CVE-2023-53833
Description
A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability was found in the Intel i915 graphics driver in the Linux kernel. The intel_atomic_get_new_crtc_state() function can return NULL if the CRTC state was not previously obtained via intel_atomic_get_crtc_state(), but the return value was not checked before use. This leads to a kernel crash when display mode changes are performed under certain conditions.
Statement
This is a NULL pointer dereference in the Intel i915 graphics driver that can cause a kernel crash during display configuration changes. The vulnerability requires local access and affects systems with Intel integrated graphics.
Mitigation
To mitigate this issue, prevent the i915 module from being loaded. See https://access.redhat.com/solutions/41278 for instructions on how to blacklist a kernel module. Note that this will disable Intel integrated graphics.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 7 | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Vector | Local | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Complexity | High | N/A | N/A |
| Privileges Required | Low | N/A | N/A |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | N/A |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | N/A |
| Confidentiality | High | N/A | N/A |
| Integrity Impact | High | N/A | N/A |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | N/A |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Availability
Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
NULL pointer dereferences usually result in the failure of the process unless exception handling (on some platforms) is available and implemented. Even when exception handling is being used, it can still be very difficult to return the software to a safe state of operation.
Integrity,Confidentiality
Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands; Read Memory; Modify Memory
In rare circumstances, when NULL is equivalent to the 0x0 memory address and privileged code can access it, then writing or reading memory is possible, which may lead to code execution.
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