CVE-2024-56575 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel, specifically affecting the media subsystem component related to the imx-jpeg driver. The flaw arises from improper handling of power management operations, where power suppliers are asynchronously suspended without ensuring proper synchronization before detachment. The Linux kernel function dev_pm_domain_detach() requires that callers synchronize correctly with power management callbacks to avoid race conditions. Failure to do so can lead to a kernel panic caused by a NULL pointer dereference, as demonstrated by the provided kernel oops logs. This issue manifests during runtime power management operations, particularly when the system attempts to suspend power suppliers asynchronously but detaches them prematurely or unsafely. The vulnerability is tied to the NXP i.MX95 platform, which uses the imx-jpeg driver for JPEG encoding/decoding. The kernel panic results in a denial of service (DoS) condition, crashing the affected system or device. The root cause is a synchronization bug in the power management domain handling code, which can be triggered during power state transitions. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no CVSS score has been assigned yet. The vulnerability affects specific Linux kernel versions identified by commit hashes, indicating it is present in certain recent kernel builds prior to the fix. This vulnerability is primarily a stability and availability risk rather than a direct confidentiality or integrity compromise. However, systems relying on the affected driver and kernel versions may experience unexpected crashes, impacting operational continuity.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-56575 depends largely on their use of embedded Linux systems or devices running the affected kernel versions with the imx-jpeg driver, particularly those based on NXP i.MX95 or similar hardware platforms. Industries such as manufacturing, automotive, telecommunications, and IoT deployments that utilize embedded Linux for media processing could face system instability or downtime due to kernel panics triggered by this vulnerability. This could disrupt critical operations, especially in real-time or safety-critical environments. While the vulnerability does not appear to allow privilege escalation or data breaches, the denial of service caused by kernel crashes can lead to loss of availability, affecting service delivery and potentially causing financial and reputational damage. European organizations with supply chains or products incorporating affected hardware and Linux kernel versions should be vigilant. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the vulnerability’s presence in the kernel means that attackers with local access or the ability to trigger power management events could exploit it to cause system crashes. This is particularly relevant for embedded devices in industrial control systems or network infrastructure where uptime is critical.

To mitigate CVE-2024-56575, European organizations should: 1) Identify and inventory all systems running affected Linux kernel versions with the imx-jpeg driver, especially on NXP i.MX95 or related platforms. 2) Apply the official Linux kernel patches that address the synchronization issue in power management domain detach operations as soon as they become available. Monitor Linux kernel mailing lists and vendor advisories for patch releases. 3) For embedded devices where kernel upgrades are challenging, consider implementing workarounds such as disabling runtime power management for the affected devices temporarily to prevent asynchronous suspend/detach sequences. 4) Conduct thorough testing of power management workflows post-patch to ensure stability and no regressions. 5) Implement monitoring to detect kernel panics or abnormal reboots that could indicate exploitation attempts or triggering of the vulnerability. 6) Restrict local access to vulnerable devices to trusted personnel only, minimizing the risk of malicious triggering. 7) Collaborate with hardware and software vendors to ensure timely firmware and kernel updates are provided and deployed. 8) For critical infrastructure, consider redundancy and failover mechanisms to maintain availability in case of device crashes.