CVE-2025-40288

EPSS 0.0%
  • Published: 2025-12-06T22:15:57.067

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

drm/amdgpu: Fix NULL pointer dereference in VRAM logic for APU devices

Previously, APU platforms (and other scenarios with uninitialized VRAM managers)
triggered a NULL pointer dereference in `ttm_resource_manager_usage()`. The root
cause is not that the `struct ttm_resource_manager *man` pointer itself is NULL,
but that `man->bdev` (the backing device pointer within the manager) remains
uninitialized (NULL) on APUs—since APUs lack dedicated VRAM and do not fully
set up VRAM manager structures. When `ttm_resource_manager_usage()` attempts to
acquire `man->bdev->lru_lock`, it dereferences the NULL `man->bdev`, leading to
a kernel OOPS.

1. **amdgpu_cs.c**: Extend the existing bandwidth control check in
`amdgpu_cs_get_threshold_for_moves()` to include a check for
`ttm_resource_manager_used()`. If the manager is not used (uninitialized
`bdev`), return 0 for migration thresholds immediately—skipping VRAM-specific
logic that would trigger the NULL dereference.

2. **amdgpu_kms.c**: Update the `AMDGPU_INFO_VRAM_USAGE` ioctl and memory info
reporting to use a conditional: if the manager is used, return the real VRAM
usage; otherwise, return 0. This avoids accessing `man->bdev` when it is
NULL.

3. **amdgpu_virt.c**: Modify the vf2pf (virtual function to physical function)
data write path. Use `ttm_resource_manager_used()` to check validity: if the
manager is usable, calculate `fb_usage` from VRAM usage; otherwise, set
`fb_usage` to 0 (APUs have no discrete framebuffer to report).

This approach is more robust than APU-specific checks because it:
– Works for all scenarios where the VRAM manager is uninitialized (not just APUs),
– Aligns with TTM’s design by using its native helper function,
– Preserves correct behavior for discrete GPUs (which have fully initialized
`man->bdev` and pass the `ttm_resource_manager_used()` check).

v4: use ttm_resource_manager_used(&adev->mman.vram_mgr.manager) instead of checking the adev->gmc.is_app_apu flag (Christian)

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How to fix CVE-2025-40288

CVE-2025-40288 is a unknown severity vulnerability affecting the affected product.

Description: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/amdgpu: Fix NULL pointer dereference in VRAM logic for APU devices Previously, APU platforms (and other scenarios with uninitialized VRAM managers) triggered a NULL pointer dereference in `ttm_resource_manager_usage()`. The root cause is not that the `struct ttm_resource_manager *man` pointer itself is NULL, but that `man->bdev` […]

Exploit Difficulty: HARD
⏱️ Time to exploit: > 4 hours
🛠️ Required skills: Advanced security expertise
💰 Public exploits: Rare or not public

How to Fix:

1 Identify affected systems

- Check if you're running the affected product

2 Immediate actions

- Update to the latest patched version
- If patching is not immediately possible: restrict network exposure, apply least-privilege access

3 Verification

- Test the fix in a staging environment first
- Review logs for signs of exploitation
- Monitor for IOCs (Indicators of Compromise)

4 Long-term prevention

- Enable automatic security updates
- Set up vulnerability monitoring
- Review and harden security configurations

Exploit Difficulty Assessment

HARD
⏱️ Time to Exploit: > 4 hours
🛠️ Skills Required: Advanced security expertise
💰 Public Exploits: Rare or not public

Vulnerability Timeline

Dec 06, 2025
Vulnerability Published

CVE details first published to NVD database

Dec 06, 2025
Imported to Database

Added to this CVE tracking system

Detection Rules & IOCs

No specific detection rules generated for this vulnerability type.

No vendor/product data available.