CVE-2024-49941 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel's GPIO subsystem, specifically within the function gpiod_get_label(). The issue arises because the function srcu_dereference_check() can return a NULL pointer, but the subsequent code does not verify if the pointer 'label' is NULL before accessing its member 'label->str'. This leads to a potential NULL pointer dereference, which can cause a kernel crash or system instability. The vulnerability manifests when the kernel attempts to print the GPIO label name in the sysfs interface; if 'label' is NULL, the code previously printed '(efault)' due to improper handling. The fix involves adding a proper NULL check for 'label' before accessing 'label->str' and removing the redundant check for 'label->str != NULL' since 'label->str' cannot be NULL if 'label' is valid. This vulnerability is a memory safety issue that could potentially be triggered by malformed or unexpected GPIO label data. Although no known exploits are reported in the wild, the flaw could lead to denial of service (DoS) by crashing the kernel or causing instability. The affected versions are specific Linux kernel commits identified by their hashes, indicating this is a recent and targeted fix. The vulnerability does not require user interaction or authentication to be triggered if an attacker can influence GPIO label data, which is typically limited to privileged users or processes interacting with hardware GPIO interfaces.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-49941 primarily concerns systems running Linux kernels with the affected versions, especially those that utilize GPIO interfaces extensively, such as embedded systems, industrial control systems, IoT devices, and specialized hardware platforms. A successful exploitation could cause kernel crashes leading to denial of service, which in critical infrastructure or industrial environments could disrupt operations, cause downtime, and potentially impact safety systems. Although exploitation requires some level of access to manipulate GPIO labels, insider threats or compromised privileged accounts could leverage this vulnerability to destabilize systems. The vulnerability does not appear to allow privilege escalation or remote code execution directly, limiting its impact to availability and system stability. European organizations relying on Linux-based embedded devices in sectors like manufacturing, energy, transportation, and telecommunications should be particularly vigilant. Additionally, data centers and cloud providers using affected Linux kernels might experience service interruptions if the vulnerability is triggered.

To mitigate CVE-2024-49941, European organizations should: 1) Apply the official Linux kernel patches that add the necessary NULL pointer checks in the gpiod_get_label() function as soon as they become available from their Linux distribution vendors or kernel maintainers. 2) For embedded and IoT devices, coordinate with hardware and firmware vendors to ensure updated kernel versions are deployed. 3) Restrict access to GPIO interfaces to trusted and authenticated users only, minimizing the risk of unauthorized manipulation of GPIO label data. 4) Implement monitoring and alerting for kernel crashes or unusual sysfs GPIO activity that could indicate attempts to exploit this vulnerability. 5) Conduct thorough testing of updated kernels in staging environments before production deployment to avoid regressions. 6) Maintain an inventory of Linux kernel versions in use across the organization to identify and prioritize vulnerable systems for patching. 7) Consider deploying kernel hardening features and security modules that can limit the impact of kernel-level faults.