CVE-2024-53084 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel specifically within the drm/imagination driver subsystem, which handles graphics memory management for Imagination Technologies GPUs. The issue arises from an object reference loop during resource cleanup when the driver is closed. The vulnerability involves a chain of objects referencing each other in a circular manner: PVR GEM Object, GPU scheduler "finished" fence, GPU scheduler "scheduled" fence, PVR driver "done" fence, PVR Context, PVR VM Context, PVR VM Mappings, and back to PVR GEM Object. This loop prevents proper freeing of outstanding virtual memory (VM) mappings because the PVR VM Context holds a soft reference to VM mappings that are only freed during VM context destruction without reference counting. As a result, resources may leak due to the inability to break this reference cycle during cleanup. The fix involves explicitly freeing outstanding VM mappings before destroying the PVR Context associated with the VM context, thereby breaking the loop and preventing resource leakage. This vulnerability does not have a CVSS score assigned yet and no known exploits in the wild have been reported. The affected versions are identified by specific Linux kernel commit hashes, indicating it is a recent and targeted fix within the kernel source code.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-53084 primarily concerns systems running Linux kernels with the affected drm/imagination driver, which is used in devices with Imagination GPU hardware. The vulnerability leads to resource leakage during driver shutdown, which can degrade system stability and performance over time, potentially causing denial of service (DoS) conditions if resources are exhausted. While it does not directly enable code execution or privilege escalation, the resource leak could be exploited in scenarios where attackers repeatedly trigger driver close operations to exhaust kernel memory or GPU resources, impacting availability. This is particularly relevant for data centers, cloud providers, and embedded systems relying on Linux with Imagination GPUs. European organizations in sectors such as telecommunications, automotive, and industrial control systems that use embedded Linux with these GPUs may face operational disruptions. However, the lack of known exploits and the technical nature of the vulnerability suggest a moderate immediate risk, with the primary concern being system reliability rather than direct compromise.

To mitigate CVE-2024-53084, European organizations should: 1) Apply the latest Linux kernel updates that include the patch breaking the object reference loop in the drm/imagination driver. This is the definitive fix to prevent resource leaks. 2) For systems where immediate patching is not feasible, implement monitoring of GPU and kernel resource usage to detect abnormal resource consumption patterns indicative of leaks. 3) Limit or control access to GPU driver interfaces to reduce the risk of intentional or accidental repeated driver close operations that could trigger the leak. 4) For embedded or specialized devices, coordinate with hardware vendors to ensure firmware and driver updates incorporate the fix. 5) Conduct regular system restarts as a temporary measure to clear leaked resources until patches can be applied. 6) Review and harden system configurations to minimize attack surface related to GPU driver usage, including restricting unprivileged user access to DRM interfaces.