CVE-2024-49912 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel, specifically within the AMD GPU driver component related to the Direct Rendering Manager (DRM) subsystem. The flaw exists in the function 'planes_changed_for_existing_stream' located in the file dc_resource.c, part of the AMD display driver code. The vulnerability arises because the code previously assumed that the pointer 'stream_status' could never be null, but in reality, it can be. This incorrect assumption leads to a null pointer dereference when the function attempts to access or manipulate 'stream_status' without verifying its validity. Null pointer dereferences in kernel space typically cause a kernel panic or system crash, leading to a denial of service (DoS) condition. The issue was detected by static analysis tool smatch and has been addressed by adding a null check for 'stream_status' in the affected function. The vulnerability affects specific Linux kernel versions identified by commit hashes (all the same hash repeated in the data), indicating a particular code state before the patch. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication, and no CVSS score has been assigned yet. The vulnerability is categorized as a software bug that can cause system instability or crash due to improper handling of null pointers in the AMD GPU driver within the Linux kernel.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-49912 primarily involves potential system instability or denial of service on Linux systems running vulnerable kernel versions with AMD GPU hardware. This could affect servers, desktops, or workstations that rely on AMD graphics hardware and use the affected Linux kernel versions. The denial of service could disrupt critical services, especially in environments where uptime and availability are crucial, such as financial institutions, healthcare providers, and public sector organizations. While this vulnerability does not appear to allow privilege escalation or remote code execution, the resulting kernel panic could be exploited by an attacker with local access to cause repeated crashes, leading to operational disruption. Organizations using AMD GPUs in their Linux infrastructure should be aware of this risk, particularly if they deploy graphical workloads or GPU-accelerated applications. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the vulnerability's presence in the kernel means that any local user or process triggering the flaw could cause a system crash, impacting availability.

To mitigate CVE-2024-49912, European organizations should: 1) Apply the official Linux kernel patches that include the null pointer check fix for the AMD GPU driver as soon as they become available from their Linux distribution vendors or upstream kernel sources. 2) Identify and inventory Linux systems running AMD GPU hardware and verify kernel versions to determine exposure. 3) Temporarily restrict untrusted local user access on affected systems to reduce the risk of exploitation via local triggering of the null pointer dereference. 4) Monitor system logs and kernel crash reports for signs of crashes related to the AMD GPU driver to detect potential exploitation attempts or accidental triggers. 5) Consider deploying kernel live patching solutions if available to minimize downtime during patch application. 6) Coordinate with hardware and software vendors to ensure compatibility and stability of updated kernel versions in production environments. 7) For critical systems where GPU functionality is not essential, consider disabling the AMD GPU driver as a temporary workaround until patches are applied.