CVE-2024-46779 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel specifically within the Direct Rendering Manager (DRM) subsystem related to Imagination Technologies' PowerVR GPU driver (pvr). The issue arises from improper memory management in the drm/imagination driver component, where the function responsible for unlinking device memory mappings fails to free the allocated GPU virtual address memory (pvr_vm_gpuva). This results in a measurable memory leak. Although each individual allocation is small, the vulnerability manifests in a high-frequency code path involving remapping or unmapping device memory, causing the leaks to accumulate rapidly over time. This can degrade system performance and stability, especially on systems with heavy GPU usage or long uptimes. The vulnerability was reserved on September 11, 2024, and published on September 18, 2024. There are no known exploits in the wild at this time, and no CVSS score has been assigned. The affected versions correspond to specific Linux kernel commits, indicating the issue is present in recent kernel versions prior to the patch. The vulnerability does not appear to require user interaction or elevated privileges to manifest, but it is tied to GPU memory management operations, which are typically executed by kernel components or privileged processes. The root cause is a failure to free allocated GPU virtual address memory after unlinking, leading to resource exhaustion over time.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-46779 primarily concerns systems running Linux kernels with the affected drm/imagination driver, particularly those utilizing Imagination Technologies' PowerVR GPUs. The memory leak can lead to gradual degradation of system performance, increased memory consumption, and potential system instability or crashes if the leak accumulates unchecked. This is especially critical for servers, embedded systems, or workstations with continuous GPU workloads such as graphics rendering, AI inference, or multimedia processing. Organizations relying on Linux-based infrastructure with PowerVR GPUs may experience reduced availability and increased maintenance overhead due to unexpected reboots or degraded performance. Although this vulnerability does not directly enable code execution or privilege escalation, the resulting denial of service through resource exhaustion can disrupt critical operations. European sectors with high dependency on embedded Linux systems, such as automotive, telecommunications, industrial control, and IoT deployments, may be particularly vulnerable. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the high-usage nature of the affected code path means that exploitation through normal system operation is plausible over time.

To mitigate CVE-2024-46779, European organizations should prioritize updating their Linux kernels to versions that include the patch fixing the memory leak in the drm/imagination driver. Kernel maintainers or distributions will likely release updated packages; applying these promptly is essential. For environments where immediate patching is not feasible, monitoring GPU memory usage and system memory consumption can help detect abnormal leaks early. Implementing automated alerts for unusual memory growth in GPU-related processes or kernel memory pools can provide early warning. Additionally, limiting the uptime of affected systems through scheduled reboots can reduce the risk of resource exhaustion. Organizations should audit their use of PowerVR GPUs and consider alternative GPU drivers or hardware if the vulnerability poses a significant operational risk. For embedded or specialized devices, coordination with vendors to obtain patched firmware or kernel updates is critical. Finally, restricting access to GPU management interfaces to trusted administrators reduces the risk of triggering the leak through malicious or accidental misuse.