CVE-2024-56711 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel specifically within the Direct Rendering Manager (DRM) subsystem, related to the himax-hx83102 panel driver. The issue arises in the drm_mode_duplicate() function, which is responsible for duplicating display mode structures. Under conditions of memory exhaustion, drm_mode_duplicate() may return a NULL pointer. The vulnerability occurs because the code does not check for this NULL return value before dereferencing it, leading to a NULL pointer dereference. This can cause a kernel panic or system crash, resulting in a denial of service (DoS). The vulnerability is addressed by adding a check to prevent dereferencing a NULL pointer, thus improving the robustness of the driver against low-memory conditions. The affected versions are identified by a specific commit hash, indicating the vulnerability exists in certain Linux kernel builds prior to 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 does not appear to allow privilege escalation or code execution directly but can cause system instability or crashes when triggered.

For European organizations, this vulnerability primarily poses a risk of denial of service on systems running affected Linux kernel versions with the himax-hx83102 panel driver enabled. This is particularly relevant for embedded systems, IoT devices, or specialized hardware using this display panel, which may be deployed in industrial, medical, or commercial environments. A successful exploitation could disrupt operations by causing kernel crashes, leading to downtime and potential loss of availability of critical services. While it does not directly compromise confidentiality or integrity, the availability impact can be significant in environments requiring high uptime or real-time responsiveness. Organizations relying on Linux-based infrastructure with this specific driver should be aware of the risk, especially if they operate devices with limited memory resources where the condition triggering the NULL pointer dereference is more likely to occur.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should: 1) Identify and inventory Linux systems running kernels that include the himax-hx83102 panel driver, especially those with the affected commit hashes. 2) Apply the latest Linux kernel updates or patches that include the fix for CVE-2024-56711 as soon as they become available. 3) For embedded or IoT devices where kernel updates are not straightforward, consider vendor firmware updates or workarounds that disable or replace the vulnerable driver if feasible. 4) Monitor system logs for kernel panics or crashes related to the DRM subsystem to detect potential exploitation attempts or instability. 5) Implement memory resource monitoring and management to reduce the likelihood of memory exhaustion conditions that trigger the vulnerability. 6) Include this vulnerability in vulnerability management and patching cycles to ensure timely remediation.