CVE-2024-46820 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel specifically related to the AMDGPU driver component handling the Video Core Next (VCN) block, version 5. The issue revolves around improper handling of interrupt requests (IRQs) during the suspend operation of the VCN 5.0.0 hardware block. The vulnerability stems from the Linux kernel code previously attempting to disable IRQs and manage IRQ states in a manner that was not directly supported or necessary for VCN 5.0.0. This led to warnings such as "WARN_ON(!amdgpu_irq_enabled(adev, src, type))" in the amdgpu_irq_put() function, indicating attempts to disable IRQs that were not enabled, potentially causing instability or unexpected behavior in the driver. The fix involved removing calls to disable IRQs and set IRQ states for VCN 5.0.0, thereby eliminating the warning and aligning the driver behavior with the hardware's actual interrupt handling capabilities. While the vulnerability does not appear to have an associated CVSS score and no known exploits are reported in the wild, it reflects a kernel-level issue that could affect system stability or reliability when suspending or resuming systems using affected AMD GPUs. The affected versions are specific Linux kernel commits identified by the hash b6d1a06320519ac3bfda6ce81067a1bc409b9cff, indicating a narrow scope of affected kernel builds. The vulnerability is technical and low-level, related to interrupt management in the AMDGPU driver rather than a direct security compromise such as privilege escalation or remote code execution.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-46820 is primarily related to system stability and reliability rather than direct security breaches. Organizations relying on Linux systems with AMD GPUs, especially those using kernel versions containing the affected commits, may experience issues during suspend or resume operations, potentially leading to system hangs, crashes, or degraded performance. This could affect workstations, servers, or embedded systems that utilize AMD graphics hardware for compute or display tasks. While no direct exploitation or data compromise is indicated, operational disruptions could impact productivity, particularly in sectors where Linux-based AMD GPU systems are critical, such as scientific computing, media production, or certain industrial applications. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the underlying kernel instability could be leveraged in complex attack scenarios or cause denial-of-service conditions if left unpatched. European organizations with high dependency on Linux AMDGPU hardware should consider this vulnerability in their risk assessments to maintain system reliability and avoid unexpected downtime.

To mitigate CVE-2024-46820, European organizations should: 1) Apply the latest Linux kernel updates that include the fix removing improper IRQ disabling calls in the AMDGPU VCN 5.0.0 driver. This is the definitive resolution to the issue. 2) Identify systems running affected kernel versions by checking kernel commit hashes or AMDGPU driver versions and prioritize patching those systems. 3) For critical systems where immediate patching is not feasible, consider temporarily disabling suspend/resume operations or AMDGPU power management features as a workaround to avoid triggering the IRQ handling issue. 4) Monitor system logs for warnings related to amdgpu_irq_put() or IRQ state inconsistencies to detect potential manifestations of the vulnerability. 5) Engage with Linux distribution vendors or maintainers to ensure timely receipt of security updates and advisories related to AMDGPU driver fixes. 6) Test updated kernels in controlled environments before wide deployment to ensure compatibility and stability, especially in production environments with specialized workloads. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on kernel commit identification, operational workarounds, and proactive monitoring specific to this vulnerability.