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CVE Record

CVE-2024-26939: drm/i915/vma: Fix UAF on destroy against retire race

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/i915/vma: Fix UAF on destroy against retire race Object debugging tools were sporadically reporting illegal attempts to free a still active i915 VMA object when parking a GT believed to be idle. [161.359441] ODEBUG: free active (active state 0) object: ffff88811643b958 object type: i915_active hint: __i915_vma_active+0x0/0x50 [i915] [161.360082] WARNING: CPU: 5 PID: 276 at lib/debugobjects.c:514 debug_print_object+0x80/0xb0 ... [161.360304] CPU: 5 PID: 276 Comm: kworker/5:2 Not tainted 6.5.0-rc1-CI_DRM_13375-g003f860e5577+ #1 [161.360314] Hardware name: Intel Corporation Rocket Lake Client Platform/RocketLake S UDIMM 6L RVP, BIOS RKLSFWI1.R00.3173.A03.2204210138 04/21/2022 [161.360322] Workqueue: i915-unordered __intel_wakeref_put_work [i915] [161.360592] RIP: 0010:debug_print_object+0x80/0xb0 ... [161.361347] debug_object_free+0xeb/0x110 [161.361362] i915_active_fini+0x14/0x130 [i915] [161.361866] release_references+0xfe/0x1f0 [i915] [161.362543] i915_vma_parked+0x1db/0x380 [i915] [161.363129] __gt_park+0x121/0x230 [i915] [161.363515] ____intel_wakeref_put_last+0x1f/0x70 [i915] That has been tracked down to be happening when another thread is deactivating the VMA inside __active_retire() helper, after the VMA's active counter has been already decremented to 0, but before deactivation of the VMA's object is reported to the object debugging tool. We could prevent from that race by serializing i915_active_fini() with __active_retire() via ref->tree_lock, but that wouldn't stop the VMA from being used, e.g. from __i915_vma_retire() called at the end of __active_retire(), after that VMA has been already freed by a concurrent i915_vma_destroy() on return from the i915_active_fini(). Then, we should rather fix the issue at the VMA level, not in i915_active. Since __i915_vma_parked() is called from __gt_park() on last put of the GT's wakeref, the issue could be addressed by holding the GT wakeref long enough for __active_retire() to complete before that wakeref is released and the GT parked. I believe the issue was introduced by commit d93939730347 ("drm/i915: Remove the vma refcount") which moved a call to i915_active_fini() from a dropped i915_vma_release(), called on last put of the removed VMA kref, to i915_vma_parked() processing path called on last put of a GT wakeref. However, its visibility to the object debugging tool was suppressed by a bug in i915_active that was fixed two weeks later with commit e92eb246feb9 ("drm/i915/active: Fix missing debug object activation"). A VMA associated with a request doesn't acquire a GT wakeref by itself. Instead, it depends on a wakeref held directly by the request's active intel_context for a GT associated with its VM, and indirectly on that intel_context's engine wakeref if the engine belongs to the same GT as the VMA's VM. Those wakerefs are released asynchronously to VMA deactivation. Fix the issue by getting a wakeref for the VMA's GT when activating it, and putting that wakeref only after the VMA is deactivated. However, exclude global GTT from that processing path, otherwise the GPU never goes idle. Since __i915_vma_retire() may be called from atomic contexts, use async variant of wakeref put. Also, to avoid circular locking dependency, take care of acquiring the wakeref before VM mutex when both are needed. v7: Add inline comments with justifications for: - using untracked variants of intel_gt_pm_get/put() (Nirmoy), - using async variant of _put(), - not getting the wakeref in case of a global GTT, - always getting the first wakeref outside vm->mutex. v6: Since __i915_vma_active/retire() callbacks are not serialized, storing a wakeref tracking handle inside struct i915_vma is not safe, and there is no other good place for that. Use untracked variants of intel_gt_pm_get/put_async(). v5: Replace "tile" with "GT" across commit description (Rodrigo), - ---truncated---

HighCVSS 7.8Not KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

A race in the Linux Intel i915 graphics driver can free graphics memory-management data while another kernel thread still uses it. A local, low-privileged user may potentially trigger serious confidentiality, integrity, or availability impacts. The supplied CVSS score is 7.8.

Executive priority

Prioritize normal high-severity kernel patching, especially for multi-user endpoints or systems permitting untrusted local workloads. Accelerate remediation where Intel i915 is active. No evidence supplied supports emergency response for active exploitation.

Technical view

CVE-2024-26939 is a CWE-416 use-after-free involving i915 VMA destruction racing with asynchronous retirement during GT parking. The fix keeps the VMA’s GT awake from activation through deactivation, using asynchronous wakeref release and excluding the global GTT path.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely on systems running an affected Linux kernel with Intel graphics using the i915 driver. The supplied version data identifies affected kernel lines but is insufficiently structured to map every distribution package reliably. Systems without applicable Intel i915 hardware or driver use are less likely exposed.

Exploitation context

The supplied vector requires local access and low privileges, with low attack complexity and no user interaction. CISA KEV status is false, and the provided sources do not establish active exploitation or a public exploit. The race was observed sporadically through kernel object-debugging warnings.

Researcher notes

The vulnerable condition follows commit d93939730347 and involves unsynchronized VMA active/retire callbacks. Four stable fixes are referenced. The supplied affected-version list is ambiguous and the description is truncated, so exact branch boundaries should be verified through kernel or distribution advisories.

Mitigation direction

  • Install a vendor-supported kernel containing the applicable stable fix.
  • Use distribution advisories to map fixed kernel package versions accurately.
  • Reboot after updating and confirm the fixed kernel is running.
  • If updates are delayed, consult vendor guidance for safe i915 exposure reduction.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory kernel versions on systems using Intel graphics.
  • Confirm whether the i915 driver is loaded or required.
  • Compare package patch status against the referenced stable kernel commits.
  • Review kernel logs for i915 use-after-free or debug-object warnings.
  • Do not treat absent warnings as proof that a system is unaffected.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
6

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

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ATT&CK lookup starting points

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cwe · low confidence lookup

CWE-416: Exact CWE lookup

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cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2024-26939 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.8 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
2ADP providers
5Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: total

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
7.8CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9Linux

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.8High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2024-26939Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc
CVECVE Program Container
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxd93939730347360db0afe6a4367451b6f84ab7b1, d93939730347360db0afe6a4367451b6f84ab7b1, d93939730347360db0afe6a4367451b6f84ab7b1, d93939730347360db0afe6a4367451b6f84ab7b1unaffected
LinuxLinux5.19, 0, 6.1.88, 6.6.29, 6.8.3, 6.9affected
Weakness

CWE details

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.

CWE-416 · source CWE mapping

Use After Free

Use After Free represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.