CVE-2024-58068 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel related to the Operating Performance Points (OPP) framework, specifically in the handling of bandwidth tables used by device power management. The issue arises when a driver calls the functions dev_pm_opp_find_bw_ceil() or dev_pm_opp_find_bw_floor() to retrieve bandwidth information from the OPP table, but the bandwidth table has not been initialized. This lack of initialization occurs if the interconnect properties are missing in the OPP consumer node. Under these conditions, the kernel attempts to dereference a NULL pointer, leading to a kernel crash with an error message indicating an inability to handle a NULL pointer dereference at a specific virtual address. The crash occurs in the _read_bw() function, which is called during bandwidth retrieval, propagating through _opp_table_find_key() and dev_pm_opp_find_bw_ceil(). The root cause is the absence of a check to verify that the bandwidth table exists before attempting to read from it. The fix implemented involves adding an assertion to ensure the bandwidth table is created before any bandwidth retrieval attempts, preventing the NULL pointer dereference and subsequent kernel panic. This vulnerability affects Linux kernel versions identified by the commit hash add1dc094a7456d3c56782b7478940b6a550c7ed and potentially others with similar code paths. No known exploits are reported in the wild at this time, and no CVSS score has been assigned yet.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to systems running affected Linux kernel versions, especially those utilizing device drivers that interact with the OPP framework for power management and bandwidth control. The impact manifests as a denial of service (DoS) condition due to kernel crashes, which can disrupt critical services, reduce system availability, and potentially cause data loss or corruption if crashes occur during sensitive operations. Systems in embedded environments, telecommunications, industrial control, and cloud infrastructure that rely on Linux kernels with these drivers are particularly vulnerable. While the vulnerability does not directly lead to privilege escalation or data breach, the resulting instability can degrade operational continuity and increase maintenance overhead. Organizations with large Linux deployments, including servers, network devices, and IoT devices, may experience increased downtime or require emergency patching. Given that no authentication or user interaction is required to trigger the crash (it depends on driver behavior), the vulnerability could be exploited by local processes or malicious drivers, increasing the attack surface in multi-tenant or shared environments.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should prioritize updating their Linux kernels to versions where the patch for CVE-2024-58068 has been applied. Kernel maintainers have introduced assertions to verify bandwidth table initialization before access, preventing the NULL pointer dereference. Organizations should: 1) Identify all systems running affected kernel versions, especially those with custom or third-party drivers that may interact with the OPP framework. 2) Test and deploy kernel updates from trusted sources that include the fix. 3) Review device tree configurations and ensure interconnect properties are correctly defined in OPP consumer nodes to prevent uninitialized bandwidth tables. 4) Implement monitoring for kernel panics and crashes related to power management subsystems to detect exploitation attempts early. 5) For embedded and IoT devices where kernel updates are challenging, consider isolating vulnerable devices or restricting access to trusted users and processes to reduce risk. 6) Engage with hardware and software vendors to confirm patch availability and deployment timelines. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on configuration validation, targeted patching, and proactive monitoring specific to the OPP and power management components.