CVE-2024-56671 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel specifically affecting the gpio: graniterapids driver, which is responsible for handling virtual GPIO (vGPIO) operations on certain Intel hardware platforms. The issue arises from improper handling of the irq_chip.name field within the irq_chip struct. The vulnerability is caused by unauthorized modification of the irq_chip.name field, which was originally initialized as a constant. This modification occurs due to a suboptimal implementation of the gpio_irq_chip_set_chip() function that casts away the const qualifier, leading to a crash during system boot. The crash manifests as a page fault triggered by a supervisor write access violation in kernel mode, as evidenced by the provided crash log. The crash occurs in the gnr_gpio_probe function of the gpio_graniterapids driver, causing the systemd-udevd process to fail. This vulnerability does not appear to be exploitable for privilege escalation or remote code execution but can cause denial of service by crashing the kernel during bootup or device initialization. The root cause is a programming error in the kernel driver code that violates const correctness, leading to memory corruption and instability. The vulnerability was fixed by moving the setting of irq_chip.name from the probe() function to the initialization of the irq_chip struct, thereby preventing unauthorized modification and ensuring stable driver operation. No known exploits are reported in the wild, and no CVSS score has been assigned yet.

For European organizations, the primary impact of this vulnerability is the potential for system instability and denial of service on Linux systems running affected kernel versions with the graniterapids gpio driver enabled. This could disrupt critical infrastructure, servers, or embedded devices using this hardware platform, especially during system boot or device initialization. While the vulnerability does not directly lead to privilege escalation or data breaches, the resulting crashes could cause downtime, impacting availability of services and operational continuity. Organizations relying on Intel hardware platforms that utilize the graniterapids gpio driver in their Linux environments—such as certain industrial control systems, telecommunications equipment, or specialized computing devices—may experience unexpected reboots or failures. This could be particularly problematic in sectors requiring high availability and reliability, such as finance, healthcare, and manufacturing. However, the scope is limited to systems with this specific hardware and driver combination, which may reduce the overall impact across the broader Linux user base in Europe.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should: 1) Apply the latest Linux kernel patches that address CVE-2024-56671 as soon as they become available, ensuring the fix that moves irq_chip.name initialization to the correct location is included. 2) Audit and inventory Linux systems to identify those running affected kernel versions and hardware platforms using the graniterapids gpio driver. 3) For critical systems where immediate patching is not feasible, consider disabling or blacklisting the gpio_graniterapids driver if it is not essential, to prevent the vulnerable code from executing. 4) Implement robust monitoring for kernel crashes and system reboots to detect any instability potentially related to this issue. 5) Coordinate with hardware vendors and Linux distribution maintainers to receive timely updates and guidance. 6) Test patches in staging environments to ensure stability before deployment in production, especially for embedded or specialized devices. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on hardware-specific driver management and proactive system inventory and monitoring tailored to this vulnerability.