Executive brief
A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's AMD graphics driver could allow a local user to cause a system crash. The issue occurs when certain hardware components (SDMA blocks) are not enabled, leading to an improper memory reference during initialization. This primarily impacts system availability and stability for users with AMD GPUs.
Technical details
A NULL pointer dereference exists in the amdgpu_device_ip_init function within drivers/gpu/drm/amd/amdgpu/amdgpu_device.c. If the System Direct Memory Access (SDMA) block is not enabled, the buffer_funcs_ring structure is not initialized. Subsequent attempts to access the 'ready' status of the scheduler via this uninitialized pointer result in a kernel panic. This is a local vulnerability requiring low privileges to trigger, typically during driver initialization or hardware reconfiguration. Patches have been released for multiple stable kernel branches including 6.12.y, 6.18.y, and 6.19.y.
Affected products
- Linux Linux Kernel 6.7 to 6.12.75, 6.13 to 6.18.16, 6.19 to 6.19.6
Timeline
- 2025-12-08: other: Initial patch commit by AMD developer
- 2026-05-06: disclosed: CVE published