CVE-2024-56752 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel, specifically within the Nouveau DRM (Direct Rendering Manager) driver component responsible for managing NVIDIA graphics hardware. The flaw resides in the function gf100_gr_chan_new() located in the file drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nvkm/engine/gr/gf100.c. The issue is a missing unlock operation on the gr->fecs.mutex mutex when the call to gf100_grctx_generate() fails. This results in inconsistent return paths where the mutex remains locked if an error occurs, leading to a potential deadlock scenario. The vulnerability was flagged by static analysis tools (smatch) due to inconsistent returns involving the mutex lock state. The patch fixes this by ensuring that the mutex is properly unlocked before returning an error, thus maintaining proper synchronization and preventing resource locking issues. Although the vulnerability does not directly expose a memory corruption or privilege escalation vector, the improper mutex handling can cause kernel-level deadlocks, which may impact system stability and availability. The affected versions are identified by specific commit hashes, indicating that this is a code-level fix in the Linux kernel source. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication, and no CVSS score has been assigned yet. The vulnerability is categorized as a Linux kernel vulnerability affecting the Nouveau driver for NVIDIA GPUs.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability primarily concerns system stability and availability rather than direct compromise of confidentiality or integrity. Systems running Linux kernels with the affected Nouveau driver versions, especially those utilizing NVIDIA GPUs, may experience kernel deadlocks or hangs if the vulnerability is triggered. This can disrupt critical services, particularly in environments relying on GPU-accelerated workloads such as scientific computing, media processing, or machine learning. Data centers, research institutions, and enterprises using Linux-based infrastructure with NVIDIA hardware could face operational interruptions. While this vulnerability does not appear to allow privilege escalation or remote code execution, the denial-of-service effect caused by kernel deadlocks can lead to downtime and potential loss of productivity. Given the absence of known exploits, the immediate risk is moderate; however, unpatched systems remain vulnerable to stability issues. Organizations with high availability requirements should prioritize patching to avoid unexpected system freezes or crashes.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should: 1) Identify Linux systems running the Nouveau DRM driver with the affected kernel versions or commit hashes. 2) Apply the official Linux kernel patches that fix the mutex unlock issue in gf100_gr_chan_new(), ensuring the kernel source is updated and rebuilt if necessary. 3) Test patched kernels in staging environments to verify stability before deployment in production. 4) Monitor system logs for GPU-related kernel errors or deadlocks that could indicate attempts to trigger the issue. 5) For critical systems, consider temporarily disabling the Nouveau driver or switching to alternative GPU drivers if feasible until patches are applied. 6) Maintain up-to-date kernel versions and subscribe to Linux kernel security advisories to promptly address similar issues. 7) Implement robust system monitoring and automated reboot mechanisms to minimize downtime in case of kernel hangs. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on driver-specific patching, testing, and operational monitoring tailored to this vulnerability.