CVE-2024-42260 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel specifically within the Direct Rendering Manager (DRM) subsystem's v3d driver, which is responsible for handling GPU-related operations on certain hardware. The vulnerability arises from improper validation of synchronization object (syncobj) handles passed from userspace to the kernel via the performance extension interface. When userspace provides an unknown or invalid handle within the handle array, the driver fails to properly handle this erroneous input, potentially leading to undefined behavior or instability. The root cause is that the driver does not verify whether each handle was successfully looked up before proceeding, which can cause the driver to operate on invalid references. The fix involves adding validation checks to ensure that each handle is successfully resolved; if not, the extension call fails gracefully by triggering an existing unwind mechanism to prevent further processing with invalid data. This vulnerability affects Linux kernel versions identified by the commit hash bae7cb5d68001a8d4ceec5964dda74bb9aab7220 and was publicly disclosed on August 17, 2024. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no CVSS score has been assigned yet. The vulnerability is technical and specific to the DRM v3d driver, which is used primarily on certain Broadcom VideoCore VI GPUs, commonly found in embedded systems and some ARM-based devices running Linux.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-42260 depends largely on their use of Linux systems with the affected DRM v3d driver. This includes embedded devices, ARM-based servers, or specialized hardware leveraging Broadcom VideoCore VI GPUs. Potential impacts include system instability, denial of service, or kernel crashes if invalid handles are exploited or triggered by malicious or malformed userspace applications. While the vulnerability does not directly indicate privilege escalation or arbitrary code execution, the instability could disrupt critical services or embedded applications, particularly in industrial control systems, telecommunications, or IoT deployments common in sectors like manufacturing, automotive, or smart city infrastructure. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the vulnerability could be leveraged in targeted attacks to degrade system availability or reliability. Confidentiality and integrity impacts appear limited based on current information, but availability could be affected if the driver mishandles invalid inputs leading to kernel panics or resource exhaustion.

European organizations should prioritize applying the official Linux kernel patches that address this vulnerability as soon as they are available and tested within their environments. Specifically, updating to kernel versions that include the fix commit a546b7e4d73c23838d7e4d2c92882b3ca902d213 or later is essential. For embedded or specialized devices where kernel updates are less frequent, vendors should be engaged to provide patched firmware or kernel updates. Additionally, organizations should audit and restrict userspace applications that interact with the DRM performance extension to trusted software only, minimizing the risk of malformed or malicious handle arrays being passed. Implementing strict access controls and sandboxing for GPU-related interfaces can reduce exposure. Monitoring kernel logs for unusual drm or v3d driver errors may help detect attempts to exploit this vulnerability. Finally, organizations should review their asset inventory to identify systems using affected hardware and drivers to prioritize patching and mitigation efforts.