with a NULL snd_pcm_substream pointer, leading to a null pointer dereference. This null dereference can cause a kernel panic or system crash during suspend operations, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability affects specific Linux kernel versions identified by the commit hash 2b009fa0823c1510700fd17a0780ddd06a460fb4. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication, and no CVSS score has been assigned yet. The root cause is a race condition or improper handling of audio stream pointers during suspend/resume cycles on Intel platforms using SOF with HDA DMA, which can lead to system instability or crashes.

For European organizations, this vulnerability primarily poses a risk of system instability and denial of service on Linux systems running on Intel hardware with SOF and HDA DMA audio subsystems. Many enterprise and industrial systems in Europe rely on Linux for servers, workstations, and embedded devices. A system crash during suspend or resume could disrupt critical operations, especially in environments where uptime and reliability are essential, such as manufacturing, telecommunications, healthcare, and financial services. Although this vulnerability does not directly lead to privilege escalation or data breach, the resulting denial of service could cause operational downtime, loss of productivity, and potential disruption of services. Systems that rely on suspend/resume cycles, such as laptops or embedded devices in IoT or industrial control systems, are particularly vulnerable. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the vulnerability could be targeted by attackers aiming to cause disruption or as part of a larger attack chain. Additionally, organizations with strict availability requirements or those operating critical infrastructure should consider this vulnerability significant due to the potential for unexpected system crashes.

To mitigate CVE-2024-41037, European organizations should: 1) Apply the latest Linux kernel patches as soon as they become available from trusted sources or distributions, ensuring the fix for this null pointer dereference is included. 2) Identify and inventory all Intel-based Linux systems using SOF with HDA DMA audio subsystems, prioritizing those that utilize suspend/resume functionality. 3) Where immediate patching is not feasible, consider disabling suspend/resume features temporarily on affected systems to prevent triggering the vulnerability. 4) Implement monitoring and alerting for kernel panics or unexpected system reboots to detect potential exploitation or crashes related to this issue. 5) Coordinate with hardware and OS vendors to confirm the presence of the fix in their kernel releases and validate system stability post-patching. 6) For embedded or IoT devices, ensure firmware and kernel updates are applied through secure update mechanisms. 7) Conduct thorough testing in staging environments before deploying patches to production to avoid unintended side effects. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on the specific subsystem and operational context of the vulnerability.