CVE-2026-23039
Description
A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability was found in the Linux kernel's GUD (Generic USB Display) driver. When a USB display is disconnected, drm_atomic_helper_disable_all() sets the framebuffer and CRTC pointers to NULL before invoking a commit. The driver then attempts to dereference these NULL pointers, causing a kernel crash on every USB display disconnect event.
Statement
This vulnerability affects systems using USB displays with the GUD driver. Every disconnect of a GUD-compatible USB display causes a kernel crash, making the driver effectively unusable for hot-plug scenarios. Physical access to connect/disconnect USB displays is required to trigger the crash.
Mitigation
To mitigate this issue, prevent the gud module from being loaded if USB displays are not required. See https://access.redhat.com/solutions/41278 for instructions on how to blacklist a kernel module.
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).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 5.5 | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Vector | Local | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Complexity | Low | 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 | None | N/A | N/A |
| Integrity Impact | None | N/A | N/A |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | N/A |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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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